Reebok CrossFit Nano 4.0

With a name like the CrossFit Nano, this sneaker is obviously a specialty shoe designed specifically for CrossFit. The outsole features a protective rubber compound designed to be extremely durable and able to stand up to tough CrossFit activities. One great feature about the outsole is the Metasplit. This is a series of ridges on the outsole of the shoe that mimic the phalanges of the foot thus allowing your foot to flex and move more naturally through box jumps, burpees, or other CrossFit exercises. The waffle-like tread pattern allows for multi-directional traction and wraps up around the medial and lateral sides of the midfoot to form Reebok’s RopePro technology which is designed to grip ropes easily during rope climbs. The outsole is also flush with the ground and provides a great amount of grip on almost any surface.

This CrossFit sneaker has a midsole that is made up of two different compounds. To reduce the amount of shock that your body takes in throughout your workouts, the forefoot includes Reebok’s F48 cushioning unit. This cushioning unit not only helps to attenuate shock, but it also allows for great flexibility in your forefoot. The second compound in the midsole is found in the midfoot and heel areas. These parts of the sneaker are made up of Reebok’s S55 material. This is designed to deliver high energy return, absorb shock, and is firm enough to support you during lifting. Some users have said that the midsole is lacking more of a heel wedge to help with heavier lifting, but the sturdy heel provided seems to be appreciated by many other CrossFitters.

One noticeable difference in the Reebok CrossFit Nano 4.0 compared to its predecessors is the upper. Like the 3.0, this version of the sneaker features an open weave mesh material which is comfortable, pliable, and extremely breathable. Like its predecessor, the mesh upper is reinforced with a polyurethane Duracage, although this version varies slightly in its design. This pliable plastic wraps around the sneaker to add support and protection against abrasion during rope climbs. Many CrossFit shoes tend to wear out around the midfoot area where a rope may rub, and the Duracage helps to prevent that. This technology also extends to the rear of the shoe to form a heel cup which adds more stability. At the forefoot of the sneaker, the Duracage forms a toe bumper which will aid in protecting your feet during burpees. The Duracage also works in conjunction with the shoe’s lacing system so when the laces are tightened, they also pull the Duracage more snugly onto the foot. The soft heel collar and tongue of the sneaker protect the laces from hurting your feet and help to secure your heel within the foot chamber. Both the lateral and medial sides of the heel are stamped with “CF 74” which stands for “CrossFit 1974” - the year CrossFit was born.

In general, CrossFit sneakers tend to run on the lightweight side because you don’t need heavy shoes weighing you down while you are busy maneuvering quickly through obstacles or trying to jump up to a new height. The Reebok CrossFit Nano 4.0 weighs around 9.9 ounces which is a fairly lightweight sneaker.

These CrossFit sneakers have been hailed as being extremely breathable. The open weave mesh allows for excellent airflow into and out of the foot chamber which is definitely a plus when you are working up a sweat in CrossFit. Although this mesh has a DuraCage over it, this does not detract from the shoe’s breathability.

CrossFit shoes are meant to fit your feet snugly to avoid blisters and to support your feet during high-intensity workouts. Therefore, the CrossFit Nano 4.0 fits snugly to your foot, and as you tighten the laces, you’ll feel them hug your feet even more. The tongue and collar are designed to keep your feet comfortable through padding and to help prevent blisters. The forefoot area of these shoes is wide enough to allow your feet to spread out naturally. However, it should be noted that some consumers have stated that the sizing of these shoes tends to be difficult in that the true size often runs slightly small but if you go up a half size, they tend to be slightly big. Also, a number of users have said that they developed blisters on their toes and/or their Achilles in these sneakers.

CrossFit shoes tend to be a little bold in the design and color category - this is just part of the CrossFit culture. With that said, the colorways offered in this model of the sneaker are actually pretty muted compared to other CrossFit sneakers out there. Some are, in fact, pretty bright, but there are also black and white options available. As far as the overall style of these shoes, they definitely look great and they definitely look like CrossFit sneakers. The low-to-the-ground silhouette and upper that wraps snugly to your foot pretty much shout out to the world that they are made for CrossFitting. If that doesn’t tell you, then the “CF 74” largely emblazoned on the sizes of the sneaker will.

These sneakers are definitely made to stand up to the harsh environments of a CrossFit Box. The Duracage alone will protect your feet from toe to heel. The lateral and medial sides of the sneaker are coated with the Duracage Polyurethane to form the RopePro protection system to prevent abrasion to the sneaker and injury to your foot as you ascend and descend ropes. The front of the sneaker boasts a sturdy toe bumper which is also part of the DuraCage system and this will protect your toes during burpees and other activities. The rest of the sneaker features a web-like DuraCage pattern which aids in the durability of the sneaker as well as provides stability to your feet. The outsole’s rubber compounds are also durable against abrasion during high-intensity workouts.

If there is one thing you definitely need in a CrossFit Box, it’s protection. From jumping up onto tall boxes, to pushing yourself up a rope, to sprinting through obstacles, your feet will take a beating and so will your shoes. These durable CrossFit sneakers will protect your toes with their heavy duty toe cap and protect your midfoot area through their RopePro protection system. The heel cup will also protect your foot by keeping your heel stabilized. The soft tongue and collar will protect you from blisters as well.

The main area of the sneaker which will deliver the most response is in the midfoot and rear of the sneakers’ midsole. The S55 material making up this part of the shoe is specially designed to deliver a great amount of response and to attenuate any shock received. Because these sneakers are not meant to run great distances in, they won’t necessarily propel you forward but they will give you a little bounce when pressure is applied.

Another thing you need your CrossFit sneakers to provide is support. The CrossFit Nano 4.0 is a supportive sneaker in that the open weave mesh upper and 360 Duracage hugs your foot securely. This will help to reduce the amount of friction your foot has within the foot chamber with any of the inside portions of the sneaker. The heel portion of the sneaker also provides a decent platform for CrossFit activities such as lifting, however, powerlifters have said that it does not provide enough heel wedge for such activities. The arch support in these has been said to be sub-par but many CrossFitters still sing the praises of how well their feet feel supported during their workouts.

These sneakers are ideally suited for, obviously, the CrossFit arena. This may include concrete, asphalt, grass, or turf. The grippy outsole is designed specifically for activities done at CrossFit, making these sneakers not great for hiking or icy conditions.

Although this sneaker model has been around since 2014, it is still pretty popular throughout the land of CrossFit. This means, of course, that the price is going to be up there. You can snag these sneakers for anywhere from $120 to $130. This may seem steep, but it’s a fairly reasonable price to pay for such great specialty sneakers.

The rubber compound that makes up this sneakers’ outsole is amazingly grippy and that is definitely a good thing when it comes to CrossFit. This sneaker is designed to be able to conquer a large number of different activities with ease, meaning that Reebok had to make sure the rubber on the outsole would grip multiple solid surfaces well. Because most CrossFit places do a majority of their activities inside, you don’t have to worry much about wet surfaces. With that said, the tread on the bottom is not aggressive so if the skies start to open up while running outside, just be careful.

Because CrossFit includes a number of activities requiring your feet to move and flex easily, Reebok made sure these sneakers were flexible. The most impressive flexibility feature is found in the sneakers’ outsole. If you look at the bottom of the shoe, you will notice a split in the rubber right around the ball of the foot. This is the Metasplit which is designed to mimic the phalanges of the foot and will thus allow the sneaker to better flex more naturally with your foot. Also, since the sneaker is made up of such lightweight material and does not have an overblown midsole, the overall flexibility of the shoe is pretty high.

During a CrossFit workout, you’ll likely be throwing heavy objects, lifting large amounts of weight and jumping to new heights. This means you want your feet to be stable during such activities. The midsole and outsole of this sneaker are not overblown but they do provide stability. The heel area does not have a heel wedge per se, but it does have enough heel support to stabilize you during exercises where you need it. In addition, the heel cup, which is part of the DuraCage construction, also helps to keep your heels stable.

CrossFit sneakers tend to be pretty low to the ground and offer a decent amount of underfoot feel. These sneakers are no exception to that. The Reebok CrossFit Nano 4.0 has a small 4 mm differential. This is fairly standard for these types of sneakers since you don’t want to have a large amount of material underfoot when you are taking part in CrossFit.

- Metasplit on the sneakers’ outsole allows your foot to move and flex naturally
- Protective DuraCage extends around the shoe for added support and durability
- RopePro technology on the lateral and medial sides of the midfoot to protect you during rope climbs
- Heavy duty toe bumper to protect your toes during burpees
- Dual material midsole designed to absorb shock and deliver a responsive experience

Obviously, CrossFit sneakers are designed to be a specialty performance kind of shoe and Reebok has been in the game for quite some time. The Reebok CrossFit Nano line of specialty sneakers have been a hit in the CrossFit Box for years but the Nano 4.0 is still being sought out by CrossFitters even after they were introduced way back in 2014. These are very popular among the CrossFit community and that says a lot. Although they have their little quirks, if you can figure those out, you’ll be sure to up your CrossFit experience in these kicks. The sizing can be tricky and some people complain the arch support needs work and the toe area causes blisters, but you can’t please everyone. Since this model is still around after almost five years, you can be sure it is a good CrossFit sneaker option.