Reebok Nano Gym Review — Jack of All Trades?

While there is a fair bit of competition in the market with the boom of training-specific silos from other sports brands, Reebok has, for at least the last few decades, really been deeply invested in gym-wear, and the American company’s latest entry, the Nano Gym, is testament to that.

The design of the Nano Gym is simple and effective. Where other brands opt for the most cutting-edge and often gimmicky elements, the Nano Gym takes the less-is-more approach, providing an incredibly stable, comfortable, and durable shoe, without too many distractions or unfamiliar sensations.

Describing it as an “everyday training shoe”, the Nano Gym goes for a fairly straightforward approach to allow it to be used for anything from a weight session and fitness class to a light run and functional workout. Having something that has that “jack of all trades”feel in your cupboard is quite the bonus when you’re hitting your local gym for a bit of ‘this’ and a bit of ‘that’, hopping from the treadmill to the weight rack and stopping at everything in between.

With stability and comfort in mind, the silhouette of the Nano Gym’s upper is wide and accommodating, so even the most broad-footed of athletes and casual gym-goers will slip into these and have more than enough wiggle room. It allows the wearer enough space in the toe-box and width to get your arches in the best position when preparing for that deadlift or box jump, which is super important for any training shoe and something often overlooked.

Now, due to the width, they are a little ‘bulkier’ (weighing in at 340 grams) than some other more streamlined training shoes, but these aren’t chunky by any means, but rather just wider and more ‘present’, so if you don’t mind that stable, solid feel for your feet that comes with a wider base, you’ll love the Nano Gym.

One of the standout bits that helps the stability is the shape of the heel cup. Acting like a cradle of sorts, your heel is extremely locked into the base of the shoe, preventing you from overpronating during training and keeping you in the most optimum position throughout your sessions.

As for the sole, it’s also relatively wide with some slightly protruding spots in the heel and midfoot, which helps with those side planks and other functional movements where your foot is at more of an angle and putting more weight on the side of the sole.

One thing to note, the heel-to-toe drop on the Nano Gym is 8mm, which is fairly high for a training shoe and quite optimum for a running shoe. So, while these work extremely well when hopping from one workout to another, if you’re looking for a completely neutral shoe to do some specific, more intricate powerlifting, for example, something with a 0 drop would be better.

With all that said, the Reebok Nano Gym is a great shoe for those who do a little bit of everything in the gym, and aren’t looking for anything too radical in one direction or the other. As a durable shoe to trot on the treadmill and having the stability to get you moving with a functional workout, the Nano Gym is a solid option, especially at the price (R1,999).

The Reebok Nano Gym is available from Reebok’s online store and selected retailers.