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Reebok CrossFit Lifter 2.0 Review

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reebok crossfit lifter 2.0 weightlifting shoes review
Credit: Reebok
Price:  $175 List
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Manufacturer:   Reebok
By Chris McNamara ⋅ Founder and Editor-in-Chief  ⋅  Oct 29, 2014

Our Verdict

Reebok no longer makes the CrossFit Lifter 2.0.
REASONS TO BUY
Comfortable
Great for dynamic movements and long training sessions
REASONS TO AVOID
Low heel raise
Too flexible
Not very stable or supportive
As a competitive CrossFit athlete, it is hard for me not to take a bias to a Reebok shoe (as you read in our CrossFit Shoe Review). However, I am fully aware that we are trying to identify the best shoe for weightlifting. And this just isn't it. I'd say this is the best shoe to do "Fran" or "Karen" in because of the slight heel raise, but this by no means could beat the Adidas Adipowers in a contest of snatching.

Our Analysis and Test Results

Olympic Lifting


Well, let's be honest here. This shoe is not something I would put on if I was trying to go for a "1 rep max" clean and jerk. Why? Because it feels like I'm wearing a Reebok Nano. However, Olympic lifting is becoming more versatile and as density training becomes more popular you are seeing people doing high reps at low weight, which is where these shoes would be perfect. Without a doubt I would wear these for the CrossFit workout, "Amanda" which is a series of lightweight snatches and muscle ups.

Power Lifting


Naturally these shoes are a little better for power lifting in the fact that the heel isn't as high as the Adipowers or the Romaleos. Perfect for taking a CrossFit class that starts with a heavy-ish back squat or deadlift; these shoes provide enough support for these movements with the versatility to keep them on for the entire class.

Stability


Well, these shoes are about as stable as the Reebok Nano. So, they provide some sense of support, but under minimal loading and repetition. I would not put these on to try and find a max split jerk. The flexibility and material of the shoe makes it easy for the foot to move around which is not ideal for weightlifting, especially once it gets heavy. Pretty much all of us can get away with snatching or squatting in any shoe when it is light, but under heavier loads stability is very important.

Comfort


Of course these shoes are going to be more comfortable than a standard weightlifting shoe because of the material used for the upper part of the shoe. Soft fabric is definitely going to be more comfortable than synthetic leather. The only thing I noticed in these shoes was after about an hour and a half of lifting in these, my feet did start to cramp up. I imagine a loss of circulation was the root of this issue which tends to happen with most lifting shoes, but this was worse than normal. It may be because of the narrow shoe frame.

Foot Flex


Definitely a high point for these shoes. The material for these shoes and the soft sole give the Reebok CrossFit Lifter 2.0 a ton of foot flexibility. This allows us to really feel out where the triple extension point on Olympic lifts are and weight distribution in the foot during power lifts. Again, this also makes this a great shoe to keep on if you are a CrossFitter who is doing some lifting in a training session.

Weight


Higher ranking metric for this shoe, making it an attractive buy. These shoes are great to travel with because of how light they are and the versatility they provide so I found them useful for training sessions that I didn't know what was programmed for the day. I also had no problem doing accessory jumping exercises in these because they are a lighter, flexible shoe.

Chris McNamara