#98 How the Massive SuperComp Trainer was Made (ft. New Balance’s Danny Orr and Ethan Steiner)

Nate, Matt, and DJ are joined by two very special guests from New Balance: Danny Orr and Ethan Steiner. Danny & Ethan give us an inside look at the development and testing of New Balance's brand new max-stack training shoe, the FuelCell SuperComp Trainer. Boasting a whopping 47mm of midsole and a full-length EnergyArc carbon fiber plate, the SC Trainer was developed to maximize comfort, efficiencty, and energy return. Danny & Ethan help us understand the technology behind EnergyArc, how they landed on 47mm of stack height, and more. Danny Orr is the General Manager of Performance Running at New Balance, leading multiple teams focusing current offereings as well as multi-year shoe development. Ethan is a Sports Research Engineer at New Balance, working in their Sports Research Lab, focused on shoe development, research, and innovation. For more on the FuelCell SuperComp Trainer, be sure to check out our full multi-tester written review on our website. Chapters 0:00 - Introduction 1:12 - Getting to know Ethan & Danny 7:26 - The history & origin of the SC Trainer 10:01 - The evolution of the FuelCell Foam 15:27 - How New Balance tests its foams 16:58 - The design and goal of EnergyArc 23:33 - Testing methodology for human subjects in New Balance's lab 28:37 - How New Balance designed the SC Trainer's massive stack height 36:24 - Who is the SC Trainer for? 43:38 - How the SC Trainer impacts fatigue resistance & running economy 52:30 - What's coming next for the FuelCell line 59:01 - Wrap-up