Nike Fanboy Bought Reebok Nano 7; World Didn’t End
Written by: Coach Evan
My first pair of “cross training” shoes were the New Balance Minimus. Brand new to CrossFit, I didn’t really know what I was getting into, but I was sick of working out in my Vans Sk8 Hi’s. I quickly found out that I preferred a more stable shoe and was told Reebok made the only official CrossFit shoe. I got the Nano 4 in the American flag colors. I thought it was cool, whatever.
I was a little disappointed in their construction though; the front toebox started peeling off the sole within a few burpees. I’ve always had a thing for Nike, but I couldn’t find a shoe flat enough to lift in.
Enter the Metcon. I was super excited about this shoe coming out, finally a shoe made for CrossFit by Nike, and although they can’t say it is made for CrossFit; we all know it. I got them as soon as I could and was immediately in love. Were they that much better than the Nano? Was it placebo? Did they just look infinitely better?
A few years, versions, color ways, and total variations later, the Metcon is still my favorite shoe to train in. I’ve worn No Bull in between, but never went back to Reebok. However, when they released the Nano 7 in army green they caught my eye and I decided it was time to give them another try.
I was really excited and then immediately disappointed. The toebox is more narrow than the Metcon, and I have a wider foot. Although breaking them in usually helps this, my first thought was that any Metcon’s I’ve bought have been plug-and-play right out of the box. I wore the Nano 7 for a week which involved strength and conditioning pieces, skill pieces, and a little bit of running. I wore them during dead lifts, snatches, rope climbs and sprints. And here’s what I found out.
THEY PERFORM EXACTLY LIKE THE METCON.
Great, you’re thinking, this doesn’t help me decide which shoe to buy at all.
Well, honestly it doesn’t, but here is the point of this discussion. The brand doesn’t matter. You will PR in any shoe if it is designed to perform well. At this point, we know that Nike and Reebok are reputable companies. What does matter is how the shoe feels on you. If the toebox is too tight, ditch that shit. In general, the Nano is thinner and the Metcon is wider in the toebox. Maybe it’s because the shoe isn’t right for you. Maybe you really enjoy the 70’s athletic aesthetic, in which case you’d have to go Reebok. Maybe you enjoy the modern athletic look, in which case you’d go Nike.
It’s important to try different shoes and different brands of any gear for that matter because you never know what you’ll prefer. One shoe is not better than any other. It’s all about your opinion. It’s a simple concept but it’s easy to forget, especially because CrossFitters tend to be very opinionated and stubborn. Try out all the shoes, do you, and beat the rest.
By the way, I’m looking for a good home for some brand new, barely used Nano 7s…
