I’ve Worn Reebok Nanos for Years—Here’s How the Newest Version Measures Up

In the world of fitness gear, it seems like running shoes get all the attention—with their striking, foam-stacked silhouettes and hefty price tags, it’s no wonder they catch a lot of eyes. But even if your workout is more about lifting in the gym than logging miles on the road, you still need a great pair of shoes to get it done.

So when I was given the opportunity to test out the new Reebok Nano X4 ($140, reebok.com), which just launched in January, I was eager to give it a shot. Does the latest model in Reebok’s famous Nano line hold up to its cross-training promises? I slipped a pair on and picked up some weights to find out.

Who these shoes are for

The Reebok Nano X4—like all the earlier iterations in the line—is a cross-training shoe, meaning it’s made for folks who do a lot of different things during their workouts: They might lift heavy, do plyometric or agility-based moves, sweat through circuits, or get in some cardio like spinning or sprinting. The Nanos tout features that make them work for each modality, including support to keep you grounded while strength training and enough cushion to keep your joints happy when jumping or running.

Out of the box

Reebok launched its first iteration of the Nanos in 2011, and the X4 is my third shoe in the line—the X2 often serves as my gym shoe of choice. So I’m familiar with the classic Nano silhouette: relatively flat and streamlined. What did seem a little different with this pair? The X4 is narrower around the toe box and doesn’t flare out quite as much.

When I picked one up, it didn’t feel as heavy or bulky as some training shoes can be—Reebok removed some “unnecessary material” from the upper to get its weight down to just over 12 ounces—but it also doesn’t have that barely-there feel to them as some running shoes. I tried these in a white, black, and orange colorway, and the clean look (with a bit of pop) made them snazzy enough for the gym and for whatever else might come after.