At first glance of the new Reebok Nano’s you might say to yourself, “What in the hell was Reebok doing here?” After such rave reviews of the Reebok 6.0 (which were an amazing comeback after a poorly received 5.0) we were fully expecting an “if it ain’t broke” approach to the latest Nano. Nope. Reebok went out and completely revamped the shape and style of the 7.
Ok, so the look is different, but how does it perform? Out of the box the Nano 7 is a bit stiff, and honestly, not as comfortable as its predecessor, the 6.0. The new 360-degree TPU heel wrap, which is supposed to encourage a “locked-in feel”, just feels hard around the heel. Across the top of the foot was bit uncomfortable as well, but we’re hoping these areas will break down with use. Whereas the 6.0 had a “ready-to-go” fit right out of the box, the 7 feels like it will need a few weeks of use to loosen up.
Some other areas Reebok updated in the 7 are the new “Powerlaunch Toe Box for improved power, fit, and stability.” So far no complaints there, there is ample room for the toes without being too wide. The Nanoweave, which “provides breathability and durability” has to be the update we’re most impressed with. The entire upper of the shoe is constructed of a very durable-feeling weave of materials. The technology is impressive and we’re seeing this type of weave or knit construction in many other shoes, like the Nike Flyknits and Adidas Primeknits. Assumably, the Nanoweave will be around for a few more Nano renditions.
The current color offerings didn’t impress us much either, but Reebok usually saves the best colorways for after its initial release. We chose the Skull Grey / White / Black / Asteroid, which appear very white online, but much more grey in person.
Thus far, we’ve squatted, cleaned, ran, lunged, climbed, and jumped in the Nano 7, and overall, they’re not a bad training shoe. For squatting and cleans we felt a good connection with ground and nice stability. For lunges there is good flexibility in the sole of the shoe, so bending onto the ball of the foot is not an issue – it’s not too stiff in this aspect. Running and jumping, however, the Nano 7 feels stiff upon first use. These would not be our shoe of choice for agility type exercises or longer distance runs. They will certainly do the job for most WODs and again, they will most likely become more favorable with sustained use.
After coaching in the Nano 7 for 5 hours straight, two days in a row, the shoes are bearable, but not exactly like walking on clouds. There was some discomfort later in the evening in the legs/knees when resting before bed.
If you can get your hands on a pair of Nano 6.0’s and are not concerned with having the latest from Reebok, but more with performance, go for those. We give the Nano 7 a slight edge over the recent Nike Metcon 3’s as well.
You can check out our reviews of the Nano 6.0 here and the Metcon 3 here.
Performance
- Feel solid and stable for Squats, Deadlifts, KB Swings, etc.
- A bit stiff for running, may need longer break in period, but better options available for longer distance runs.
- Stiff but not too bulky for cutting, jumping, ladder drills, etc.
Comfort
- Ok out of the box, stiff and not as comfortable as the 6.0.
- Some discomfort across the top of the foot from pressure from laces. New thin tongue does very little to cushion laces.
- Wearable for longer periods of standing, but experienced knee/leg pain later in evening.
- May want a running shoe for longer runs.
Design
- We like the updated design but the new heel clip doesn’t look right to us.
- Nanoweave is a nice addition and we like the added benefits.
- Color options limited upon first release, but expect more colorways from Reebok in near future.
Value
- At $129/pair, in line with competing performance shoes.
- May want to invest in Nano 6.0, which are currently available at a discount.
Shop the Reebok Nano 7 and 6 here.
Photos by John Meno at Performance 360.