Reebok ZQuick TR Review

I know what you’re thinking…”Where’s the Crossfit Lite TR review?!”…Don’t worry, it’s coming.  I want to do something a little different with that one, so I’m going to hold off on it for a little bit.  But if you really can’t wait, the Lite TR is probably my new favorite crossfit shoe.

In the meantime, I brought you the super duper quick review of the abysmal Reebok Crossfit Sprint TR.  I really wanted to like it, because I think it’s one of the better looking designs that Reebok has come up with, but it’s narrow unstable platform is unacceptable.  Interestingly enough, I had ordered the Reebok ZQuick TR’s to just have as a comparison shoe to the Sprint TR, but ended up feeling like it was the superior shoe!  Right after the unboxing, I put the ZQuick on my left and the Sprint on my right.  I was blown away by how much more stable and solid the platform of the ZQuick was over the Sprint.  My decision to send back the Sprint took all of 30 minutes and I don’t regret it one bit.

Looks:

If Nano’s, Sprint’s and Speeds got together and made a love child, this would be it.  The ZQuick TR sports the same kind of Duracage material touted as “Nanoweb”,  found on the Nano 3.0’s and Sprints, but has more of a “Spider-Man” type webbing pattern to it.  It feels the same to the touch, but this pattern probably lends itself to better flexibility of the shoe while maintaining its protective properties.  I personally LOVE the way they look; very sleek and high tech looking in the black colorway.  The Reebok logo on the side is a little big for my tastes, taking away from the overall neat look of the shoe, but I like the delta logo so I’ll give that a pass.  There are a couple of reflective strips on the backs of the shoes for night time running, not that I do running.   Not a fan of the inside, rear part of the shoe that is not covered by the Nanoweb, I don’t know why this part isn’t covered but it looks a little cheap-o.  The fabric is the same kind that they use on the Reebok ONE Trainer, versus the heavier kind they use on Nano’s.

Performance:

The workout today included burpees, box jumps, and power snatches.  Not one time did I think twice about the shoe I was wearing.  This is a good thing.  The more I can focus on my WOD and less on what shoes I’m wearing, the better.  My biggest gripe about the Nano Speeds were that they were laterally unstable, due to the amount of cushioning in them.   I’m not a fan of running in normal Nano’s and sometimes the toebox isn’t long enough.  The Sprint’s were too narrow and tall for any training, possibly even for running.  There isn’t a single thing that I feel like I wouldn’t be comfortable doing in the ZQuick TR’s.  It has enough support, stability, flexibility and lightness to make it one of the most versatile shoes for crossfit.  And yes, it handles the rope just fine.  Let’s be honest; Yes,  it’s a rip off of Nike Free’s.  Where it differentiates itself from Free’s is that the platform is solid, not overly soft but not brutally minimal either, yet still just as flexible.  Looks like all that tech from Nano’s is starting to trickle down…

Weight is 8.5 grams.  That’s light.  Not so sure about the heel to toe drop or height, but it feels very similar to Nano’s, possibly millimeters taller.

Fit:

Instantly comfortable.  The toebox is nice and roomy and the shoe is pointed rather than flat up front, so that your second toe doesn’t jam into the front (i.e. Nano).  Unlike the Sprint TR, the midfoot isn’t tightrope skinny, but it’s not Chuck Taylor wide either; your foot feels like its being cradled inside the shoe.  The removable Ortholite insole adds a nice amount of padding, similar to Nano’s. I would even dare to say it’s the same.  My normal Reebok sizing worked fine for me, size 9’s fit me like a glove.

Value:

At 90 bucks, I’d have a hard time recommending Nano’s over these to the casual crossfitter.  Hell, at that price, the ZQuick TR is a worthy addition to just about any level crossfitters shoe arsenal.  If you’re an L-1 and part of the ReebokONE program, it’s a MUST BUY.  The Reebok ZQuick TR handily replaces the ONE Trainer as the best deal in crossfit (without even being a crossfit shoe), for everyone besides the very wide footed.

Conclusion:

This is the shoe that the Nano Speed’s and the Sprint TR’s should have been.  I’m actually glad that this shoe doesn’t don the crossfit name though, because that would have driven the price of this shoe up.  Look past the ZQuick’s copy cat ways and you’ll find a well made, capable shoe for all your crossfit or cross-training needs, at a fraction of the price of some of the more popular choices.