Intro
We’ve been lucky enough to get hold of a pair of Reebok’s latest Olympic Weightlifting shoes – the Legacy Lifter. This shoe is already prominent in Britain as Rio 2016 Olympian Sonny Webster’s current lifting shoe of choice. They are a good looking shoe (especially in black and gold) which is going to tick a box for a lot of weightlifters, but what are they like to lift in? We’ve trained in them for a week to find out what all the fuss is about…
Comfort & Fit
Reebok have ensured that this is a comfortable shoe from the moment you first put it on. There is plenty of support for the foot around the heel, and you can achieve a snug fit by adjusting the laces and overlapping straps accordingly, meaning that your foot isn’t going to be slipping during your workout. The ‘full foot wrap’ provided by the laces, and straps going in opposite directions, works extremely effectively.
Performance
This shoe comes equipped with a 22mm heel, which is ideal for catching snatches and cleans, and especially for squatting in. They will really assist any lifter in hitting the bottom position of a lift or squat, and because this is such a solid and well supported shoe, you’re going nowhere. The Legacy Lifter also has some serious weight behind it – it’s the heaviest lifting shoe we’ve tried recently. This was a massive bonus when squatting, and combined with the wide base provides a solid and stable lifting platform.
Sizing
The Legacy Lifters run true to size, for example if you’re a 10 in other lifting shoes then a 10 in these will suffice, remembering that you want a relatively snug fit for your lifters (perhaps half a size down from a normal training shoe).
It’s hard to say after only a week how well these shoes will last, but they are made of quality materials and certainly feel like they will survive the toughest of lifting sessions over and over again. The price of these shoes is an absolute bargain at £124.95 for the performance gains you get in return.
Pick up your pair at www.reebok.co.uk.
– Article by Ben Watson, Commonwealth Games 2014 Medalist.
What we’d recommend today
The Legacy Lifter has moved on since this review: the current Legacy Lifter III keeps the same stable, high-heel platform but with a comfier fit and the same reassuring planted-to-the-floor feel under a heavy jerk. It’s our pick if you want a dedicated lifting shoe that’ll last years.
Men's Legacy Lifter III on Amazon Women's Legacy Lifter III on Amazon
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