They're zero-drop shoes with wide toe-boxes and barely-there soles (though the outsole is studded with grippy lugs to facilitate trail running). And while they're not made with CrossFit in mind, they look like a worthy competitor to the Merrell Trail Gloves and New Balance Minimus MT10s.
I remember eying the Neo Trails a few months ago when I saw a sneak peek online, but promptly forgot about 'em when the NB MX20s came out.
Aside from a pair of Onitsuka Tigers Rotation 77s, the only shoes I wear to the office these days are from the VivoBarefoot line, but I've never tried any of the brand's athletic shoes. Sadly, I may have to wait a little while longer to give the Neo Trails a shot; with a $130 price tag, these babies are $45 more than my current favorites in the gym.
It's been a month since I bought a pair of Reebok's CrossFit shoes down at the Games. Only a few hundred pairs were made and distributed to Games competitors; the leftovers were then sold to spectators like me. So while the rest of the CrossFit world impatiently waits for Reebok to offer its shoes to the buying public, we lucky few who nabbed a pair at the Home Depot Center have been trying them out. Through all of August, I put mine through the paces: lifting, running, jumping -- the works.
So what's the verdict?
Before we get down to brass tacks, I should point out that the pair I own may not be the final launch version of the Reebok CrossFit shoes. Even though they were deemed Games-ready, I'm guessing that Reebok has some final tweaks up its sleeves. (From what I've heard, they'll be available as early as November -- though I've also heard January -- and will retail for $130). But I'm working with what I've got, so here goes.
There are some things I absolutely love about these shoes. First and foremost, I'm a big fan of the Reeboks' super-wide toe box. The forefoot feels slightly wider than even those on New Balance's Minimus shoes (though upon visual inspection, they appear to be the same width), and offers tons of room for the natural spread and stretch of athletes' toes. Also, unlike some other manufacturers, Reebok's managed to build a wide shoe without sacrificing the look of the product.
Yes, some find the Reebok CrossFit shoes to be butt-ugly (including my wife), but I don't. As I've written before, I think the styling comes correct. I haven't once felt self-conscious about wearing them out in public despite the fact that they're blindingly yellow. I associate yellow-and-black with Bruce Lee, wasps and the Steel Curtain -- so I actually feel pretty bad-ass when I strut around in these babies. (Yes, I realize that most people actually just think I'm color-blind, but shut up.) Bonus: The shoes came with both yellow and black laces.
The Reeboks -- at 9.15 ounces -- are fairly lightweight, and only slightly heavier than my New Balance Minimus MX20s (8.10 ounces) and MT10s (7.15 ounces). The padding and support around the ankles feel solid without being obtrusive, and the throat at midfoot -- although pretty snug when laced -- doesn't overly constrict my feet like the Merrell Barefoot Trail Gloves did (or even the New Balance Minimus MT10s). The Reebok shoes' mesh uppers are soft and breathable but durable; after a month of fairly aggressive wear-testing, I haven't noticed any fraying or tearing of the fabric -- not even at the toe-cap, where there's minimal foxing.
As for the vaunted U-Form custom-fit technology? I stand corrected -- it's not just a marketing gimmick. When I first put the shoes on my feet right out of the box, they felt a little loose in places (especially in the vamp and heel counter). But after baking the shoes in a 200-degree oven for 3 minutes and then keeping them tightly laced on my feet for another 8 minutes, the Reeboks fit like a glove. Plus, they felt warm and toasty.
(Note: My shoes didn't come with baking instructions, but I found 'em online here.)
That said, this is not (yet) a perfect shoe.
Some of the flaws are minor, and can be easily fixed. For one, the sizing of the shoes that were sold at the Games is totally screwy. These Reeboks run a full size larger than normal. I usually wear a Men's 9.5 or 10 -- but the Reeboks that best fit me are size 8. Given that Reebok has signaled that these shoes will be sold primarily (exclusively?) online, accurate sizing is critical. Folks who have waited months for these shoes to become available aren't going to be happy about opening up FedEx packages of shoes, only to find that they're too damned big.
Another small problem: The shoelaces are way too short. If you lace the shoes up all the way, you'll barely have enough left over to make bunny-ears.
The biggest issue I have with the Reebok CrossFit shoes, however, is the sole. Yes, I like the minimal heel-to-toe drop, the treads wrapping around the edge of the instep to protect against damage from rope climbs, the lack of zigzags, nubs or other rubbery nonsense on the bottoms of other Reebok shoes. But unfortunately, these shoes are, in my opinion, overly stiff in the sole -- especially through the middle of the foot. While most other shoes flex right at the ball of the foot, the break-line in the Reeboks' sole appears to be situated closer to base of the toes. As a result, with the exception of the very front section of the forefoot, the sole feels like a flat board. There's not a lot of give here.
I can see the advantages a stiffer sole might bring to lifting -- you don't want so much flex in the shoe that people end up on their toes when they should be keeping their weight on their heels. But in my opinion, the soles of these CrossFit shoes could stand to be more yielding given the variety of non-lifting movements that we encounter. The padded insert that comes in the shoes doesn't help either. It sacrifices ground feel for cushiness -- something that most of us don't want or need. After a few workouts, I ended up removing the spongy inserts entirely.
For CrossFit, I prefer shoes that I don't even think about during my WODs. But whenever I ran or jumped in these shoes, I couldn't help but notice the stiffness of the midfoot sole from the balls of my feet to my heels.
The sole aside, the Reebok CrossFit shoes are still heads-and-shoulders above most other cross trainers on the market. The wide toe-box, easy-bake fit, head-turning looks and minimal heel-to-toe drop are features any CrossFitter would dig.
How do they stack up against my other CrossFit footwear? My New Balance Minimus MX20 Trainers still remain my favorite -- but competition for CrossFitters' hearts and minds (and feet) has begun to heat up. This next year is going to see a glut of CrossFit-specific shoes, with new offerings from Reebok, New Balance, Vibram, Altra, Inov-8, Merrell, and others. I can't wait to try 'em out.
Is that just a convenient excuse for me to buy a crapload of shoes? Maybe.
But it doesn't mean I'm interested in lugging a suitcase filled with shoes to the gym every day. Instead, my ongoing mission is to find a pair of go-to shoes that can serve as my Swiss Army knife / utility infielder / jack-of-all-trades for all kinds of CrossFit workouts.
During my neverending search, it's been fascinating to trace the waxing and waning footwear trends within the CrossFit community. Even in the relatively short time I’ve been doing CrossFit, I’ve watched the tide shift from Chucks and skate shoes to Vibrams and minimalist footwear. (See this post for more about my experiences with the aforementioned shoes.)
The Inov-8 f-Lite 195s and 230s (and the new Road-X 233s) are super-lightweight and feature a glove-like fit, making ‘em a fantastic choice for pull-ups, box jumps, burpees, ring dips, knees-to-elbows -- pretty much any movement that involves quick and/or light feet. The absence of a chunky, cushioned heel makes Inov-8s great for POSE running, too. (The heel-to-toe drops range from 3mm to 6mm.)
But Inov-8 has its limitations, too. Some complain about the narrow toe box, which makes these shoes a bit too snug for those of us with big, wide feet. Inov-8 also seems to have a problem keeping enough inventory on hand to meet the demands of CrossFitters and runners who are clamoring for a pair or three.
Thankfully, there are more than a few new options that have recently arrived on the market to sate the hordes of footwear-hungry WOD monsters out there.
I recently picked up a pair of Merrell Trail Gloves as well as a pair of New Balance Minimus Trail shoes. Both are minimalist trail-running shoes that try to provide a barefoot-like experience to athletes. Both feature Vibram-made and -branded outsoles. And both are quickly picking up devotees in the CrossFit community -- especially those who are keenly aware of the benefits of barefoot training. Iin particular, the Minimus shoes are now popping up in boxes all over the place.
First up: The Merrell Trail Glove -- a pretty good option if you're looking for an all-around CrossFitting shoe.
It’s a zero-drop shoe, which makes barefoot fans (like me) salivate. The Trail Gloves are light; they weigh just a bit more than the Inov-8 195s (6.2 ounces versus 6.0 ounces), and their thin, flexible soles offer plenty of ground feel (albeit not as much as a pair of Vibram FiveFingers KSOs) and “stick.” The outsole doesn’t feature a lot of grooves and lugs for added traction, but that hasn’t bothered me; the soles grip the top of a wooden plyo box just fine. Plus, while the exterior styling of the shoe isn’t going to dazzle anyone, it’s not going to attract any open-mouthed stares, either -- a problem M and I face all the time when we strut around town in our gorilla-toed FiveFingers.
As for the inside of the Trail Gloves, the lack of inserts and the smooth fabrication of the interior lining help prevent blisters and rashes. And unlike the Inov-8s, the Trail Gloves offer tons of room in the toe box -- toe splaying is definitely not a problem in these shoes.
Still, I’m finding the Trail Gloves to be a little too snug in other areas. The ankle collar feels overly tight, and the midfoot is especially constricting. It almost feels like there’s too much support through the arch. I know -- it’s weird to be complaining about a supportive arch, which most folks seek out in new athletic shoes. But it’s probably my biggest complaint about this shoe, which I otherwise love wearing for CrossFit WODs.
Two days after buying a pair of Trail Gloves, I got word that New Balance’s first minimalist shoe -- the Minimus Trail -- had arrived at my favorite local running-store-slash-coffee-joint, Zombie Runner. I was powerless to resist. I had to try ‘em (I’m not very good at self-denial, and I'm a huge proponent of instant gratification), so I rushed over and bought a pair. And I don’t regret it for a second.
I flat-out love my Minimus Trails. First of all, they look awesome. (After wearing Vibram FiveFingers for a couple of years, I'd almost forgotten the simple pleasures of wearing non-hideous shoes.) The exterior mesh upper wraps all the way around the shoe, enveloping an inner webbing that grips the foot snugly. The outsole -- also made by Vibram -- is appropriately craggy, offering solid traction and side-to-side stickiness.
The Minimus Trails are a little heavier than some of the other shoes I’ve tried, weighing in at 7.45 ounces. But when they’re on, I don’t notice much of a difference. They’re still feather-light on your feet.
And although these shoes aren’t zero drop (they have a 4 mm heel-to-toe drop), the ever-so-slightly-beefier heel doesn’t take away from the ground feel at all. There’s still nowhere near the level of cushioning that you’d find on a typical running shoe.
Plus, the extra few millimeters on the heel actually makes the Minimus more versatile for CrossFitting; when chugging through a WOD that incorporates O-lifting, I’ve come to appreciate the sturdier heel on these babies. Even that tiny bit of extra stability when cranking out heavy clean-and-jerks can make a huge difference.
Lastly, the Minimus Trails feel great on my feet, with loads of room in the toe box for my wiggly piggies and plenty of flex throughout the shoe. In contrast to the Merrell Trail Gloves, the Minimus shoes don’t girdle your midfoot.
The interior is almost sock-like, with soft, smooth fabrics. The seams and stitching are not noticeable. There’s a plushness to the inside of the shoe that makes the Minimus a pleasure to put on. After I first took ‘em out of the box and put them on, I seriously wanted to sleep in these shoes.
(If you're interested Barefoot Running University has an extensive write-up about the New Balance Minimus Trail shoes -- check it out here.)
I’m still enjoying my Merrell Trail Gloves, but when I head out the door for my morning classes at CrossFit Palo Alto, I usually grab my Minimus Trails. (I still change into my weightlifting shoes at the gym if we’re practicing a lift.) I loved working out in my Chucks and FiveFingers, but in my opinion, my Minimus Trails (and Merrell Trail Gloves, too) are better able to tackle whatever Tim decides to throw at us. Plus, unlike Inov-8s, my gut tells me that New Balance ain't gonna run out of stock.
The fit is perfect, and they're incredibly light and comfortable. They feel like socks. It's not a zero-drop shoe -- there's a 4 mm heel-to-toe drop -- but it's barely noticeable. And on the plus side, the slightly-more substantial heel feels more stable than that of the Merrell Trail Glove, so the Minimus should be perfect for WODs that combine O-lifting with running. (Both models, by the way, feature Vibram soles.)
Check out Birthday Shoes' detailed review of the NB Minimus Trail shoes here.
Is it weird that I want to wear my new shoes to bed?
Got myself a new pair of shoes yesterday. I've been lurking around Zombie Runner for weeks, hoping for the next shipment of Inov-8 F-Lite 195s to arrive -- but I got a little tired of waiting. So when I spied a pair of red Merrell Trail Gloves (see reviews here and here) at REI, I snatched 'em up.
They're zero-drop and feature Vibram soles, so I was itching to give 'em a try. I did my first workout in these shoes this morning, and they felt fantastic: roomy in the toe box, with great ground feel.
This doesn't mean I still don't want a pair of Inov-8s, though. The elusive 195s are still on my wish list -- not to mention the new X-Lite 155s that Tim told me about.
And for good measure, a new pair of skate shoes -- my first pair in, oh, about 23 years. Brian Mackenzie's a big fan of DCs for all-around CrossFitting, and the man knows his stuff.
Still, I suspect I'm too much of a nerdy geezer to pull off the skater look these days.
There are six models in the range -- priced between £80 and £90 – all of which use the same Vibram sole unit with minimal support and cushioning. The theory, based on bare-foot running, is that removing cushioning and stiffening allows the foot to move more naturally and encourages forefoot striking rather than heel landing, which is only possible because of mid-sole cushioning ... It's interesting stuff and the first barefoot shoes we've seen designed for general outdoors walking rather running.
