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View Full Version : Mark Bell & Jesse Burdick's Reebok Crossfit Lite TR shoe.



rainman
08-15-14, 4:46 pm
I have been squatting in Chucks for my entire gym life, probably due to my main squat resources being Ben Rice and Sam Byrd videos outside of my gym. After a bit of messing about with stance etc., I am at my most comfortable using low bar with a fairly wide, (past shoulder width), stance. As my Converse are now totally beaten up I have been looking at power lifting shoes, specifically the Adidas range. Experimenting with high soled shoes vs Chucks on Monday, I found I was happier in flat soles, so had my mind set on some of those new Black Sabbath Chucks. Oh yes.

However, I stumbled on the new Reebok Crossfit Lite TR shoes. Essentially a pair Converse as far as I can make out, but with added heft where it matters. The toe area is reinforced for example, where my Chucks have split, making them seem like a very well thought out pair of shoes. The price is fairly reasonable - even more so when compared to Nike/ Adidas lifting shoes - and if they hold up better than Chuck Taylors then it'll be worth it. I was just wondering if anybody had any experience with them on here? Being from the UK, it's taken a while for them to get over here, but with a Reebok store in my local town I can now get hold of a pair. I just really wanted to know if I should stick with what I know or go for these?

I'd better add, I'm not too pumped by the 'Crossfit' tag, especially as these don't seem like your typical crossfit orientated shoe. I'd much rather have the shoes labelled for what they were really designed for and the designers given credit, although, seeing as I have trained in an "Eat Krispy Kreme Doughnuts" shirt, won't let this sway my decision to purchase.

Thanks for your time.

Cellardweller
08-18-14, 9:22 pm
Here's some good reading about the debate about chucks vs. oly shoes. There's some good mechanics explained about having a heel or flat sole shoe.

http://www.t-nation.com/training/olympic-shoes-or-chucks-for-squats

rshelton242
08-19-14, 1:08 pm
I personally lift in the Reebok shoes your talking about the mark bell ones.

I love mine and you are correct the are basically a glorified chuck. Much more durable out the box you can tell they are made with a more rigid material then a chuck. I have had mine for over 6 months or little longer and they are still brand new essentially and i wear them every session and wear them for strongman event training some and they have held up really well.

sole is nice and flat and u feel low to the ground i love mine. would definitely recommend.

Jay Nera
08-19-14, 10:31 pm
Here's some good reading about the debate about chucks vs. oly shoes. There's some good mechanics explained about having a heel or flat sole shoe.

http://www.t-nation.com/training/olympic-shoes-or-chucks-for-squats

Pretty well written article. Thanks for posting.

rainman
08-20-14, 3:24 pm
I agree. It's a great article. Thanks for posting that up Cellardweller. Kind of makes me think I am on the right track looking for Chuck-esque shoes, being of the slightly wider squat stance. Deads are conventional, but I do flirt with sumo sometimes.


I personally lift in the Reebok shoes your talking about the mark bell ones...
Thanks for the review. I actually went in to the new Reebok store in town a couple of days back to try some on. Got the usual from the sales guy about how he's never had any come back etc., although to be fair to him he did seem to know his stuff about the history of the design. He even mentioned the 'Bigger Faster Stronger' designer. It is reassuring to hear real world experience from a lifter though, so cheers for your input.

Initial impressions have been pretty favourable on these. I only tried the right one on and kept my Chucks on my left foot. Did a squat movement in the shop. Old lady walking past stopped to adjust her glasses. I was very impressed by the 'stability zone' on the sole. I find that my Chucks can feel like they're folding outwards when descending sometimes. These felt far more planted and the whole sole feels a lot stiffer. The heel support was a bit odd as they were pretty hugging to the ankle area, but looser around the toe box section, so sizing is a bit of an issue, which is why I didn't buy them on the spot. Another funny thing is that the leather version cost the same as the canvas pair. I think I prefer the canvas ones actually so am a bit miffed they're not a fiver cheaper!

G Diesel
08-20-14, 3:30 pm
Not a big fan of Reeboks. Or Chucks for that matter. So the combination of the two really doesn't appeal to me.

I've found wrestling shoes are great for deads. And any sturdy high top for squats works well.

Peace, G

P Diesel
08-22-14, 11:34 am
haha everyone keeps giving mark bell all this credit, they arent 'his' shoes. its jsut a fuckin fad.

ive always used wrestling shoes. as of late ive tried to find them w more solid soles so i dnt sink into them upon my inital pull when i get up into bigger numbers. earlier this year i started squatting with the adidas PL shoes. i really like them.

P

Tbrat
08-22-14, 11:44 am
I was just given a pair of the reebok power shoes and so far I really like them. I could never even try chucks because my feet were wider than the soles for the size I needed. These are nice a wide and feel very sturdy, I couldn't feel any deformation in the sole even when working up over 500 squatting. Comfortable and light so I will be using them for sled/prowler work and other conditioning work. So far I am a fan, we will see if they hold up. My last pair of reebok runners I've had for over 2 years and they are still trucking along.

YoungGun
08-22-14, 10:03 pm
I've debated on buying these too.


I have been squatting in Chucks for my entire gym life, probably due to my main squat resources being Ben Rice and Sam Byrd videos outside of my gym. After a bit of messing about with stance etc., I am at my most comfortable using low bar with a fairly wide, (past shoulder width), stance. As my Converse are now totally beaten up I have been looking at power lifting shoes, specifically the Adidas range. Experimenting with high soled shoes vs Chucks on Monday, I found I was happier in flat soles, so had my mind set on some of those new Black Sabbath Chucks. Oh yes.

However, I stumbled on the new Reebok Crossfit Lite TR shoes. Essentially a pair Converse as far as I can make out, but with added heft where it matters. The toe area is reinforced for example, where my Chucks have split, making them seem like a very well thought out pair of shoes. The price is fairly reasonable - even more so when compared to Nike/ Adidas lifting shoes - and if they hold up better than Chuck Taylors then it'll be worth it. I was just wondering if anybody had any experience with them on here? Being from the UK, it's taken a while for them to get over here, but with a Reebok store in my local town I can now get hold of a pair. I just really wanted to know if I should stick with what I know or go for these?

I'd better add, I'm not too pumped by the 'Crossfit' tag, especially as these don't seem like your typical crossfit orientated shoe. I'd much rather have the shoes labelled for what they were really designed for and the designers given credit, although, seeing as I have trained in an "Eat Krispy Kreme Doughnuts" shirt, won't let this sway my decision to purchase.

Thanks for your time.

Tbrat
08-25-14, 11:41 am
Did some cardio in them over the weekend and some tire carries/flips/drags. Really liking them. They feel fantastic to wide stance squat and sumo pull in, so rolling or deformation.

BJ Whitehead
08-25-14, 11:47 am
I've squatted in wrestling shoes, chucks, oly and the Reebok power shoe. I personally hate the way chucks fit and feel. With that being said I love the Reeboks. Everyone says that they are a glorified chuck but j feel past the look, they are nothing alike. But that's just me. The oly shoe didn't fit my squatting style. The wrestling shoe was what I started in but then I switched to the oly then the reebok and have stayed in the reebok and hit a gym pr then a meet pr and have worn them for a shorter amount of time. Main thing is find a pair that suit you the best and go from there.

naturalguy
08-25-14, 11:48 am
I have them, lifted in Chuck's prior which I liked but I have wide feet and Chuck's were always too narrow. The Reebok shoes are great, much wider toe box and they really grip the floor. They are my favorite shoes to pull in. I recently started using Oly shoes for squats but I wear the Reebok's for everything else.

BJ Whitehead
08-25-14, 11:55 am
I have them, lifted in Chuck's prior which I liked but I have wide feet and Chuck's were always too narrow. The Reebok shoes are great, much wider toe box and they really grip the floor. They are my favorite shoes to pull in. I recently started using Oly shoes for squats but I wear the Reebok's for everything else.

I agree with everything you said. I wish I could fix my squat to be able to squat in the oly shoes. You have the Nike Romaloes, correct?

naturalguy
08-25-14, 12:14 pm
I agree with everything you said. I wish I could fix my squat to be able to squat in the oly shoes. You have the Nike Romaloes, correct?

Yes, I hated them at first lol, it took me about 8 workouts to feel comfortable in them but now I really like them.

rainman
08-25-14, 12:15 pm
Thanks for the replies and suggestions everyone. I have just got back from town and bought a pair from the Reebok store. The best part about my dithering was that when I went in they were doing a Bank Holiday promotion and I got 30% off them too, which put them down to the ballpark price of Chucks. After I was worried about the sizing initially I decided to drop down half a size from what I usually wear and they seemed to fit well enough in the shop. Going down a whole size did make the toe box a bit tight though. I did like my Chucks but they do have issues which these seem to have corrected, although I can't really give Converse too much shit for their shortcomings as they were hardly designed with powerlifting in mind.

I did also look at wrestling shoes after the suggestions, but the range is pretty limited here in the UK, so I'd have had to buy blind off the internet and getting the size right is half the problem it seems. With a wider stance low bar squat but a conventional deadlift I am hoping these will be suitable for both, as olympic shoes tended to put me off a bit with the raised heel when I tried some out.

Thanks again and I will report back when I have put some time in to them.

frezzzz
03-30-17, 3:34 pm
Check out this http://thecrossfitshoes.com/ maybe it will help you

Jay Nera
03-30-17, 11:48 pm
Yes, I hated them at first lol, it took me about 8 workouts to feel comfortable in them but now I really like them.

Yeah they are pretty solid shoes.

But the more important question is, since there are so many choices,...did you get a colour scheme that best defines YOU?