VS Athletic Dynamo Shoe

THE REVIEW:

Commonly referred to as the “poor man’s oly shoes”, the VS weightlifting shoes will get the job done, but they won’t last forever and they may not be anatomically correct for you. The VS Dynamo weightlifting shoe is one of just a few lifting shoes under the $100 mark but this comes with its own price. The fit of the shoe runs true to size, unless you have wide feet, then you’ll need to get a half size larger. The suede exterior is comfortable and easy to break in, but it doesn’t hold up for very long if you go to the gym frequently.

Furthermore, the rubber sole initially grips well, but wears extremely fast. You’ll be left with a slick spots on the sole of the shoe which will actually be dangerous during your lifts. The heel on this shoe is 1.5″ on all sizes, that is just WAY too high for anyone under 6’1″ given that heel height should really be proportional to the height of the person wearing the shoe. Due to the ridiculous heel height and the quick wearing sole, these are not a recommended shoe.

If you do decide to go with the VS shoes, get the solid leather pair. They only come in white, and they will still suffer the same sole issues, but my guess is the exterior will last much longer. Also, solid leather lifting shoes are usually more stable. Expect these to take a few more workouts to break in though as compared to the suede models.

WHERE TO BUY:

While these can be purchased directly from VS Athletics, the best prices I’ve found on the VS weightlifting shoes has been on Amazon.com. You can also checkout Ebay and find a good deal on a slightly used pair from time to time.

PROS:

  • Comfortable suede exterior
  • Dual straps
  • Great price

CONS:

  • If you have wide feet, get a half size larger
  • Rubber sole tends to wear out quickly
  • Suede exterior wears with heavy use

8 thoughts on “VS Athletic Dynamo Shoe”

  1. Just got some of these the other day, haven't lifted in them yet. How are these things (WL shoes in general) supposed to fit? I can feel my big toe pressing on the material in the toe area, just rather tight in general through the forefoot section. I have a 9.5 and all of my Chucks are size 9.

    1. Lifting shoes should fit comfortably in the heel and toe area and then tighten up around the mid-sole and arch once you lace them up and strap them down. Since VS shoes have a really high heel, they tend to push your foot forward into the shoe, this may be causing the rubbing in the toe area.

  2. Thanks, they were out of stock in my size and sent a half size down in the Dynamo after I had requested the original white shoe, so I'll be returning them and going with Rogues or the Pendlays, in the proper size hopefully.

  3. I've had these wonderful shoes for about 2 years now. My experiences:

    -Great for non-serious lifting, until the sole wears, and it WILL wear away

    -Heel is too high and will feel a bit uncomfortable and unnatural

    -All in all, a good shoe for beginners who want to do some olympic lifting.

  4. I agree with most comments here. I own a pair of white VS Athletics Dynamo shoes, and I'm 6'1". They are definitely not of the highest quality, but for the price – and great service from VS Athletics – you can't go wrong if you're a recreational lifter. I clean maybe 2-3 times/week and don't snatch all that often, but squat 3-5 times per week, and I think they'll hold up pretty well under that type of wear. People who are performing the quick lifts as their main training lift might want to choose another shoe, but it's a great beginner's shoe.

  5. I bought a used pair for cheap on ebay, and have been really quite impressed… owned them over a year and wear them for all my lifts (squat, bench, press and dead) and they have held up real well – suede hasn’t stretched, sole hasn’t come off or gone slick, in fact they’re pretty much as i got them, but for a couple of minor problems. The velcro on the strap has come away where it switches between hook and loop, because it is exactly joined where it goes throug hthe metal eye – although to be fair it has only come away about 5mm or so either way, and has stayed constant for months. Also if we’re being really picky, the suede on the straps is smooth where i’ve been pulling it tight! For the price i’ve found them remarkably good, especially given the second strap and the eyelets, both commonly missing from budget shoes.

    The heel did take some getting used to though, i had the old blue/white polish ironlifter boots before, and they had a relatively shallow sole for modern shoes, so take from that what you will.

  6. I just picked up a used pair of these fantastic little shoes , 9 bucks at the Starvation Army , they work great for Olympic and power lifting as well as the 600+ free squats I do daily , I have been lifting since 1968 and these shoes are a real bargain , beats the livin crap out of the overpriced Reebok Crossfit Lifters Plus 2.0 UFORM POS that I just purchased ! So why don’t you numbskulls tell me what’s wrong with this shoe ! You cry babies don’t know how to lift weights !!!

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