Recently, I was lucky enough to be asked by Reebok to try out a new model of sneaker specifically made for the obstacle course race athlete. We all know that Reebok has done quite a bit to develop footwear and apparel for CrossFit, and now it seems they are venturing into the same idea toward OCR's, on the heels of their (already turned one year) partnership with one of the industry's leaders, Spartan Race. The only shoe I've tried (trained and raced in) that might be similar is the popular Inov-8 X-Talon 190 shoe. So, much of the review may be a comparison to that. I am by no means a professional critic with gear, but I know whats works and what doesn't. So without further ado, here is what Mudman thought...
1. FIT/FEEL- Of course any shoe needs breaking in, but a day of wearing them around the house made the Reebok's cozy and ready to go. I wore them once for a training trail run and once for the Tampa Spartan Sprint, which was a hybrid stadium and outdoor race. After both, there were no signs of discomfort which new shoes can surprise your feet with. No aches, blister hot spots, or the like. The size 9 (ahem, potential sponsors if you are listening- that was a size NINE), fit fairly true, as I prefer a slighly tighter feel for racing. I noticed, compared to the Inov-8's (also a size 9), that the actual length of the Reebok's were a good half inch longer, and wonder if over a longer run or race if that would be noticeable. Overall, these were very soft and comfortable, despite much of the upper being a plastic mesh material. GRADE = A
2. FUNCTION- These are called the "All Terrain" shoes since the obstacle course racer will need to be going through a huge variety of surfaces and/or inclines, much of it being wet, muddy, or sandy. The Tampa Spartan Race was a great test to the shoe's name, since it had performed great on my trail run but now would also have to be fast on hard, dry concrete for at least a mile or two of ramps and stairs inside the stadium. A little of my worries did come true, as pavement was not ideal for any type of cleated sneaker, needing something to grip where there wasn't anything. As the rest of the race progressed to dirt and grassy fields, everything was as promised- a solid and stable footing which also didn't feel too "sticky" or annoying to drag through the mud and wet parts. A key feature I noticed was the drainage system of holes along both sides of the shoe, which allowed water to quickly exit with the first several steps out of the pit, rather than lugging the extra weight around for a while as I'm used to. I haven't yet used these for any serious inclines or hills, which will be key come summertime as most of my races will be on mountainous terrain. I'm interested to see how they will perform going up a ski trail the opposite way, though I don't have any doubts in that area due to the number and arrangement of their lugs. GRADE = B
3. FASHION- When I pulled these out of the box, I have to say I was pretty excited about the look of the Reebok's. Really cool colors, and not obnoxiously bold or bright (like the "other" shoe in the pic!). If not for the lugs on bottom, I could see wearing these for any sport or even just being casual, but that's just me. Not much else to say on the styling, but most of the time this summer these kicks will be covered in mud, so you may not even notice how good they actually do look. GRADE = A
OVERALL GRADE = A
