Reebok Nano Gym Performance Review

It’s impossible – and ill-advised – to talk about the world of functional fitness and training shoes without mentioning the Reebok Nano. And we need to talk history before we get to the interesting Reebok Nano Gym.

(Editor’s Note: And if you don’t know the history, check this out from Jake Boly, founder of That Fit Friend.)

Earlier this year, we came to you with a review of the Reebok Nano X4, the company’s premium training shoe and what the WearTesters team thought was perhaps the best iteration in the line. 

But even at a relatively affordable $140, the Nano X4 won’t be for everyone’s budget in a world of inflation, shrinkflation, and economic frustration. So, it makes perfect sense for the Reebok Nano line to expand with a budget-friendly trainer to bring “The Official Shoe of Fitness” to an even wider audience.

Luckily, Reebok sent some pairs to Stately WearTesters Manor (Editor’s Note: this better mean we have a Batcave) so we could be among the first to discover the future of the Nano line.

Please note that while Reebok sent us pairs of the Reebok Nano Gym, the company had no involvement in this review, didn’t receive an advance look at it, and has not attempted to influence it.

How do the Authors Train?

Arune Singh (age 42, 5’11”, 210lbs): Trains daily with functional fitness programming provided by Deadboys Fitness, founded by Colby “Seth Rollins” Lopez and Josh Gallegos, along with logging 30-40 miles of running per week. He also has a medical history of Sleep Apnea and Myasthenia Gravis, meaning Arune’s focus is on lean muscle mass.

What is the Reebok Nano Gym?

Reebok describes it as:

NANO GYM SHOES

VERSATILE CROSS-TRAINING SHOES MADE FOR MOVEMENT

Running, weight training, fitness classes: these men’s Reebok training shoes can handle it all. They have the look and feel of a running shoe but are built with the DNA of a training shoe to give you the flexibility to work out how you want to, whether you prefer the treadmill and weight machines or the elliptical and free weights. Bootie construction gives them a comfortable fit and a TPU cradle offers lateral support for lifting.

Training

Just because a training shoe is a budget shoe, doesn’t mean it’s not excellent – case in point, the Under Armour Project Rock BSR 4 is one we actually liked more than its premium cousin.

But the Reebok Nano Gym is more of a mixed bag.

On one hand, this doesn’t seem like a shoe for folks going to their local CrossFit box or to do Olympic lifting at Venice Beach based on the press release, which states, “Whether it be a boutique fitness class or a treadmill-heavy training session at the gym, the Reebok Nano Gym can do it all.”

On the other hand, some of the issues with the shoe are enough to make it even an issue in any environment.

Let’s start with the outsole traction, which was an absolute nightmare for me for a variety of reasons – namely that I second guessed anything requiring explosive movements (burpees, skaters), getting on my toes (snatches, cleans), and even single leg movements. Maybe the wooden platforms were dusty, or maybe I’m just terrible at adjusting to this kind of traction, but I couldn’t ever get secure for a very long period of time.

Putting that aside, the Reebok Nano Gym really puts you on your toes, and that was a surprise for an 8mm drop, which is fairly standard (only 1mm greater than the X4) and not something I ever notice greatly affecting my training. But getting into position for heavy lower body lifts like deadlifts and squats required thinking about it a bit more than usual – and more than I’d like when I’m trying to hit some PRs.

Let’s go back to the press release language about how “the Nano Gym can do it all” whether it’s a “…boutique fitness class or a treadmill-heavy training session at the gym…” (such an interesting way of not saying running, eh? [Editor’s Note: *cough* 🇨🇦 alert]). Either way, maybe that’s why this doesn’t seem to work with my more functional fitness-based workouts.

I did try some bodyweight metcons, but – as noted above – explosive movements were a bit uncertain, even if I could mostly make it all work.

Cardio

My absolute favorite cardio is a Concept 2 rowing machine, and the heel of this shoe is so chunky that you have to squeeze it into the foot pedal…and…it will get stuck.

An auspicious beginning for the cardio test, eh? (Editor’s Note: Yes indeed, Arune, and also: 🎵O, Canada! Our home and native land…🎵)

Given the tendency of this shoe to roll you onto your toes, it’s not the worst for any “treadmill heavy” workouts, but it’s not particularly comfortable either. I can run a mile or two in this, but I won’t enjoy it.

The Reebok Nano Gym wasn’t a great shoe for shadow boxing (one of my standard cardio tests) either. I never felt stable enough to move around, and that meant I never got comfortable throwing any punches (Editor’s Note: breathes sigh of relief that Canada jokes might not mean her demise).

So, like training, the Nano Gym wasn’t a winner for me in the cardio section.

Comfort

I gotta give the Reebok Nano Gym credit for being incredibly accommodating to my Hobbit-feet with their wider forefoot. It’s not often I get full toe splay in a training shoe and that was a real positive.

I really enjoyed how the mesh upper hugged my feet without ever restricting them, but I also found my feet got really sweaty on some of the warmer days here.

The EVA midsole isn’t uncomfortable, but I also found that after an hour, I really wanted to switch into a different pair of shoes – or just let my feet breathe without any footwear. I don’t think that’ll be a deal breaker for anyone getting a quick workout in with these, but it’s also something to keep in mind if you’re used to more plush trainers.

Sizing

Reebok sent me a men’s 9.5 (as that’s my typical training shoe size), and it was a good fit, as noted above.

If you have wider feet, though, you might want to go up half a size, as I definitely felt like I was pushing the limits of the sizing.

Aesthetics

This is 100% a gym shoe aesthetic, and the colorway I received is quite striking – the digital coral really pops well next to the black.

There’s nothing I found particularly distinctive about the Reebok Nano Gym’s appearance, as it feels like it borrows bits of very specific Reebok design language but kind of blends into the background.

That’s what a lot of folks want in their training shoe and so this may well be for you. But if you want a shoe with aesthetics that carry you over to more social settings, this won’t be the one for you.

Price

At $100, you’re saving $40 over the premium Nano, and that’s not an insignificant amount of money. So are the savings worth it?

For many people who don’t need the full performance options of the Nano X4 or other similarly priced trainers, the answer will be “Yes.”

But if you’re regularly into CrossFit, Functional Fitness, or even just integrating a lot of Olympic lifts into your routine, you can slip it…(Editor’s Note: Oh, I see what you did there…).

Reebok Nano Gym Final Verdict

I applaud Reebok for bringing an affordable version of the Nano to the market and making the brand accessible to a wider audience. For those looking to spend less, it’s always cool to feel part of the core branding that you associate with the most premium level of a shoe type (IE: a basketball fan getting to wear a Jordan Brand shoe from Nike).

However, the Reebok Nano Gym ultimately fails to impress for any serious training in the gym, and there are simply better options on the market.