Adidas PowerLift Trainer

THE REVIEW:

The Adidas PowerLift Trainer is a model designed to fit a growing market of consumers – the fitness enthusiast and athletes that have become aware of the need for proper footwear while weight training. If that describes you, keep reading this review to find out more about this particular shoe and whether it is a good choice for your needs or not.

This new shoe features a leather upper, a 0.60″ heel constructed of EVA and a very comfortable tennis shoe-like fit. The resulting product is a low cost, solid weightlifting shoe that is perfect for the beginner or light weight lifter.

To understand the impact the Power Lift Trainers will have on the market, we need to first look at the Adidas model history that precedes these shoes. In early 2011 Adidas launched the Power Perfect II, a budget Olympic lifting shoe targeted more towards non-competitive athletes.

With the Power Perfect 2 shoe on the market for Olympic weight lifters, Adidas needed to design a shoe that met the needs of recreational lifters – low cost, durable and an easy transition from other lightweight trainers. This was the driving market behind the Powerlift Trainer, gym goers that knew they needed stable shoes to lift in, but didn’t want to spend $120+ on a pair of shoes just for the gym.

Since this shoe is an almost identical twin to the Power Perfect 2 weightlifting shoe, let’s cover the differences so they aren’t confused. First off, this model is about $30 cheaper, priced right around $90. Like the Power Perfect 2, most of the shoe is made of synthetic leather but to reduce the cost even further an EVA material was used for the heel of the PowerLift model (EVA is a lightweight polymer, as dense as harder rubber soles but much lighter.) Finally, the PP2 is only available in white with red accents while the PL Trainer is available in 5 distinct colors.

The EVA material keeps the shoe light, and with a heel height of 0.6 inches, they are the exact height recommended by infamous strength training coach Mark Rippetoe for power lifting. The heel is EVA, not wood or super dense rubber, so they WILL begin to compress under very heavy weight loads. With that said, I’ve personally seen a 250lb man performing 350lb squats while wearing these and he didn’t seem to be complaining.

This model was targeted at the mainstream Crossfit and “Starting Strength” power lifting crowd who don’t really need a $150 pair of shoes just for lifting. And although the Ironwork and Power Perfect were Olympic lifting shoes, we didn’t find the PL trainers all that suited to Olympic lifts. The front of the shoe is very stiff and the design of the sole doesn’t allow a very flexible toe box. I don’t believe this will change even after the shoe breaks in. This will hinder you when going into your split. Second, the heel height is only .6″, relatively low considering most Oly shoes are fitted with .75″ – 1.5″ heels. And finally, a true Olympic lifting shoe must be extremely solid in the heel; I’m afraid the compressible nature of the heel on the Powerlift Trainers will result in an unstable base, especially when performing quick movements such as those required for oly lifts.

In the end I’d say these are best suited for beginner to intermediate power lifters or those that are just performing squats, presses, dead lifts and bench. While you could get away with light weight Oly lifts wearing these, there are better shoes on the market for that purpose. These certainly aren’t for anyone that ever intends on attempt a set of heavy double or singles.

Adidas still run a bit “tight” in the forefoot area so once again, wider feet may have more difficulty fitting into these shoes. I also found the forefront of the shoe to be pretty stiff so a few trips to the gym will be required to break them in. The sole of the shoe uses the exact same sole of the former IronWork, so grip is very good as well. Overall the styling and construction of the shoe seem very promising and many owners are already singing praises for this shoe. Only time will tell if the cut in cost leads to a reduction in durability for this shoe.

SIZING:

These shoes run true to size. I wear a size 9 in Reebok Zigs, and a 9 in Adidas AdiZeros and a size 9 PL Trainer fits perfect. The shoes are fairly narrow in the toe box so anything more than a moderately wide foot will probably result in an uncomfortably tight fit.

WHERE TO BUY:

I’m a huge proponent of buying directly from the source and Adidas has made this even easier by having the best prices online for this shoe AND free shipping for a limited time. Click here to check out the Official Adidas Store.

I have also seen some really good deals on Amazon for this shoe, as well as seeing the above mentioned rare colors. After paying shipping you will likely end up paying the same as if you had purchased directly from Adidas, but Amazon is still a good alternative if you can’t find the size and color combination you are looking for.

Rogue Fitness also carries these shoes but they cost more and do not come with free shipping and returns like you get from Adidas.

PROS:

  • Very “sticky” gripping sole
  • Lightweight
  • Sneaker-like fit
  • Well made

CONS:

  • Not the best fit on wider feet
  • Heel does have some give to it
  • Shoe laces are too long

97 thoughts on “Adidas PowerLift Trainer”

  1. I have been using these shoes for about 3 weeks now and have no complaints. They are narrow at first as Scarey9 has said, but they will "stretch" and become more comfortable after a few wears. The quality is good on these and the heel feels solid. I imagine if you are squatting upward of 500lbs you would want a harder heel for sure, but i find them awesome for all around crossfit and straight oly lifting. Went to these from the VS dynamo which were falling apart, and really like the lower heel height. All around great shoe.

  2. im sorry dont understand how this shoe could get a 4 for quality when this it uses lighter and much cheaper materails than a wood. This is hard to believe i think you should lower the quality rating on this product or not rate it at all until you provide conclusive evidence based on tensile stength of the EVA Ethylene Vinyl Acetate foam compared to the wood and other plastics. i would be really interested since EVA is materail used in top soccer cleats which is the opposite of oly weightlifting and explosiv

    1. Well for one, the quality rating isn't simply the heel construction but the overall quality of the shoe. While EVA is certainly not as dense as wood, it also not as heavy. Not to mention there are very few manufacturers that still use real wood in their heels. The AdiStar, Risto and Kanama are some of the few and they are all price much higher than this shoe. In our tests the heel of this shoe held up quite well under a 400 lb total load while performing squats for reps. If you’re lifting more than that, you probably aren’t looking to buy this shoe.

  4. I found a pair on Amazon for $40.99 (I don't know how much of a supply is available at that price).  I've got wide feet, so I'm not sure how well the shoes will work for me, but I figured that it's worth a shot given that I got them so cheap.  I'll report back after I've used them.

    1. Yes, there are a few closeouts here and there on Amazon and various other sites. The pair I found on sale was the silver/gold pair, so I would suspect this color variation is being discontinued soon. Either that or it is just a very poor seller and merchants are trying to unload the inventory.

      Let us know how they feel on your wide feet after a few workouts. I don't expect the leather to be very forgiving in this price range so the break-in time could be longer than typical. But I could be wrong…

    1. I referred to this shoe as a "hybrid". Here's my reasoning:

      While technically you can use any shoe you want for any type of lifting. TRADITIONALLY, Olympic style lifting calls for a raised heel to help with knee angle and descent under the bar… basically allowing you to drop your butt much lower to the ground without straining your calves. This is essential when trying to move your body underneath a heavy weight that you can only pull "up" so high. With that said, many power lifters and bodybuilders like higher heels because of the difference in how muscles are worked while wearing them. As an example, I feel much more emphasis on my quads when I squat in Oly shoes.

      Furthermore, because Olympic lifting requires (a)quick foot movement, (b)uncompromising support of the foot AND a (c)flexible forefoot area, certain other qualities must be possessed by a true olympic weightlifting shoe. It needs to be (a)light, (b)made with a solid yet supportive material/design and (c)have enough flexibility and give across the top of the toes to allow flexion.

      Now moving over to the power lifting side; this group typically wants a shoe with a lower heel that is as incompressible as possible. For example Mark Ripptoe, author of the infamous "Starting Strength" program, recommends a heel height of 0.50" for most people. This was why his Rogue Ripptoe shoe had the half inch heel. While EVA is certainly not as stout as a wood heel would be, it can still withstand fairly heavy loading.

      The Powerlift Trainers have the body and features of an Olympic shoe, with the heel of a power lifting shoe. They are a little better suited for power lifting, BUT, if you don't have calf flexibility issues then you could easily use them for Oly lifting.

  6. I am not a fan.
    The only issue I have is the "non-solid"  heels but that's a deal breaker for me.
    If I squeeze the heel with my thumb and forefinger, it gives.  More importantly, I notice it in my heavier lifts.

    For many people, a bit of softness is probably not a problem.  I think though anyone remotely serious about powerlifting or olympic lifting will demand a more rigid heel.

    1. Thanks. I've addressed this issue in the pros and cons area of the review. Out of curiosity, did the heel shoe the same give laterally and horizontally? My main concern with heel give would be uneven distribution of weight causing the heel to sink more on one side or the other.

    2. The most noticeable for me was in the aft direction when I rocked back on my heels a little at the top of a not-terribly-heavy deadlift.

      The give may not be extreme but it's there.  Again, many people – especially those not accustomed to wood-wedge lifting shoes, will be fine with these.

      I knew Adidas used a synthetic material (frankly, I wasn't that familiar with what "EVA" was) and not wood for the heel, but still I expected it to be stiffer than the heel of your standard $50 cross-trainer or court shoe, and I am not certain that it is.

    3. how soft are the heels exactly? 

      i'm currently looking for a shoe at or around $100. have considered this shoe, 2011 rogue do-wins, and the white vs-athletics shoe. any opinions on these shoes/other suggestions? 

      thanks.

    4. All good choices, but I'd stay away from the VS unless you are a fairly tall person – 1.5" heel height is just too much for most people.

    5. forgot to mention, I'm doing low-bar squats as described in Starting strength by Mark Rippetoe. i'm assuming a lower heel would be better?

      I know Justin Lascek from 70's big has squatted low-bar in the white VS weightlifting shoes. he says they're about 3/4" while most people say they're closer to .9". 

    7. would it hurt however to go for a .75" or larger heel as opposed to .6" heel, given I'm low bar squatting? 

      thanks. 

    8. I doubt you will feel much difference between a .6 and .75 heel. You will barely feel the difference between .5 and .75". Most Olympic lifting shoes have at least a .75" heel while some such as Risto and VS go even higher.

  9. I used mine to squat in a powerlifting meet this weekend, and I didn't notice any "squishiness" to be honest. I weight 242 and squatted 545 for my final attempt…didn't notice any give, but this was the first time really using them, so I'll be sure to update if things change as I continue to use them at the gym.

  10. Can anyone say whether or not these shoes run big or small??? I wear a size 10.5 in regular tennis/cross trainer shoes…but im wondering if a size 10 would work?

    1. They don't run big or small, about average. I usually wear a size 12 shoes because I like my regular shoes a little more loose fitting, I ordered a size 11.5 of these and they fit great.

  11. Saw this shoe last weekend at the gym. The guy who was wearing tried to do heavy snatches and the heels were not supportive. The lifter missed all his heavy snatches at 245 pounds (best snatch is 300 pounds). Back squats were a big problem after 400 pounds. These shoes are not for serious O. Lifting.

  12. I decided to get a pair of these to try out since my old adidas weightlifting shoes where really worn out. So far they have worked out well for me. I havent done any really heavy squats in them yet only a couple sets with 315 for a few reps to get a feel. I did do some deadlifts today and these are the first pair of weightlifting shoes ive ever done any deadlifts in and they seemed very supportive. I dont compete in powerlifting any more so i feel that since i dont do 700lbs squats anymore these will be more than enough for me to get good solid stability and get in good workouts and you cant beat the price point on these. I was surprised how well they did shape to my foot. My past experience with adidas shoes where that they where really narrow on me and uncomfortable but these broke in really quick and are comfortable on my wide ass feet. I typically wear a size 10eee in dress shoes and a 10.5 in my regular sneakers so i went with a 10.5 in these and they fit pretty good. If i do have any problems i will be shure to let you all know.

  13. I'm trying to decide between these and a pair of Rogue 2011 do-wins. Currently, I only do Olympic weightlifting, but I may switch to doing other stuff when I leave for college in a year. Can anyone recommend me one over the other?

    1. Well, I'd stay away from Do-Win anything. If your budget is around $120 then I'd get the Ristos – they are Olympic lifting shoes but will work well for anything else you decide to do. The PL trainers aren't a very good choice for Olympic lifting. For just a little bit more you can get the Power Perfect 2’s which are more suitable for oly lifts.

  15. I've been using these shoes since October and I've been quite pleased with them. The sole has stood up well to the rigors of training and they've become more comfortable to wear over their period of use. I did make one slight adjustment to the sole and added an additional 5mm to the heel (my local cobbler is amazing and you can't even tell the shoe has been modified). In all, this has been a great training shoe and I'd definitely get another pair.

  18. i do squats, bench, deadlifts, reverse squats etc… no competitive… just training for bodybuilding… im 150 lbs and all my lifts are in the 200s would this be the best shoe for me?

  19. Thanks for all the effort you have put into providing information about weightlifting shoes. I find that this review fails to explain why these shoes are unsuitable for olympic lifting though. Please elaborate.

    1. Thanks for pointing out that oversight. I've updated the review to include the reasoning behind this opinion.

      Everyone please feel free to leave more comments and critiques – it's what makes the reviews better!

  20. Just bought a pair of these yesterday (grey with black strips) and I am very happy with my purchase. Any complaints about forefoot flexibility are misleading because right out of the box I was able to do calf raises and vertical jumps (yeah I know I shouldn’t be doing them in an oly shoe but I had a point to prove). The next day I went to my gym and hit platform right away. I just want to note that I primarily bought these shoes for the Starting Strength Program and 5/3/1 so doing olympic lifts was primarily to just test the way the shoes felt more so than to assess their worth for that use. Needless to say they felt good, a little hard to get use to at first because I have never used a wedge shoe before but I was able to hit depth well on the clean and jerk and the with the snatch I finally was able to hit a full squat and not fall straight on my butt. After I finished the Oly’s I did a quick squat and deadlift workout just a 5X3 affair and I do not know it was the shoes or because I was warmed up but I was able to hit full depth without knee pain for the first time in recent memory. The deadlifts were still okay despite feeling like I was on the balls of my feet more than I like. Might end up going back to my chuck taylors for the deadlifts but all in all good shoe and worth every penny I spent. P.S as far as the compression worries go I can not lift enough weight yet to notice it but the shoes feel extremely firm when you wear them.

  21. Great website! Really appreciate the work you put in here. Do you have any info on whether these are no longer being produced? I’ve been keeping an eye on the Adidas website and they haven’t refreshed their stock for quite some time now. I contacted Adidas but the sales person I was connected with was understandably clueless. Thought you might have more connex. Any info would be much appreciated! Thanks!

    1. No, they don’t update me with item stock anymore. I don’t think these are discontinued, they sell too well. This is the third time now since their release that they have completely sold out – I guess Adidas didn’t expect such a demand for the shoes.

  22. Just ordered these and think there should be an * with regard to the sizing.

    I know my size in Adidas. I own several other Adidas shoes and have tried on many more than I own.

    But because of the unique characteristics of this shoe, I will have to return the ones I got and get the next size up (i.e. go from a 9 to a 9.5). In other words, I need half a size larger than what I normally wear in Adidas.

    As far as I can tell, while the shoe itself may not be narrower than other adidas shoes of the same size, the elevated heel pushes the foot forward in the shoe causing the toes to sit slightly further forward in the toebox than they would otherwise. While the strap helps to mitigate this by operating as a countervailing force, i.e. holding the foot back in the shoe, it doesn’t completely mitigate the effect of the forward incline/decline. The result is that your foot will sit maybe a half a centimeter further forward in this shoe than it does in your typical Adidas. If your foot is at the low or middle end of your normal size, this probably won’t present itself as a problem. If, however, like me you sit on the upper edge of your size and can actually wear a 1/2 a size larger comfortably, I’d recommend going with the 1/2 size step up for the aforementioned reasons.

    tl;dr – If you are at the upper limit of a size and can wear the next size up comfortably (e.g. normally wear a “perfect/snug” 9 adidas but can comfortably wear a 9.5), I would recommend erring on the safe side by buying the larger size. While the return process is effortless (return address Adidas doesn’t refund you for return shipping costs.

  23. Have been using them for well over 6 months. ~ 4-6 days per week. Mostly for Oly stuff but have had a strength cycle in there as well. Some crossfit (not every week required oly shoes) and other high volume stuff (20 rep squats, front squats, ohs etc). First time I’ve used this kind of shoe for deadlifts and they feel stable. Stood up well, haven’t noticed any compression while squatting, (any teetering around I’d blame on myself) but I am not super strong so I am not a good guy to test this. Still look good, nothing has fallen off and still very comfy. Fits same as my other runners and normally adidas is too narrow but this shoe has expanded in the toe box nicely (First month was a little tight though). Good bang for buck. Likely will spend a little more on oly shoes next time and start using these if I get into Crossfit again.

    1. Update:

      The black sole is peeling off of the back eva wedge. I called Adidas Canada’s warranty guy and they have not got back to me. I am thinking of glueing it back into place as its been over a year and I don’t think they’ll help. A little disappointing as I only Oly lift and do a select few crossfit workouts in them (not anything too stupid like rope climbing overhead squats etc.)

  24. Been at this crossfit thing for about 2 years now. I am finally starting to put serious effort in to my lifts, and am looking to compete very soon. I am a small guy 155lbs, and my heavy lift is just short of 2x my body weight. Until now I have trained in a pair of Under Armour running shoes or my AdiPure Trainers (5Finger style).

    I need a shoe that will let me progress in weight with my lifts, and hit Double-unders, and rope climbs. Just worked out in a pair of Reebok Crossfit Oly’s and they were nice, I just hate Reebok…would these Adidas compare?

    Thx

    1. The powerlift trainers are much stiffer in the forefoot and I doubt they will hold up to rope climbs. Why not just buy the shoe that was specifically designed for your sport…

    1. Well, I would suggest you put aside whatever issues you have with the brand and get the shoe that was designed for exactly what you are wanting to do.

  26. should have been more clear, sorry.

    Not an issue with the Company. I have just had really bad luck with the products. Something about me, my feet, and Reebok just do not get along. did not mean to sound “trollish”.

    I did a workout in the Reebok CF Oly, and it went well, just always have that voice in the back of my head saying that the shoe will fail me like all the others.

    And not sure running would be very fun in the Oly….

    Thx
    AP

  27. Besides doing deep squats, of which I’m a big fan, I would like to use them for lunge exercise that is also part of my quadriceps routine. Is this shoe suitable for this exercise, having par-ticularly in mind the degree of flexing that lunge requires?

  29. I got them. Fairly narrow in the forefoot, and flexible enough for lunges. Had to loosen laces quite a bit to achieve desired comfort level. Heels fully stable under 215 kg total weight. Squats are now absolute delight to do.

    1. Thanks for the review. I’m pretty sure if someone had recorded a video of the heel of the shoe you would see a lot of “squish” that you might not have felt, but was definitely there.. As stated in the review, anything over 400lbs of total weight will start to compress the heel, most notably around the outer edges. This is a light to medium duty “trainer” and not really designed for heavier lifting.

  30. I have no option than to agree with you. You are by far much more familiar them me with this type of shoes, but switching from 10 years old and worn-out Mizuno Precision I have felt that I’m wearing Gibraltar rocks on my feet. Also, I pay a lot of attention to the good posture which certainly reduce outside heel compression. Cheers.

  31. Hi, thanks for that review! I was dead-set on the Rogues, but I’m leaning towards the Power Lifts now. I only weigh 158 pounds and like the versatility of doing both deadlifts and squats in these.
    And you mentioned that people should stay away from “anything Do-Win”? Did you mean the Rogues as well? Why? What’s wrong with the Rogue shoes?

    1. Anything. If you do some research you’ll find a lot of people have had issues with them over the years. They have some poor quality control coming out of China. What’s worse is that they actively remove any negative reviews of their product and threaten to sue people that do not agree with that sort of policy. Get the PowerLifts – they will serve you well for a few years until you are ready to move up.

  32. Well, I finally got a pair of these and performed squats and cleans in them and have to say they are great (certainly many times better than chucks or cross training shoes).

    But I’m wondering if maybe I should’ve just gotten the Power Perfect 2.0’s, seeing that you’ve given them such a glowing review.

    I only squat 225, deadlift 285. So don’t think I need to worry about the dreaded “heel compression” with the Power Lifts. But what about front squats? Are the Power Perfects really so much better for them?

    And as I progress to Oly Lifts — will the Power Trainers become a liability? Are the Power Perfects much more FLEXIBLE in the forefoot? That’s one thing I don’t much like about the Trainers — they dig into your feet when you flex.

    1. The PP2 isn’t any more flexible in the toebox than the PL trainer. At your weights you’ll be fine in the trainer, as you progress you may want to upgrade to something that will be more stable.

  33. What shoe do you recommend for someone who squats over 500lbs? I want a raised heel so I can get to depth easier, but I also need a shoe that will last and stay extremely stable under some heavy weight.

  34. Adidas just put out the 2.0 version. I’m guessing there will be a review soon of that shoe with major differences. Thanks for all your reviews.

  35. First off, thanks for the reviews. Great website.

    I bought these shoes right before I switched from Low Bar squatting to High Bar Olympic Style (“OLY”) squatting. These shoes just don’t work very well at all for OLY. At least not when it’s strapped. For OLY you need to be able to have more ankle flexion than you do with LB, for which these shoes were designed. That point is illustrated by the fact that the heel is lower than it traditionally should be for a OLY shoe which can be successfully accomplished in flat soled shoes without any heel lift. So basically, I’d say that these shoes aren’t very useful.

    1. No offense, but this sounds to me like a form issue on your part. It sounds like you are letting your shins go too far forward when squatting, which would feel like your ankle motion is being limited. The heel is only 0.15 inches lower in effective height and the upper of the shoe is identical in design to the Power Perfect 2, which is a shoe designed for Olympic lifting. As a low bar squatter, it will take a few sessions to find the right form with the bar higher on your traps. How tall are you?

  36. I wonder if it’s a cross between the power perfect & power lift trainer because I noticed the wording surrounding the EVA heel is the same as the power perfect 2, however the height looks to be more in line with the power lift trainer.

  39. Wreckshop Rob,

    Great job with the reviews, they have been tremendously helpful in selecting my first pair of dedicated lifting shoes.

    Given where I am now, I think the Adidas Power Lift Trainer is a solid entry point for me. My local retailer has a few pairs of the 1.0 version sale for around $70 and I am curious to know your first impressions of the Power Lift Trainer 2.0 when they arrive at your door.

    A quick discussion related to the differences between the 1.0 and 2.0 would be greatly appreciated and I would love to know if you think the new version is worth the $20 price delta. If it’s a possible to post a few lines about the new shoe here in advance of a full review, that would be fantastic. I have not been able to locate anyone with the 2.0 in stock for me to be able to make my own comparisons.

    Thanks!

    1. I have a pair of the new 2.0 PL Trainers. Apart from the visual design differences, I’m not certain of any structural differences. I’m still waiting to hear back from Adidas regarding that.

  40. Rob,

    Thank you for the heads up on the 2.0 PL Trainers. I’d be curious to know what Adidas says. The retailer still has a few pairs in my size, so I’ll wait a bit before jumping on the clearance sale. If there is no technology difference, I’ll save the $20 and consider that a down payment on a pair of more advanced shoes once I work my way into them. This site is phenomenal, I have been recommending it to people at my gym. Keep up the good work.

    I look forward to the full 2.0 PL review.

    Thanks!

    1. They haven’t been real forthcoming with the info… which is making me think maybe the only changes are visual. Thanks for spreading the word! I’m working on getting all these shoes I have piled up in the corner reviewed and then getting videos published. I’m also interviewing web designers for a complete overhaul of the site. It’s going to be exciting!

  41. Hey Rob,

    I called Adidas and the customer care put me through to another department. The person there said she wasn’t sure if there are any actual structural changes, however typically they just change the design and colour and otherwise it is likely the same shoe. Apparently the heel can compress by hand. I suppose my optimism that this was a density upgrage in the heel is probably unfounded.

    Awesome website and thank you!

    Daniel

  42. Hey Rob.

    Maybe i missed it in the comments, but i have a question.

    Is the heel of the powerlift trainer the exact same as the power perfect 2? i know the height of the heel is different, but are they just as stiff? :)

    1. No, the sole on the PL Trainer has a 0.6″ drop and the sole plate that runs along the inside of the shoe is softer. The PP2 has a 0.75″ inch heel and a stiffer sole plate. The trainer is meant to be more functional for things other than just lifting weights, whereas the Power Perfect should ONLY be worn to lift.

    2. Would you then say the diffrence is big? Or is it really not that noticeable, like if im squatting 5×5 with 140-150 kg? :)

  43. I’ve seen a couple of strongman competitors wearing these for stones and presses. Do you think something like this or even the Reebok Oly would be a better or worse choice than a more traditional oly shoe? I’m wondering if the “cross training” aspect would be better as I could do stone/keg carries/loads and not feel too stiff for the carries but still have a raised heel to assist on the loads.

    1. I wouldn’t recommend these for strongman lifts. Firstly, strongmen tend to be heavier guys already. Add to that the fact that they do a lot of heavy ass lifting, and I don’t recommend these for heavy ass lifting, so these shoes are just not appropriate for that sport. The same applies to most the Crossfit “lifting” shoes out there right now, I don’t think I would trust a TPU heel under the amount of weight you’ll find in a strongman competition. I would stick with something flat and comfortable.

  44. Haha, well I will be competing at the new 175lb weight class so I’m not exactly Kaz. I definitely want to pick up a pair of wl shoes for squats and ohp in the gym as well as for stone loading. I do some oly lifts on occasion but not at a competitive level. Squats don’t go much above 400 and much more than that is a 1rm so not repping it out.

  45. Hi WLshoes/Rob,

    I’m 190lbs, dont do OL or competition, just squat, bench press&pull, OHP, overhead squat. May add powercleans in future. All for power&endurance, currently squatting 200lbs for 8, but a thin 5lb plate under barefoot heels is getting frustrating.

    If my total weight for 5-8 reps is going to be going over 500lbs over year, would the power perfects be a better purchase? They are pretty much the same price in the UK as powerlifts, but if I dont need the sole stiffness for explosive OL would the powerlifts be ok/better/worse?

    Thanks! J

  46. Well that’s exactly it, I wasnt certain if the perfects are better full stop or if lift/perfect/power suit different needs other than just price point. Hence my question with respect to my own weight and focus on non-explosive OL. But I guess you’ve set it straight!

    Hopefully the stiffer sole and 0.15″ inch higher raise will suit me.

  47. I want to get my first pair of weightlifting shoes. I’m only going to do squats, deathlifts and press exercises. And not heavier than about 400 lb.

    I have considered buying this one or Powerlift 2.0. Is there anything i should be aware of?

    I do like the design of the Powerlift 2.0 the most, but they are out of stock in my size.
    Any experience on how long they normally will be out of stock?

  48. Nice reviews on your site. Where I live it is difficult to find stock in stores of these to try for fit and feel. Currently looking for a new all round gym shoe for both Oly style lifts (nothing drastically heavy) and circuit style training of jump rope/plyo work.

    Read your review on the Nano 3.0, would you consider them to be a better shoe for all round use including the oly lifts over these Adidas?
    Cheers!

    1. Depends on what you are planning on doing in them exactly. The Adidas are slanted toward lifting with a sole that is flexible enough to do other movements, but not really comfortably. You won’t want to run in the Powerlifts. The Nano is opposite, being better for all around movement and just usable for oly lifting.

  49. Man, I stumbled onto this site and have been stuck here for a pretty minute. I really enjoy the reviews and thank you for providing all the information.

    I’m currently looking for my first pair of lifting shoes. My usual tendency is to lean towards the biggest and best – knowing they’ll last for years. However after doing some research, I’m somewhat hesitant and think I need something that provides more stability than my current running shoes, but still allows flexibility for other lifting movements/ exercise (mostly bodybuilding, no cardio, calisthenics, or crossfit). I think the AdiPower would be somewhat overkill as I do not plan on switching shoes solely to do the Oly lifts. This brings me to either the Powerlift or the PP2s. Do you have any recommendations? I have a narrow foot so I’m pretty set on Adidas – though I was giving the Risto a hard glance. I spend about 4-5 days a week, 2-3 hours a day in the gym. Again looking for a somewhat versatile shoe – I was somewhat leaning towards these because the heal is somewhat shorter, but don’t know that the .15 will make all that much difference. Will the stiffness in the heal between the PP2 and these make that much of a difference for a novice? I’d like to get up to around a 400lb squat, and weigh around 150. Thanks in advance for the help!

    1. For versatility you’ll need to stick with one of the hybrid models; PowerLift or the Reebok Oly are good options. As discussed, the PL trainers DO have some give in the sole but it isn’t noticeable until you hit some decent weight. On the other hand, the Oly Lifter from Reebok will NOT compress, but I don’t find them as comfortable to wear for extended training sessions – at least that’s my personal findings. In the end, I think you’ll be happy with any pair you get as it is night and day going from lifting in running shoes to “appropriate” footwear.

  50. Hello,

    I would not consider myself a competitive lifter but I am rather serious bodybuilder/powerlifter. While I don’t really do any Oly lifts, I’m considering starting out. I have a 1 rep max of 435 on low bar squats and a 545 1 rep max on close feet deadlift, both at 200 pounds body weight. I’m wondering if these shoes will suffice or if another option, (Romaleos, PP2, Adipower, Reebok Crossfit) are a more suitable option for myself.

    Thanks.

  51. Thanks for the fast response Rob,

    Just wondering than giving my lack of Oly lifts what particular shoe you would recommend? From what I have gathered, perhaps the PP2 is more suitable than something along the lines of the AdiPower or Romaleo.

    Cheers.

  52. Soooo I have been using a minimalist type show for awhile now. Starting to lift heavier. I’m 208lbs squat and dead over 400lbs now and am going to transition into Oly lifting in the spring. I do some box jumps and lunges during sessions as well. Would this be a good shoe or should I go for the Ristos and swap back to my other shoe when doing box jumps and bodyweight stuff???

    1. I don’t recommend doing any type of plyo or quick movements in ANY shoe designed for weightlifting – they are two completely opposing designs. If it’s meant for lifting then it is designed to be rigid and provide stability. If it’s design is meant for general training it will usually be more flexible and suited to quick changes of direction and weight shifts. So to answer your question, you’re going to need two pairs of shoes regardless.

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