All posts by Matt

Reebok Nano 5.0 Review

Just like many of you, we couldn’t wait to do a Reebok Nano 5.0 review and try them on ourselves. They definitely did not disappoint as a crossfit shoe. The first thing we noticed when unboxing them was that in our opinion they looked better than the Reebok Nano 4.0’s. After picking them up they immediately felt lighter. Comparing to Reebok’s last version, these are actually a little lighter at 9.7 ounces. Next, we noticed they said the word Kevlar on them, referring to the high quality military-grade lightweight material used for armor among other things. In reviewing, we felt the outside visual look was very similar to the Crossfit Nanos of last year.

Nano 5.0 Fuschia
Nano 5.0 Fuschia

The comfort and feel was next up for review. As soon as we started to slip them on we noticed the new tongue, and we loved it. The last version has a very thick tongue and the Reebok Nano 5.0 has a lightweight thinner tongue. We also noticed the top of the shoe was softer. Reebok replaced the heavy thick material that was on the top of the Nano 4’s with a light material that is reinforced with the Kevlar mentioned earlier. The reason they designed the shoe this way is so that you don’t rip up your shoes during rope climbs. It is really nice to see innovation here, because we were not fans of the thick upper before. In our opinion these changes are where the shoe really shines.

Lastly, we had to get some good crossfit workouts in for a proper review. On the warmup jog we came to the conclusion that the Nano 5.0’s are more comfortable for running than the 4.0’s. Where they really shine over the 4’s is in crossfit wods that include exercises where you flex your foot, such as pushups, burpees, and lunges, for example. That’s because of the new material they used on the top of the shoe. The thick rope climb protection didn’t flex and dug into your foot. That problem is completely gone. The bottom of the Nano 5.0’s seems flatter than the 4.0’s as well, which should payoff in your Olympic lifts. Overall, many improvements were made in these shoes. As our Reebok Nano 5.0 review implies, and as can be attested by many top athletes in the sport, Reebok continues to stay on top of the game.

Crossfit Open 15.1 with Reebok Nano 4.0’s and Speed Shorts

If you watched the Crossfit Open Workout 15.1 live announcement you saw Mat Fraser take on reigning champion Rich Froning. Now if you’re as big a fan of crossfit gear as we are you may have been wondering what they were wearing. Well, Fraser was wearing Reebok Nano 4.0’s in silvery green and Reebok Speed Short 75 in black. Froning was wearing his new Reebok Compete 6:14 shoe with the same Reebok Speed Short. We decided, why not copy Fraser, and wear the same shoes and shorts as him. Unfortunately we didn’t beat Froning either.

Froning and Fraser doing 15.1
Froning and Fraser doing 15.1

You have to figure if Mat Fraser is choosing to wear the Nano’s and Speed Shorts for the workout that they’d also be the best choice for you. I definitely think this is true. The Nano’s are light, which is a nice to have for the toes-to-bar. They’re also good as a lifting shoe, with a stable heel that works for the deadlifts and snatches. They’re also more comfortable than a heavy lifting shoe, which would wear on you in a 15 minute workout. Considering the weight is rather light, the toughest part of the workout for most people is the toes-to-bar. That’s where the Nano becomes preferred over a lifting shoe.

We think there are several good models of Reebok crossfit shorts that would work for Open Workout 15.1. Mat Fraser likely picked these shorts because they are very lightweight yet more on the comfortable side, which is key in a 15 minute workout. The little bit of elasticity is really nice in the short. They can be a little more form fitting, but because of the elastane, you don’t notice that they’re a little tighter to the body. Unrelated to the workout, the pocket can come in really handy to store a pair of keys, and has a zipper so you don’t have to worry about losing your keys when upside down walking on your hands.

Reebok Nano 4 and Speed Short lift
Doing Crossfit Open workout 15.1

We didn’t do as well as Mat Fraser either, but we certainly gave the workout our all. The Nano’s were definitely better than non-crossfit shoes for the olympic lifts. The shorts were just the right length to not be a nuisance. They also breathed very well despite the massive amounts of sweat. And in the end, I hit 92% of my 1 rep max on the clean and jerk! So, a great workout and I’m feeling good! #BeMoreHuman

 

Reebok Crossfit Shoes On Sale Memorial Day Weekend

Reebok has a Memorial Day Weekend sale going on and it is good for all Crossfit products, including shoes. You can pickup the Nano 3.0, including the Superhero-inspired ones, and Lifters, among other shoes. The coupon is as follows:

Use Code MDW14 for

  • $15 off $75
  • $35 off $125

You can also combine this with the Amex Sync offer of $20 off $60 from Reebok.com to save even more.

This means you can get $55 off a pair of Reebok CrossFit Lifter shoes, bringing them to $95, or could get Nano 3.0 shoes for $75 and a free armband. You would add the armband to your cart to get your total over $125 and then save the $55 to bring it down to $75. Are you taking advantage of this deal?

Reebok Crossfit Nano 4.0 Release Date

UPDATED 6/24/14: The new Reebok Crossfit Nano 4 shoe officially has a release date, and it is coming up very quickly. Three mens color options (outlined below) and four womens color options will be in the initial release. If none of those strike your fancy you can order a customized pair right now! It’s quite fun to play around with the color customizer and see what you like the best. It is expected that these shoes will be very popular and therefore sell out quickly, meaning you likely won’t be able to get a pair until late July unless you order as soon as they become available online. There is only a limited quantity of Nano 4.0 shoes being released on June 3rd (with a delivery date of July 5th), so make sure to buy them right then if you want them and don’t want to wait. You will be able to create and order your individualized/customized Nano 4.0’s before the rest of the world! If you want to hear from us as soon as pre-orders go live, subscribe to our email list, like us on Facebook, or follow us on Twitter.

UPDATE 6/3/14: Quantities are limited, and the pre-order will only be available for 24 hrs!

The Nano 4.0 will retail for $119.99. The initial 4-color release will be July 11th with 3 more colors being released on October 1st. They will come in the following color options:

  • 7/11 Mens – Orange, White, Blue/Green, Black/Red
  • 10/1 Mens – Black/Lime Green, Black/Purple, Black/Teal
  • 7/11 Womens – Red/Fuscia, Black/Pink, Blue/Purple, White
  • 10/1 Womens – Teal/White, Lime Green/White

Several Crossfit Games Reebok athletes have gotten the chance to preview these shoes already and have strongly endorsed them. Talayna Fortunato says,

“I will say the Nano 4 does not disappoint though. They’re getting closer and closer to the perfect CrossFit shoe at Reebok.”

Come back to see our review of the nano 4.0 soon!