Knit is lit.
My first shoe from a little Canadian shoe company, Strike-Mvmnt was the Interval. I took a chance on it not knowing much about the company or the shoe, other than the fact I thought the shoe looked cool and that I liked their brand image. Little did I know that both would go on to be one of favorite brands and training shoes.
(These shoes were provided for review purposes, thanks to Marc over at Strike-Mvmnt.)
Build Quality/Construction – 6/6
With so many changes to the construction of the Interval Knit, it might as well be called something completely different. Almost nothing between the “standard” model and the knit model remain the same. Even their appearance is quite different, sporting a new look that is a minimalists wet dream. I loved the original Interval, but I’m not complaining about the new model either – It’s knit, with structure.
The most obvious change to the shoe, the upper – Strike’s “Tight-Knit” upper material, is unlike the knit you’ll find in most other manufacturers shoes. It doesn’t have the same kind of elasticity – actually, barely any at all. Personally, I prefer it to be like this because it keeps your foot in place better than stretchy upper fabrics while still allowing your foot to move unhindered.
To maintain structure throughout the toebox, they took the thermal harness that was previously located on the outside of the shoe and moved it into the inside – smart. Strike also decided to beef up Interval Knit by adding a zero-stretch Kevlar ankle collar, the same material found on the toe-box of the more heavy duty Pace. Also making it’s way over from the Pace, the new 3D tongue construction which wraps around the midfoot as if it were a bootie, also keeping the tongue in one spot. If you’re looking to go hard on your shoes, I’d still recommend sticking with the tougher Pace since it’s nearly bulletproof (don’t test that please).
Something I’ve been wanting for years is the Cross-Platform on the Interval! The I-Knit has the same 2.5mm offset medium density midsole from the Chill-Pill Transit and Pace. Not that there was anything wrong with the Stable-Platform, but the Cross-Platform brings the Interval into the realm of more serious cross training shoes from the added outsole durability and stability.
Fit – 6/6
By adding the knit upper to the Interval, they also remedied a “problem” that people might have had with Strike-Mvmnt shoes – width. The fit is more generous from the toe to the mid-foot now. The platform is actually the exact same width as all other shoes with the Cross-Platform but the inside of the shoe feels a lot more open now. Don’t fear it being overly wide either because you can still get a nice locked in fit from the lacing around the 3D tongue.
Even with the change in space, I’d recommend going with the same sizing as the rest of your Strike-Mvmnt shoes. If you sized up for width previously, you can go for your normal shoe size now.
My sizes for reference:
- Pace/Chill-Pill Transit – 10
- Nano – 10
- Metcon -10
- NoBull – 10
Comfort/Flexibility – 5.5/6
Strike-Mvmnt has always made flexible shoes but the addition of the knit upper takes the Interval’s to the next level. While the Pace was made for stability, the Interval Knit was made for flexibility (yet is still almost as stable). The Cross-Platform is a stiffer midsole and outsole combination than the Stable, but the knit upper balances it all out and makes the shoe feel like one of the most flexible shoes out of Strike’s line-up. For a do everything training shoe, the Interval Knit’s are one of the best around.
The near seamless upper and 3D tongue makes the shoe feel like a sock when it’s on. Lace them down for a Traveller-like slip on fit when you don’t need to be so serious; or lock them up at the ankle collar when you need to perform. The Tight-Knit upper is soft, lightweight, breathable, and doesn’t get in the way with any creases or bends like traditional uppers. Also, the shoes don’t feel like they’re trying to put your foot in a sleeper hold.
I haven’t ran into a movement that felt awkward yet so I think they’re capable handle pretty much anything a day of training will throw at you. However, if you were looking for a shoe with a lot of cushioning, these are not the ones. Inside the shoe you’ll find the newer dual durometer insole that’s been making its way into the latest Strike shoes; it’s not as soft as the previous insoles but it does add a little more bounce to your step. The Cross-Platform is still more geared towards a stronger stride for pose running and a solid base for lifting, if you wanted a slightly more softer ride, go with the normal Intervals or Chill-Pills.
Stability – 4.5/6
As with any knit shoe, stability usually takes a little bit of a hit, which I say that in the least critical of ways because like with just about all Strike-Mvmnt shoes, the Interval Knit’s are still damn fine shoes for lifting. If you were fine with lifting in any other of Strike’s shoes, you should feel right at home in the Interval Knit’s.
Because of the more flexible nature of the knit upper, foot containment inside the shoe isn’t as good as it is with the Pace, but really won’t make a difference unless you’re going for PR weight. Even then that’ll be subjective from person to person; I personally wouldn’t hesitate to use the Interval Knits because it’s just not a huge difference to my feet. Beyond that, pretty much everything else between the shoes is the same exact thing. I’ve always thought the low stack height and minimal drop of the Cross-Platform made whatever shoes they were on some of the best weightlifting shoes. The midsole is dense and responsive so there’s no loss during power transfer and the outsole is grippy so you’ll always be surefooted.
The Interval Knit’s aren’t going to be on the same stability level compared to the Nano 8 or Metcon 4, but match up very closely to NoBull’s and are better than FreeXMetcon’s. If I had to pick a Strike-Mvmnt shoe to lift in, it would be the Pace, but if I could only pick one to wear for the rest of my life, it would be the Interval Knit.
Value – 5/6
At $129, the Interval Knit’s fall in line with pretty much all of the other “standard” training shoes. However, it’s the only one you’re going to be able to get with a knit upper. That knit upper might mean a lot to you and it might not; personally it doesn’t affect my choices all that much. Either way, you’re getting one of the best overall training shoes out there, for a pretty standard price. Paying for shipping still kind of sucks though.
When Strike-Mvmnt released the Pace again, I was really excited, but that excitement quickly ended up being directed to the Interval Knit’s after I received both shoes. Nothing against the Pace because if you read that review, you’d know I really like those shoes too. I just prefer the look, fit, flexbility of the Interval Knit’s better and I don’t think you’re sacrificing all that much in the way of stability, maybe just a little bit of durability. The Interval Knit’s are one of my top 5 training shoes right now. Nano 8’s would still be my number one, but if you wanted to try something different or hated how Nano’s look, I would definitely recommend checking out the Interval Knits.
Let’s just see some more colorways!