Details
Brand
Reebok
Heel To Toe Drop
6mm
Breathability
7/10
Latest Version
Yes
Terrain
Road
Type
Neutral
Key Features
• Outsole made from abrasion resistant rubber• Compressed EVA foam for the midsole• Weave upper made from knit fabric• Weighs 10 ounces• 4 mm drop
Upper
The Reebok Crossfit Nano 7 uses a knit fabric style upper known as Weave, hence the name. This material is similar to those used in running shoes from manufacturers like Nike and Adidas, offering similar benefits in terms of a lighter weight and increased breathability. Although this style of upper material is less durable than the more solid mesh and synthetic style common to other Reebok Crossfit models, the lack of resilience in this area is a small sacrifice for the benefits. A training shoe meant for use indoors doesn’t need this extra protection so long as enough is present on the lower half.
Midsole
Although using EVA foam for the midsole is nothing new to Reebok or just about every other footwear manufacturer in the modern era, the use of compressed and molded EVA makes a big difference in the design of the Nano 7 Weave. With the aid of this particular midsole cushioning style, a greater density is present that can provide a much more significant degree of shock absorption. This may result in a somewhat hampered flexibility but it’s justified for its enhanced ability to meet the needs of CrossFit trainers that engage in high-intensity exercises.
Outsole
As a cross-training shoe, Reebok designed the outsole of this revamped Nano 7 to provide the best performance in a gym environment. However, enough traction and durability are also present in its design to accommodate some outdoor environments as well, since these are typically also incorporated in CrossFit routines. High abrasion rubber was used for its construction, an excellent choice thanks to its ability to withstand quite a bit of punishment. This material has also been enhanced with an underfoot ridge pattern that is both visually appealing and versatile for multiple training exercises.
Breathability
Another benefit of the Reebok Crossfit Nano 7 Weave is that its newly designed upper portion offers a greater degree of ventilation for the wearer’s entire foot. The titular Weave design functions in a similar manner to Nike’s Flyknit and Adidas’ Primeknit styles of running footwear. At the cost of durability and foot protection, this knit fabric allows for moisture and heat to be mitigated even while performing exercises that are extremely physically taxing for the wearer. This is part of the reason why these training shoes are so effective for CrossFit and other high-intensity cardio routines that have a similar style.
Comfort
For the purpose of providing the maximum possible support and protection at the lowest possible weight, general comfort-related amenities are a bit of an afterthought in the design of this Reebok training shoe. No extra effort has been made to provide a comfortable foot cradle aside from the midsole and some added heel support for stability when lifting heavy weights. The Weave upper provides some comfort through its beneficial effects on the wearer’s breathability and stability. Ultimately, any comfort derived from these training shoes is a result of other features and wasn’t a focus in itself.
Style
The reason for the updated name and model of this Reebok Crossfit shoe is the newly designed upper portion, which is also the most significant style change in this iteration. Since the closest comparison points to this shoe’s design as running shoes, the average customer may assume that these are running shoes as well. When selecting a model for purchase, the variety of color choices further reinforces this mistaken impression. While this isn’t necessarily a bad thing, and by no means should running shoes have a monopoly on this type of footwear design, this means that customers will need to research this product before buying so they aren’t disappointed when it ends up providing a different experience to traditional running shoes.
Durability
The much-ballyhooed upper portion of the Reebok Crossfit Nano 7 Weave offers its beneficial ventilation and lighter weight with some caveats. One of the major tradeoffs that come as a consequence of its design is its durability, even the toughest knit material can’t offer the same lifespan as a decent mesh synthetic material. To be fair, the manufacturers and designers of these shoes didn’t skimp on durability for any other aspect of the Crossfit Nano 7 Weave so this really won’t be cause for concern to the vast majority of customers. However, extra care should be taken when handling the upper area of these shoes in order to ensure they last a long time.
Protection
This is the other major tradeoff to the Reebok Crossfit Nano 7’s newly designed upper portion. As previously mentioned, the lower half of these shoes provide a fantastic amount of protection from multiple risk hazards, including repetitive stress, the distribution of heavyweight, and general ground impact. However, the knit fabric material that comprises the Weave portion of these Reebok trainers will not provide a suitable amount of protection in the event that a heavy barbell lands on the wearer’s foot. Because of this, proper safety measures will need to be taken while exercising in these shoes.
Responsiveness
Since these shoes aren’t designed for the sole purpose of running, wearers may feel that they are less responsive if they use them for running-based exercises. However, as training shoes, the Reebok Crossfit Nano 7 Weave is intended to provide a high response time to a much wider range of physical exercises than just running. Jumping, lifting heavy weights, and performing calisthenics all require their own form of responsive footwear that these training shoes perform admirably at providing.
Support
Thanks to the particular form of EVA foam used for the Reebok Crossfit Nano 7 Weave’s midsole, a decent amount of support is provided for the entirety of the wearer’s foot. Special emphasis has been placed on the heel, much the traditional design of a running shoe, however, less emphasis was placed on supporting the heel through elevation since running is not the primary focus of these trainers. Instead, harder material was implemented in the rear of this shoe’s midsole in order to provide higher stability for exercises that incorporate lifting heavy weights.
Terrain
Although the outsole of these Reebok training shoes is made from a durable high-abrasion rubber, the specifics of their design make them less viable for use in certain environments. These shoes are largely meant for use in a gym or other indoor training location, with features designed to be most competent on these forms of terrain. It’s still very much possible to take these shoes on the road or sidewalk without worrying about them falling apart, however, individuals who try this will notice a decreased level of performance and the need to clean them more frequently due to debris getting stuck between the outsole’s ridges.
Price
The suggested retail price originally listed by Reebok placed these training shoes in the price range of a high-end running shoe or a low-end trail runner. However, after a very short period of time on the market, it seems that this price has dropped off significantly by almost 50%. The reasoning for this move is unclear, but one potential theory is that this was done in order for the brand to save face and make up for mistakes made in the previous model. Since the non-Weave version of the Reebok Crossfit Nano 7 was almost universally reviled, releasing this revision at an apologetically low price could be their way of attempting to patch things up with their fans. Regardless of the motivation, these are excellent shoes being sold at an excellent price.
Drop
If an individual saw these shoes online or in a store and decided to purchase them because they resembled a traditional running shoe, they would notice fairly quickly that these are not standard runners because of the heel drop. In running shoes from manufacturers like Adidas and Nike, extra midsole cushioning is added to the heel area in order to compensate for repetitive striking in this region of the foot. The Reebok Crossfit Nano 7 Weave has a much lower heel drop of around 4 mm, placing it more in the range of trail running shoes. This allows for a more even distribution of the wearer’s weight, which is very important when performing the kind of exercises found in a typical CrossFit routine.
Stability
As previously mentioned, these shoes are very flexible thanks to some features present in the design of their upper and midsole. What’s interesting about these shoes, however, is that these same aspects also offer features that contribute to the Crossfit Nano 7 Weave’s stability. Although the Weave upper is highly pliable, the tight fit it creates for the wearer’s foot ensures that the upper portion of their feet remain in one place far better than simple mesh fabric could. Furthermore, the majority of the midsole’s functionality involves providing a stable underfoot, with only a meager amenity added for the purpose of flexibility. The result is a shoe that perfectly strikes the balance between these two design aspects in a manner that looks effortless.
Flexibility
A decent article of footwear intended for use in strenuous physical activity needs to strike a balance between feeling flexible and feeling stable. Too much of the former will result in a lack of control and the potential for injury, while too much of the latter can lead to discomfort and a disconnect between the wearer and the ground. Fortunately, Reebok has done a fantastic job balancing these two aspects of the Crossfit Nano 7 Weave’s design. With flexibility provided by the upper’s knit fabric construction and a small amount added to the otherwise rigid midsole, just the right amount of flexibility is achieved without sacrificing much-needed stability.
Traction
The design of the Reebok Crossfit Nano 7 Weave emphasizes traction in key environments while still providing enough to be used competently in alternative forms of terrain. Thanks to the many long, thin ridges that are placed mostly vertically along the underside of its outsole, these shoes can provide a decent grip on the ground beneath it without adding too much weight onto the final product. However, the nature of its design makes it highly prone to attracting debris such as small pebbles that will then need to be removed by hand, which is why these shoes are much more suited for indoor environments.
Bottom Line
The Reebok Crossfit Nano 7 is a shoe with a checkered past. Upon the initial release of this trainer, customers revolted with scathingly negative reviews. Reebok almost lost all of the goodwill they had gained with the highly praised Nano 6 line of trainers. Fortunately, this newest iteration of the Nano 7 is a peace offering that mitigates a lot of the issues customers had with the previous model and has come into its own as a solid training shoe for CrossFit or any other gym routine.
