Reebok Nanoflex Adventure TR Performance Review

The Reebok Nanoflex Adventure TR is a cross training shoe from Reebok with durability at its forefront. The thick overlays and rubber outsole speak for themselves. But durability isn’t the only aspect of a cross training shoe you should consider. Stability, containment, and traction are all critical things to consider as is the terrain you train on. These will suit your needs, but be wary of the few drawbacks.

Pros

Beefy Heel Support

There are two heel counters: one internal and the other external. The internal one is noticeably softer than the external one, but both do a great job of keeping your heel in place. The external heel counter actually reminds me of the Nike Kobe 6 one, where there are spaces to help reduce weight. I did a ton of HIIT in these and never felt unstable in the rear section. The heel counters catch you even on hard lateral movements like skaters. On lifts, especially squats, it was equally stable. This is better than the Nike Legend Essential 3 heel support.

Supportive Toe Cap

The toe cap is a thick leather overlay with an embossed print. It isn’t anything premium, which isn’t necessary for a cross training shoe, but it does what it’s supposed to do well. I had no worries when moving side-to-side to touch back on lateral stability because the overlay caught my forefoot. The primary material is mesh, so having this here helps a lot. A surprising benefit of this toe cap is that it protects your feet and toes from the weight you might drop. And yes, I accidentally dropped a small plate on my toe and felt nothing.

Good Grip and Thick Grooves

The outsole looks more rugged than most other cross training shoes. Reebok is trying to go with a beefier shoe that will last longer and can be used on rougher surfaces. If that’s what they were aiming for, they got it. I’d be confident using these on dirt, concrete, wood, gym floors, and every floor you can reasonably expect to work out on. I had to work out in my house on a dusty, full-of-sweat wooden floor, and these still gripped well. I didn’t find any fraying or bald spots…so far, so good.

Dense Midsole

Even after hours of wear, the EVA midsole still has not shown any signs of letting up. There are barely any creases, and you can only see them closely enough. This would be a con on a basketball sneaker unless you like court feel. But for cross training, this is ideal because it gives the most stability. I never felt it compress too much at any given time, and I was confident going hard on HIIT. The Nanoflex Adventure TR may not be ideal for those looking to do jump workouts as impact protection isn’t a strong point due to the dense midsole.

Cons

Stiff Overlay

This is one of those times where an aspect of the shoe is both a pro and a con. The same thick toe cap caused discomfort whenever I slammed against it. I thought it would break in, but it never did. I felt a lot of pressure when going hard linearly. Did this deter me from going all out on my workouts? No, but that’s mainly because my workouts don’t have many linear movements. If they did, I might have had to dial back my effort.

Lack of Flexibility

Here’s another case of both a pro and a con. The outsole is thick but doesn’t flex well with my feet. There is a flex section, but it isn’t that deep. I would have preferred a break in the outsole, in order to allow maximum flexibility. The dense midsole also does not help. I sometimes felt that my feet could be pushed to better angles, but the shoe, especially the tooling, wouldn’t allow that level of movement.

Reebok Nanoflex Adventure TR Summary

The Reebok Nanoflex Adventure TR is a perfect shoe if you want a cross trainer that will last a few years (at least). The thick overlays, rubber outsole, and dense midsole ensure that you won’t need to replace them anytime soon after you pick them up. The heel support is also one of the best I’ve seen in a cross trainer, if not the best. I also recommend this pair for those who train in unconventional places or on varied terrain. This shoe earns the “Adventure” nickname.