Reebok CrossFit Lifter

THE REVIEW:

The Reebok Crossfit Lifter Shoe is Reebok’s most anticipated offering to the CrossFit community in their freshman year as Title Sponsor. Like it’s cousin, the CrossFit Nano, the Crossfit Oly U-Form was in R&D for well over 8 months before being released to the public. During this time Reebok tested and tweaked the shoe with numerous CrossFit athletes.

It shouldn’t need to be stated, but Reebok is attempting to do what no other weightlifting shoe company has been able to achieve – create a truly multifunctional Olympic weightlifting shoe. The result of their efforts is, quite honestly, one of the coolest new shoe designs we’ve seen since Vibram Five Fingers. Like any shoe that is created to be “multi-functional” there are always some compromises to be made. In this review we look at all those possible issues and determine exactly where the shoe excels… or fails.

DESIGN AND STYLING:

The Reebok Olys are currently available in 4 different styles – two for men and two for women. The men’s models are white with a black toe and black with red accents while the women’s models are all white with black accents and purple with gray accents. The women’s purple model are actually the sharpest looking pair of the bunch. All models come with two different color of shoe strings.

Unlike most weightlifting shoes, the entire heel and sole are extremely low profile. The shoe is also very lightweight, weighing an impressive 2.4 ounces LESS than a comparable size do-win; all the while still offering a rather wide toe box, a 0.75″ effective heel height and an extremely stable heel.

A few of the ways Reebok has achieved such a light shoe is by utilizing carbon rubber in the sole of the shoe and a TPU heel with pyramid shaped cut-outs in the bottom. These heel voids result in a “jagged” triangular pattern along the outside of the heel. While some people have thought this was just to add flare to the design of the shoe, these triangular wedges actually serve a purpose – to allow one to grip and climb rope easier! Pretty nifty eh?

The heel extends to about the mid-point of the foot, where it is bonded to the sole of the shoe. From here the sole runs the length of the forefoot, thinning down to a mere 0.25″ just behind the ball of the foot. First reaction to such a thin sole would be that it would wear down quickly with all the jumping, pushing and running; however, Reebok has made the sole from carbon rubber which should have excellent durability.

The tread pattern of the sole is actually comprised of narrowly spaced “score” lines which further increase the flexibility of the toe area. The sole itself has great grip on most surfaces we tested. For instance, while wearing these in a squat rack I found that once you planted your feet it felt like you were stuck in cement.

The Velcro shoe strap is 1.5″ wide and made of nylon with a rubber tip to keep it from fraying. The strap is placed intelligently across the mid-meta tarsal region (middle-top foot) and doesn’t hinder flexion at the ankle. While the shoestrings on the pre-retail model were a bit too short, we found these to be a bit too long even when running the laces through both sets of top eyelets. Furthermore, if you do use the top-most eyelet, the shoestrings extend past the tongue of the shoe and can dig into the foot. Luckily we discovered a nifty way to remedy both of these issues – watch the video review for detailed instructions.

Finally, the exterior of the shoe is made up of two different materials. The toe of the shoes is a very supple, full grain leather while the rest of the shoe is a synthetic suede. Some concern arises by how soft the toe of the shoe actually is. Typically the softer the leather, the faster it will wear and the more susceptible it is to aging and environment. So here are a few tips for keeping the toe of the Reebok CrossFit Weightlifting shoe in good shape.

  • Don’t get the shoe wet
  • If the shoe does get wet, take it off as soon as possible and let air dry so you don’t warp the leather
  • Use a leather conditioner like a saddle soap on the toe to clean, condition and protect it

FIT AND SIZING:

While there is still no word from Reebok on whether they fixed the sizing issue on the Nano Flex, our pair of Oly’s appear to run true to your standard Reebok size. The toe box is a good width, coming in somewhere between wide and medium-wide.

The U-Form technology works a little differently on the Reebok weightlifting shoe than it does on the trainer. Instead of using a hairdryer, you need to bake the shoes in a preheated oven at 200 degree Fahrenheit for 3 minutes. When you remove the shoes from the oven, the U-Form logo should be red signaling they are ready to mold to your feet.

At this point you need to just put on the shoes, lace them up and sit with your feet touching the floor for eight minutes. Once the shoes are molded, set them aside and let them cool fully before trying to work out in them. The U-Form process can be repeated as many times as you’d like.

The tongue of the shoe is sewn in place, effectively making it just a sock liner. Lucky it isn’t thick, too long or too short. It does have a non-removable polyurethane insert inside the tongue which makes it very stiff. Most people won’t notice this though and I didn’t have any issues with it.

Other than the shoe string issue, the only other complaint we could possibly make about these are that they don’t have much heel cup or arch support even after the Uform procedures are done. While foot shape is certainly going to vary from person to person, I think a more pronounced heel cup would really make the shoe even more stable.

On a final note, the low profile design of the shoe actually makes them a much easier Oly shoe to transition into versus a traditional Olympic lifting shoe. This will make these shoes a great choice for those just getting into lifting. Overall, the Reebok CrossFit Oly is destined to be one of the hottest selling weight lifting shoes in 2012.

WHERE TO BUY:

The CrossFit Oly will be available directly through the Reebok Store and this is definitely the best store to buy them from. Rumor has it that Reebok will open up retail options to more vendors later in 2012. One vendor, Rogue Fitness has stated that they may be carrying the Reebok Oly as early as February. Reebok has informed us that Rogue Fitness and Again Faster are the only retail partners they will be selling the CrossFit shoes through.

PROS:

  • Lightweight
  • Low Profile, Comfortable
  • Truly Multi-Use Design
  • U-Form Technology
  • Should Be Durable if Cared for Properly

CONS:

  • Price is Steep But Still a Good Value
  • Needs a More Defined Heel Cup

101 thoughts on “Reebok CrossFit Lifter”

    2. Looking forward to watching a video review of these beauties. Can't wait for them to be available in UK!

    3. I look forward to getting one done! I decided I wasn't happy at all with the production quality of the previous videos so I ordered some lighting kits and backgrounds so that the next videos will look more professional.

  2. Great review. Tried the power-lift trainers for a brief period, but found that the heel compressed too much if I squatted/deadlifted over 400. I also found the shoe too inflexible for footwork drills and the jump rope. These shoes seem to over solution to those problems.

    1. Ya, the PL Trainers are definitely a beginner to intermediate shoe. Once you start squatting over 400 you need a serious shoe!

  3. I only squat, bench, and dl and I am looking for a new shoe. I only do jump squats w/ a bar occasionally. my question is, what shoe should i get? i bench over 350, squat over 500, and deadlift over 500….addidas pl seems like the heel is to soft, adistar is more olympic and i dont like an expensive shoe that is white (get dirty fast)…I got wide feet so I am feeling like i should get the romaleos, however those are olympic shoes 2 – how do they feel for squat, bench and dl, and these reeboks look pretty nice but i don't do crossfit. Any suggestions wlshoes? i also want to get a pair for my wife, same dilemma except she doesn't put up as much weight which makes me think i should just get her the adistar powerlifts or these reeboks, your thoughts?

    1. Yea, your lifting abilities exceed what the Adidas PL Trainers are rated for. If you don't do a lot of dynamic training in your shoes, then just about any Olympic Lifting shoe will work. Romaleos are going to be the best bet on really wide feet – the Romaleo 2 is coming out in late January, may be worth the wait.

      If you are looking for a shoe with a lower heel and more suitable for straight up Power Lifting than you may need to look at the boots made by Inzer and Safe-USA. Your wife is probably fine with the Adidas shoes so long as she isn't squatting more than 400 lbs.

  4. Nice light durable shoe. Been working hardcore in mine for about 4 weeks. The biggest problem is they arent wide enough. Most Oly's are wide to give you room for all types of movements.

  5. bloody hell.lol i just went from chuck taylors to the adidas powerlift trainer. The raised heel feels good, but the heel does begin to squish at higher weights.(right now i'm using a 550 training max with Wendler 531) I'm considering these, but i also think the wooden shoes look cool (also a little cheaper) any suggestions?

    1. Totally depends on what you are wearing them for. Sounds like you are more interested in power lifting since you mentioned the Wendler 531 (good program btw, g/f got strong as hell doing it). If that's the case and you only need shoes to lift in, then yes, I'd go with a more traditional weightlifting shoe like the Power Perfect 2, AdiPower or Romaleo2.

    1. Yes, they are well suited for heavy lifting. The heel is made from the same TPU material as Romaleo and AdiStar/AdiPower shoes.

    1. Well, that all depends on what type of training you are performing in the shoe. If you want top of the line Olympic weightlifting, then you get the Romaleos 2 or AdiPower. It's recommended that these types of shoes be used for nothing other than lifting. If you want to be able to do olympic or power lifting and still have the ability to do other exercises like calf raises, jumping rope and short distance running – than the Reebok Oly is a better choice as it is a hybrid shoe.

    2. Well I don't do olympic weightlifting, I just want a good pair of shoes for heavy back/front squat and deadlift. And since I've only been able to find 1 store that ships internationally those are my options. Besides I was worried the Olys weren't really made for heavy lifting.

    1. They are pretty wide. Not as wide as the Original Series 1 Risto, but definitely wider than Adidas.

    2. How does the width compare to the Romaleos, and have you heard anything about the Romaleo 2 being wider or narrower than the originals?

    3. The Romaleo 2 is pretty much identical to the original with the exception of being 50 grams lighter and a little more flexible at the toe. These are similar in width to the Romaleos.

    4. Would you say that the Romaleos are the widest available on the market? Finding a wide shoe is the most important priority for a lot of lifters.

    5. No. The Reebok Oly and Romaleo are about the same width – roughly an E or large D. Most people with a wide foot end up having to deal with "overspill", where the front of the foot bulges the shoe on the sides. Because of this, it is best to find a shoe with the most forgiving and durable material at the toe box. So you're looking for something made of real leather, and you're going to need to spend some time breaking them in to make them feel comfortable.

    6. And which shoe in your opinion has the most real leather and will be appropriate for my really wide, and flat feet? Thanks, appreciate it.

  10. On paper this shoe seems to be what I am looking for, however Reebok emailed me and said they won't be getting larger sizes in stock until this summer. 5-6 months is a long time to wait…if anyone wants to part with a size 13 in black/red let me know.

    3. I imagine they only did an initial run of 1,000 pair of shoes like they said they would. Since larger sizes are less popular, they probably stocked up on size 8.5-11.5 and made just a few "odd" sizes. You have to keep in mind that shoes are a very risky product because of the sizing – getting stuck with stock that you can't sell is always a concern. With the initial sale, Reebok can now get an idea of how many of each size to order for the new stock

  12. I have been doing crossfit for close to a year now. I'm looking to buy my first set of olympic lifting shoes. From what i have seen in earlier comments, should my decision also be strongly based on how much I can lift on certain excerises now? For example I have at this moment a 325 BS, 275 FS, and 455+ DL. Iam stuck between the Reebok Oly's and the Adistars. Which one would you recommend and if not those what other one? If i could get your opinion it would be greatly appreciated.
    Thanks

    1. There is a wealth of info on here bro – you're going to have to decide based on what you've read. My opinion is that if you are a CrossFitter, than you should probably buy the shoe that was designed around CrossFit. AdiPowers, Romaleos, Ristos, etc were made for straight up Olympic lifting.

  13. I have only worn two pairs of oly shoes, Adidas Power Perfect and the Romaleos 1, the Romeos' heel is as secure and unforgiving as can be. However, as you know, your foot can at times wobble in the Power Perfect. How stable would you say is the heel on this shoe? Is it worth spending another $50 on the Adipower or Romaleos 2 because the heel seems to wrap around the foot more on those models.

    1. The heel is solid and the U-Form will allow you to mold the heel cup and arch to the shape of your foot. This will result in a solid and stable fit. They are more forgiving because they are thinner in the sole.

  14. How wide are the reebok oly's. i purchased the reebok nanos and they were too narrow for my feet. I have flat feet and i was wondering if the oly's are wider than the nanos where the arch is?

  15. I looking to get my first pair of lifting shoes. I am down to the rogues, the reebok olys or the nike romaleo 2. I typically wear orthotics as I tend to walk on the outsides of feet. Which shoe is going have more foot support of the 3? I do crossfit but looking for a shoe for primarily for lifting heavy.

    1. I haven't had a chance to wear the Nike 2 yet but the old Romaleos felt pretty solid on the foot. The Reeboks have the U-Form feature which may help mold the shoe to prevent your supination problem. We don't recommend do-win shoes at all for anyone. If the width of your foot is average to narrow then you may try the AdiPowers – they felt like my feet were in a bolted down space cowboy boot!

  17. Great review. I've been in mine for a few weeks now and I am very happy with them. I assumed that the Uform was just a gimmick but after baking my shoes i have noticed a better fit. They are stable enough for heavy lifts yet durable enough to gring out box jumps and DUs when you have to.

  18. I've ordered two pairs of these shoes and both times the eyelet ripped when i tightened the laces! never even been used. not too impressed. Looks like i'll be refunding them this time.

  19. When it comes to training programs I've had to invent a jack of all trades kind of curriculum. The only thing remotely close to what I do is Sealfit. Though, they neglect bodybuilding and I don't.. Therefore, I won't focus on any 1 style of training more than a few months.
    However, because I cannot safely perform weighted back squats I've resorted to sled pushing and pulling along with numerous styles of resistance walks. Overall, the benefits are amazing. The big problem comes with finding footwear which will hold up to the abuse. Has anyone used the reebok crossfit nanos or Crossfit Oly's on repeated sled work? How did they handle? I have flat feet as it is so sneakers are never a perfect match. I'm wondering if either of these shoes are form enough for calves raises(standing, seated) I need an all around great sneaker.

  20. I have reduced my chooices between Reebok Real Flex Nano U-Form and Reebok Crossfit Oly.
    They both have their pros and cons, but crossfit oly seems to be better in crossfiting, than
    the nano, but nano seems to look more breathable, than crossfit oly,
    I'm not running, jumping in these shoes and if I do its going to be very minimal.
    The only thing I would use these shoe for it Squats, Deadlifts, Overhead press, and calf raises, but I'm
    worried about the height of the heel….

    1. I have ben training in both the Nano and the RBK Oly for a few months now. Personally, if you're after a single shoe to do CF and some oly work you should just get the Nanos. The RBK Oly is a nice shoe, breathable etc, but only good for weightlifting and jump rope.

  21. I was going to attach to the thread on the Risto CF Trainers, but wasn’t sure if it was appropriate. Do you have any experience or thoughts about these Risto Powerlifting Shoes?

    http://www.ristosports.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=1&products_id=121

    I want to go with something from Risto for my daily CrossFit needs but don’t want one of their wood heel oly shoes. I like the CF Trainers but it appears to me that the Powerlifting Shoe is the same excat upper, just with a solid rubber sole and a strap. If I am correct that the upper is the same, my thought process is that with a few exceptions (long runs, icy runs, sled work) that the Powerlifting Shoes will perform the same (and better for WODs with lifts) due to the solid sole and the support of the strap. Or, admittedly, I could be 100 percent wrong. Thoughts?

    And also, do you have a banner code/image I could use to link your site from our box site?

    Awesome reviews and lots of great work here, we send everyone here for info, thanks and sorry if these types of direct messages/questions are not appropriate.

    J.C.

  22. Hey just an FYI, I saw these shoes at a Sports Chalet. I don’t know if they are at all of the stores, but they carry them at the Mission Valley location in San Diego, CA. I’m really glad I was able to try them on before I ordered a pair online because they are super narrow! I have average/slightly narrow feet for a women(size 9.5) and the men’s size 8 fits perfect, but the women’s is too tight on the ball of my foot.
    Also as a disclaimer: these are the first pair of lifting shoes I have ever tried on, so I’m not sure how snug it’s supposed to be in the toe or metatarsal area, but the men’s were more comfortable to me.

    1. Narrow? These are some of the wider models of lifting shoes on the market. Not sure about the fit around the ball of the foot but most people have concerns with the width across the forefoot, which is where these are fairly wide.

    2. I thought they were too tight around the metatarsal joint behind my big toe. Everywhere else around the ball of my foot felt fine though. It might just be an anomaly with my foot (I also have ridiculously high arches).
      Also, while I know lifting shoes should be more snug than running shoes, I’m not sure what is considered too tight for them. So to complicate matters, they could have fit fine and I just wasn’t used to it.

    3. Well they should be fairly tight for stability, but not to the point that they are uncomfortable. The Reebok’s actually have really soft leather on the toe cap so even my girlfriend with bunions on both sides of her feet can wear them.

  23. What shoe would you recommend for me? I currently lift in New Balance minimus. I do primarily Olympic Lifts (C&J , snatches) with assistance exercises. I don’t move that much weight but I do olympic lifts virtually everyday.
    ( 52 year old 125# woman). The most I lift is deadlift (240 #). C&J 100#. My goal is to c&J my body weight and deadlift 2x body weight. Most workouts I do Pull ups and pushups. I am looking at different shoes to overcome mobility issues when I snatch / OH squat.

    Thanks,
    Carol

    1. The reebok oly’s would probably do the trick. If they are out of budget then you could go adidas PL trainers – although they aren’t very high in the heel but at your weights you shouldn’t have issues with any heel compression.

  25. Hi. I’m looking for a good squat shoe. It seems that these shoes are suitable for everything from heavy squats to jumping rope to prowler pushes. Is that really the case? Also, why do you no longer recommend Do-Wins to anyone, as I was considering those as well. Thanks

    1. Yes, the shoes were designed to be used for Crossfit workouts which can include any number of movements and lifts. They are stable and versatile. Do-wins are ok but when Reebok got involved in oly shoes it really changed the market. Adidas and Nike as well released several new shoes with new designs targeted at the recreational lifter and crossfiters. So in reality, all the other shoes are falling behind.

  26. Well, right now i’m squatting close to 500lbs in running shoes, and those just aren’t cutting it. Would you say I’d be better off with the Reebok oly’s or perhaps adidas powerlift trainers if all I’m using them for are squats? I’ve read some things about heel compressibility with the adidas.

    1. If you are doing 500lbs then you’ve exceeded the amount of weight that I recommend for use with the power lift trainers. You’ll need to upgrade to the Power Perfect 2 (seen here) or the Reebok Olys. If you have the cash you can spring for the AdiPowers.

  27. Thanks for your insight. If I were using these shoes strictly for raw squatting, which would you prefer between the Oly’s and the Adidas PP2? Dymanic-Eleiko has the PP2s for $120.00. They also have Adistar 2s for $160. My feet run normal D width so I’m assuming adidas would work for me. On a separate note, I’m also considering the Romaleos 2s. I wear a size 12.5 – 13. Would you happen to know if the effective heel height of the Romaleos in this size is higher than .75″. I don’t want a heel any higher than that. Thanks in advance for considering my questions.

    1. Just for squatting, the power perfect 2 would likely be my choice of those two. I’m not certain about the heels for the Romaleo 2 – I’ve read that they are 0.75″ but also that they are proportional. Since I’ve not had a true hands on “test and evaluation” period with the shoes, I’m not sure about the heel. Personally, if you’re thinking Romo 2s then you might as well go AdiPowers.

  28. Ordered these in white/black for my lady. Sizing was true to her running shoe size. They were a bit tight in the toe but I’m positive they will loosen up with some more sessions. Going from converse to these was the best thing. Her squat form got a lot more stable and she was able to hit a much deeper squat without struggling to get out of the hole.

    I highly recommend ordering these from Reebok directly. Service was quick and they have A LOT more size options as well as custom color options if you want to spend the extra buck. No other site had the size 5.5 that my lady needed.

  29. I’m at sport chalet as I write this with a pair of 9.5 on my feet. I have a wide foot (EE to EEE) and for me this size still runs too narrow. Acoording to one of the staff, a 10 would still be too small. Looks like I’ll have to go with another brand.

  30. Really?? That’s pretty surprising. What to people with wider feet in the sport do? You wouldn’t know it from looking at them. They look like any normal medium width shoe. And you can definitely tell they aren’t that wide when wearing them. I do plan on going to another Sport Chalet and actually trying a 10. They just didn’t have that size. This is going to be a problem since the only way of getting any other lifting shoe will be order it. With no way of actually trying them on, I could end up spending a mint in shipping sending them back. If anyone else here wear such a width, maybe you can offer some input.

    I also didn’t look to see if the insert can come out. Often the lift they create can push the foot up against the tongue and eyelets making things more uncomfortable. Ever since I started my strength & conditioning training 2 years ago I’ve been removing them from all my shoes and noticed no loss of performance or any discomfort.

    I should mention that the Nano 2.0 model does truly have a wider toe box and the size 10 fit well. I’m sure over time with some wear, they will fit better.

    1. They likely cram their feet into very tight shoes. Keep in mind that the shoe will loosen over time as it breaks in just like any other shoe. They should also fit very tight even after they are broken in. That is why the Reebok Oly is one of the wider fitting shoes, the leather stretches a lot over time.

  31. Hi WLSHoes!!

    Awesome homepage! I have a question. The heel height for Rebook OLY is similar (0.75″) to Adidas Power Perfect II. But you also state that the Rebook OLY’s have a “low-profile”. As the heel height is the same for those two shoes, what do you mean with “low-profile” for the Rebook OLY?

    Thomas

  32. I’ve looked through a lot of the reviews and comments here, but wasn’t convinced enough to buy. So, here’s my question to see if it will fit my criteria for a shoe. Yes, I crossfit. So, I’m doing box jumps, double unders, rowing, pullups, pushups, wall balls, kettle balls. So, your average crossfit routine going into any box, except I usually amp up and go for the Outlaw workout, a little more intense. On top of that, I do some light running almost every workout (400m or less per round, sometimes 4 rounds). Now, for the lifting. I do a lot of Snatches (125+), Clean & Jerks (200+), Squats (250+), and Deadlifts (250+), looking for more stability coming out of the ‘basement’ as I am increasing weight. The Crossfit Oly seems to be just about right as a good all around shoe. But, how will it stand up to my constant running, rowing, and other crossfit activities? I usually wear Vibrams or my Chuck Taylors right now. Thoughts?

    1. The shoe was designed to be used for running rowing, box jumps etc., but there will always be some compromises between a strict lifting shoe and a trainer. In this case, the Oly isn’t going to be as comfortable for those movements, and it won’t be as stable for heavy lifting. But that’s the compromise if you want a shoe that can be used for both. If your WOD is mostly comprised of none weightlifting movements, you won’t need to wear a lifting shoe and vice versa.

  33. How does this compare with the Adidas Power Lift Trainers? I assume the Oly is more versatile? You can jump-rope in them and do calf raises, etc? I’m really stuck, trying to decide. Power Lift or Oly’s? While I like the lower cost (who doesn’t?!) of the Power Lifts, I don’t like the idea of always changing out my shoes to do cardio.

    Are the Oly’s a better built, all-around shoe?

    Thnx!!!

    PS — Are they also better to walk in?

    1. The Reebok Olys are the more versatile shoe and would be better suited for wearing while performing multiple exercises. By design there is very little sole under the front of your foot so running, walking, jumping, etc can begin to take a toll on your feet, especially if you are not accustomed to a minimalist shoe.

  34. I’m a female, just getting into serious OLY lifting with small feet (US women’s 6). I currently wear the Reebok Nano’s for most workouts, but am looking for a pair of shoes to wear specifically for lifting, although every now and then other movements may be included, although I would hope that the Nano’s would suffice for this. I have read the reviews on here and am now torn between the Adidas Power Perfect, the Adidas Adipower and the Reebok OLY. My main concern is that the Reebok Oly may be too much of a hybrid, and not give me enough support for the lifting. What is your suggestion on shoe choice for my situation?
    Many Thanks!

    1. The Power Perfect, Adipower and any other true oly shoe will not be suitable for anything BUT lifting. Performing other movements in them will compromise the integrity of the shoe and they will start to come apart. This is the main reason Rebook designed the Oly shoe. If you aren’t lifting really heavy, you’ll be fine in the Olys.

  35. Hello, can you take me a pair of photos of interior of the shoe and behind the insole? I need to use a 3mm plate under mi left heel because my asymetric hip.

    If you can do it, you can send to my e-mail.

    Best regards!

  36. My old VS Dynamos are starting to reach the end of their lives, and I’m looking for a new shoe. I CrossFit, but only use my lifting shoes for heavy lifting days that don’t involve any sort of movement (no running, jumping rope, box jumps, etc…), and this is likely how I’ll use my next set of shoes. Here’s where my question comes in. For people who are doing dedicated lifting programs, you seem to recommend dedicated lifting shoes, and not the Reebok Oly. Why is that? The heel is the same height and construction material as the Adistar and Romoleo, so there should be no difference in performance there. You also talk about the importance of forefoot flexibility in reviews of the dedicated lifting shoes, and tout the forefoot flexibility as an advantage of the Reebok Oly. Given you found these to be stable (your feet felt “stuck in cement”) and flexible, is there a reason that you don’t think these would be suitable for a “lifting only” program, or as suitable as a dedicated lifting shoe? Are they not quite as stable in the heel, or is the forefoot really too flexible to be effective? Or is there a subjective thing where they just didn’t feel as “good” when compared to dedicated lifting shoes?

    I’m not trying to be a jerk here, so please don’t take it that way – I love your site! I’m just trying to get some more information that I can’t find anywhere.

    1. The Reebok Oly has some compromises to it to make it suitable for CrossFit WODs that include lifting. For one, the thin sole is too thin in my opinion and the forefoot a little too flexible. You want it to bend, but not at the cost of forefoot stability. There is also a distinct lack of heel cup and arch support, regardless of how many times I U-Form it. Overall, the Oly is just not as “solid” feeling as a pair of the AdiPowers or even the Power Perfects. Now this isn’t to say that it is not a great shoe – it is. But it is great for what it was intended to be used for; varied workouts with lifting involved.

      Personally, I’ve worn pretty much all the shoes on the market and I still prefer my Power Perfect 2s in the gym on squat day – although that may change with the addition of the new Ristos to my collection… I’m really liking them thus far and they look pretty sweet. Review coming soon.

  37. First off, thanks for the review!

    Secondly i have read this entire pages and i see alot, that this shouldnt be used for heavy lifting. But isnt essentially all olympic/ power lift heavy depending on what level you train at? I am doing Crossfit Football and everyday there is a strength wod in addition to that there is a wod that includes leifting and other stuff. Will this shoe still be the best choice for me?
    Up untill now i have been doing Crossfit and Crossfit Football in Vff’s. I like them a lot, but feel lately with squatting and powercleans that my base is somewhat unstable.

    Thanks

    1. No, not all lifting is “heavy” – we are not speaking relative to your strength or size, but actual weight that is being loaded on the shoe. If you’re 132lb female squatting 300lbs, yes, that is pretty heavy for a girl; but that isn’t HEAVY weights. I found that as my squat approaches 400+ the shoe felt less capable. Overall, a true pair of oly shoes is going to be more stable but less functional for anything other than lifting. It is the compromise the Oly makes. So if you are performing WODs that include a lot of lifting then this shoe is likely the best choice, possibly the nano if the workouts have more dynamic movement and cardio in the workout.

  38. Thanks for the repley. iam guessing for starters these shoes will be improvement to my lift compared to the VFF’s i am currently wearing. Espescialy with squatting and powercleans i start feeling less firm and stable in them. Been walking around in them at home a bit now, they fit is good and the fact that the forefoot is so flexible is nice as well. Maybe when my lifts start getting more heavy (BS=100kg, PC=80kg, Bench 85kg, atm) i might different shoes. Since these are allround, i am geussing its a good starting shoe.

  39. Hello and thanks for the great review! I’m italian and I’m going to buy these shoes via Internet. I have a 11.5 Adidas shoes (US size) that fit perfectly my toes…what would the right size be for reebok olys? Are they bigger or smaller on average compared to Adidas? Should the U-Form condition my sizing choice?
    Thank you very much!

    1. U-form doesn’t affect sizing since it only models the insole. I wear a 9 AdiPower and PP2 and a size 9 CrossFit Lifter if that helps any.

  40. I have read through the reviews and have actually tried on the Reebok lifters and they felt good, if a bit flexible up front. I mainly powerlift, do a couple wods per week, and am starting to get into oly work. My numbers aren’t huge, 370 squat but its been increasing a lot this wave, @175 bw. Would the lifters be suitable or should I look toward the adidas? I would prob just spring for the adipowers unless you think it’s an unnecessary expense for my experience level. Also, just bought some nanos due to your review (and bc my chucks were dying) and I love them.

    1. Likely not. The CrossFit Lifter is great for Crossfit WODs but I would not chose it for strict Olympic or Power Lifting – there are better shoes made for that with no compromises.

  41. Hello!
    Thank you for all the reviews. Quick question. Are you planning a review of the new Reebok oly shoe, the “Lifter Plus”? It’s supposed to be oriented more towards oly lifting than the older model but I haven’t been able to find anything on it other than the reviews on the Reebok site which, although good, are written mostly by crossfitters.

    1. Been holding back on those, wanted to see how popular they were before we spent time and energy reviewing them. I would assume they are similar to the Oly Lifter in the fact that they may not be the best shoe if you are looking at them specifically for Oly lifting. However, perhaps these are more sturdy – won’t know until I get my hands on a pair.

  42. I have tried on a pair of both the Oly lifters and Oly lifter plus shoes and I feel the plus shoe is waaaay better from a stability perspective. These don’t have the flex at the ball of foot like the first version and they’ve added the 2nd strap like some of the other bigger name weightlifting shoes on the market.
    I need a slightly wider toe box due to my slightly bigger right foot. With my addidas shoes (from 10 yrs ago, I’m old school), my heel would come out during a jerk but with plus shoe, everything stayed in place.
    I did notice that I had to go a half size down from my ‘normal’ tennis shoe size.
    Note: I’m a female so I am only speaking to the women’s sizing.

    I’m still on the fence about which shoe to get but am leaning towards the plus even though it is marketed heavily towards the crossfit crowd.
    My current shoes are Ristos (from about 3 yrs ago) which are fantastic but about a size too big after having been broken in. I definitely would order these again but a size smaller.

    1. I didn’t feel that it did much in terms of changing the fit. Perhaps a bit more molded to the bottom of the foot, but wasn’t enough for me to tell the difference.

  44. Can’t help but notice that no review for the Crossfit Lifter Plus has been posted, but I’m wondering if anyone can confirm the same 4.125″ width on the Plus model? I have a 4.3″ wide foot and am debating between Reeboks with the 4.125″ width and Risto Rios with their all leather uppers that will probably give me more room over time. I can’t find any info about width on the Crossfit Lifter Plus, even though I’m reading multiple reviews saying it has significantly more stability than the regular Lifters. For a lot of people that 8th of an inch won’t matter, but for me I think it would, tight shoes give me ingrown toenails and those keep me out of the gym for extended periods of time.

    I do not do Crossfit btw, I have recently started doing oly lifting and am 165lbs with pretty low weight amts on the bar.

  45. How would these fair as a shoe for someone who is transitioning out of crossfitting and into strictly weightlifting? Do you think they could stand the abuse of a weightlifting heavy program? Also, what do you think of the new reebok lifters?

    Thank you

    1. These are not suitable for serious weightlifting. The toebox is entirely too soft and the shoe itself just isn’t rigid enough. This is something Reebok was obviously aware of since they felt it necessary to release the CrossFit Lifter Plus.

  46. So then is the lifter plus suitable for serious lifting. I didn’t have a fantastic experience with the original lifter because they stretched out so I am hesitant to buy another reebok lifter but they gave me a 25% off for my trouble. This means I could get the lifter plus for around $135. Any thoughts?

    1. I’ve not tested it yet, but I would assume they launched it to be more of a dedicated lifting shoe. You might want to look into Risto, Nike or Adidas if you’re wanting something more rigid and in that price range.

  47. Thanks man. I have been thinking about the AdiPower for a while they are just a little out of my price range that’s why the 25% off the lifter plus was attractive.

  48. Just bought the reebok lifter plus (got them severely discounted because of problems with my original lifters). Putting them on you immediately notice that this shoe is a completely different animal than the original. Much stiffer laterally and the forefoot strap makes you feel so secure. Only lifted in them once so far but will post updates as I go.

  49. What about a comparison to the Lifter 2.0 and Lifter 2.0 Plus?
    Is it a huge difference in heel stability? Are the new ones lighter?
    Or should you go for the older model?

    1. It’s funny that one sees people on YouTube talking about the Lifter 2.0 and Lifter 2.0 Plus but not showing them in a workout. Is the forefoot sole thicker and stiffer? And does a crossfitter benefit of this increased inflexibility? If it is so that the older version is too flexible in the forefoot??
      And too loose at the Achilles? What to recommend to an athlete who does all kind of movements in the gym and does not want to change shoes for squatting with weights.

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