Under Armour TriBase Reign 4 Performance Review

A company like Under Armour always feels like the first choice for workout apparel but it’s not one that’s ever felt like the first choice for fitness shoes. But the Under Armour TriBase Reign 4 is, by all measures, a shoe that should change that for anyone who gives it a chance.

The Under Armour TriBase Reign 4 actually made our list of the best CrossFit shoes of 2023, as well as our list of the best weightlifting shoes. It also made our Best Cross Training Shoes list.

This review was written by Arune Singh. Arune is a twenty-year veteran of the entertainment industry and is Director of Brand, Editorial for Skybound Entertainment. He was previously an exec at Marvel, Syfy, and BOOM! Studios. You can find his published writing in various graphic novels and nonfiction books. You can follow him for sneaker, comic book, and entertainment commentary on Twitter or Instagram.

I’ve been doing functional fitness with Reebok Nanos and Nike Metcons for as long as I can remember, with the occasional Under Armour shoe sprinkled in (shout out to the Project Rock Delta). I was able to purchase the Under Armour TriBase Reign 4 because I won a gift card from Jake Boly at That Fit Friend when I commented on his TriBase Reign 4 review. Once I got the shoes, I messaged Drew (a WearTesters cofounder) in the WearTesters Discord telling him I’d be interested in writing a review. He replied with “hell yeah, let’s do it”. So here we go. Enjoy my first sneaker review.

Pros

Great for Wide Feet

As a wide footer, it’s not easy to find functional fitness shoes that allow my toes to spread out and thus allow me to really grip the floor. The Under Armour TriBase Reign 4 fits incredibly well around my feet, with a much wider forefoot than the Nike Metcon 7, Reebok Nano X1, or any non-barefoot training shoe. It’s a welcome relief. If you don’t have a shoe that lets your toes splay while lifting heavy, grab one. It’s a great experience.

Solid Base for Heavy Lifts

I remember trying the Project Rock 4 (which also features a TriBase outsole) and thinking the sole had a ton of potential but the shoe felt too unstable. The Under Armour TriBase Reign 4 delivered exactly what I wanted by utilizing the TriBase tech in a way that gives this shoe great grip and stability on even the heaviest deadlifts. It’s also really great for single-leg movements like RFESS (Rear Foot Elevated Split Squats).

Low Drop

A big part of why I love this shoe is the 2mm drop, which feels leagues more natural than the 4mm drop of the Nike Metcon 7. The lessened drop helps me grip the floor in a way that’s similar to a barefoot training shoe but doesn’t leave me feeling like I’m always on my toes. I notice my balance is improved and I can handle heavier weights on movements like split squats.

Versatile Enough for Polymetrics & Cardio

I don’t love any functional fitness shoe for running, but the Under Armour TriBase Reign 4 is the best I’ve tried for short runs since the old-school Nanos. This shoe is great for rowing, biking, SkiErg (Nordic skiing machine), and even short runs – emphasis on short. It’s also really solid for burpees, jumping jacks, and box jumps (with an important exception I’ll note below).

Cons

Sizing

The caveat to all the pros is that I have no idea what Under Armour training sizing is supposed to be and this shoe continues that trend. While not as egregious as the UA Project Rock 3, I keep feeling like the Under Armour TriBase Reign 4 is a quarter size too big by going true to size but going down half a size would be too small. This isn’t a problem in most training, but if you’re a competitive functional fitness athlete, I think the sizing will cause stability issues and might create a shoe that feels too loose to confidently move in. That will all, of course, depend on your specific foot. But, hey, at least it’s wide enough! I recommend you try these on in-store if possible.

Terrible Laces

Adding to the sizing problem is a lacing system that refuses to stay snug – the instant you tie the knot, you can feel the laces loosen. I could swear the shoes get looser during every second of training. This exacerbates the sizing problem because without the laces staying locked in, you’re going to get varying degrees of heel slippage.

One caveat, there’s a Pro version of the TriBase Reign 4. The Pro version features a stretchy knit upper and the final two lace holes go through a fuse wing to aid lockdown. The wing seems to prevent the laces from loosening up top thus keeping the foot better locked down. If you want to avoid heel slippage and get a better all-around fit, grab the Pro version.

Cardio Cushioning

Look, the Under Armour TriBase Reign is comfortable, but after 30 minutes of any cardio training session, I found I was consciously aware of the shoe on my foot. It didn’t totally bottom out but felt like the bounce and comfort were gonna die out at any moment, not unlike when your headphones start beeping to indicate you’ve only got 10% power left. The good news is that I can just move onto weight training without loss in performance after a cardio session, BUT I do worry about what this means long term for the durability of the midsole.

Under Armour TriBase Reign 4 Summary

The Under Armour TriBase Reign 4 is a legit cross training shoe that’s great for heavy lifting, caters to wide footers, and handles short cardio well. You won’t want to do long cardio sessions in them and the sizing can be an issue. However, if you’re worried about the sizing or laces causing heel slippage, you can buy the upgraded pro version of the shoe for $30 extra.

Overall, if you’re weightlifting regularly or doing a functional fitness class setup like Orange Theory, the Under Armour TriBase Reign 4 will handle it all.