Reebok Legacy Lifter Review
If you’re in the market for a pair of premium weight lifting shoes you might be considering the the Reebok Legacy Lifters. If you’ve been lifting seriously for awhile you might have thought about getting yourself a pair of weightlifting shoes to help you with your stability. Well do you even need weigh lifting shoes? Are the Legacy Lifters even worth the $200 price tag? I’ll tell you!
You can pick up the Reebok Legacy Lifters directly from Reebok for $199.99 with free shipping. You can get them either in black and gold or black and white. Link to pick these up are in the description below.
Ok a little about myself first, I’ve been squatting with my Adidas Adipower for the past 3 or 4 years. I personally like doing high bar belt less ass to grass squats with knees sleeves. And when it comes to deadlifts i prefer to do them barefoot or in chucks. With that out of the way, lets get started with the review.
First off i want to point out how incredibly heavy these guys are. The reebok legacy lifters tip the scales at 1 pound 6 ounces each while the Adidas Adipower weigh just 1 pound each. most of the weight is distributed to the back of the shoe. Seems like the heel on the shoe is pretty dense. speaking of the heel, the heel on the legacy lifter is ¾ inches and have a 22mm drop which is a much more dramatic heel drop than the Adipower.
Having that 22mm heel drop does feel very different than the Adipower. The reebok legacy lifters also give you much more arch support. But when it came to squatting ass to grass i did notice getting out of the hole was a little easier than with the Adipower. The legacy lifters also have a footprint with a slightly larger surface area then the adipower. The rubber outsole combined with a slightly larger surface make for a very stable platform to preform heavy lifts with. You don't have to worry about your feet rolling inwards unless you’ve got some really bad muscle imbalances or mobility issues.
But when it comes to flexibility, the rubber outsole really suffers. The reebok legacy lifters are a very stiff shoe, trying to flex them is a workout in itself. We’ll just have to see how their flexibilitychanges as they get broken in. aside from the golden heels which i think look bad ass, i also really like Reebok’s 2 metatarsal strap system. It really allows you to customize the fit of these shoes. The legacy lifters are pretty wide compared to the Adipower, but thanks to their lower strap you can adjust that. Along with the laces and upper strap, you can make these shoes fit exactly how you want them too. something i was never able to do with my adipower, i would usually end up getting some kind of discomfort while working out in them.
Now when it comes to heel slipping theres zero to very little. And thats thanks to two things, first its due to the upper strap and the very well designed heel counter on the back. This is reebok’s exoframe heel counter which wraps all around your heel. the perforated foam also provides a very good amount of padding, but is also breathable enough to keep your feet cool while you workout. this same perforated foam is used in the tongue of the shoe, but i did find myself constantly adjusting it during my workout. Unlike the Adidas, the Reebok Legacy lifters don't offer any grip on the bottom of its tongue.
Overall the construction and design of the shoe is superb. you've got leather on almost 75 percent of the shoe, with a textured pattern on the straps which give it just a little touch of fence. Branding is kept to a minimal and classy thanks to Reebok’s Delta Logo. Also if you look closely you can also see Reebok’s stamp on the toe box and on one of the clasps. I just wish the aglets on the shoe laces where made out of metal instead of plastic. Oh if you didnt know this was called an aglet well now you know, you’re welcome.
Over all the the Reebok Legacy lifters are a very stylish and comfortable shoe for powerlifting and weightlifting. The 22mm heel drop is pretty drastic compared to what I'm used to, but adjusting is easy. The 2 strap system on the Legacy lifters really allow you to customize how they fit and they really give you a solid platform to lift in. The rubber outsole and larger foot print ensure your feet are going nowhere when you’re squatting. I just wish there was a little rubber for grip under the tongue of the shoe to help it stay in place. these shoes are amazing at one thing and one thing only, and thats keeping your feet stable at all times.
If you've been squatting in the adidas adipower, romaleos 1 or 2, or any other squatting shoes for awhile and you’re interested in the Reebok Legacy Lifters, then try them out. The larger heel drop could help your squat in some circumstances. These shoes are a little wide, but id still go true to size. Now if you’re still new to fitness and you’re still learning how to squat then id advise you to hold off. Try squatting and deadlifting barefooted or in chucks. chucks are a cheeper alternative and still provide a stable platform for working out in. you should first work on your form before and make sure you enjoy squatting and dead lifting on a regular basis before investing all that money into a pair of shoes.
But if you've been working out for awhile and you’ve been eying the Reebok Legacy Lifters, then pick them up. their leather and solid construction are well worth their $200 price tag. I was pleasantly surprised when i worked out in them i feel that you would be too.