CrossFit athletes from all over the world have consistently chosen the Reebok CrossFit Nano as their signature shoe. Thanks to feedback from athletes, the Nano has changed and improved. Now in its fifth iteration, Reebok has given their beloved CrossFit Nano an impressive remodel, including adding a superior level of protection with the addition of Kevlar to the upper.
This Kevlar addition makes the shoe feel tough as nails. I took the Nano 5.0 out for a spin this weekend and was pleasantly surprised when I went for a warmup 600-meter loop around my box (CrossFit gym). During the run, the Nano 5.0 felt the most flexible of all of the previous models so far. This was surprising since the shoe has added some heavy-duty elements to make it extremely durable.
The WOD consisted of 20 Calorie row on the Ski Erg, which simulates the movements done by cross-country skiers, 20 GHD sit-ups, and 10 burpee box jump-overs. The workout was for time, so being quick in your movements and transitions was key. I was anxious to see how the Nano 5.0 would hold up during this type of a workout but was again pleased with the performance. I felt comfortable in the Nano 5.0s on the burpee box jump-overs, which require agility and speed. My landings felt secure, but not stiff or inhibited in any way. During the ski-erg portion of the workout, I felt the Nano 5.0 provided a solid base while getting into a semi-squat position on the movement.
The structure of the shoe combines attributes from previous models by Reebok such as the Nano 2.0 and the Reebok CrossFit Compete 6:14. The Nano 5.0 takes the more streamlined look of the Crossfit Compete with the Kevlar upper yet it also has the stripped-down style of the Nano 2.0 upper. The sole is very similar to the Nano 4.0, but with a new feature called the Metasplit, allowing for much more flexibility in the forefoot. This feature is especially important for movements like burpees, box jumps, and double-unders.
In my opinion, Reebok has put together some of their most amazing features and made the Nano 5.0 their all-around best CrossFit shoe yet. The Reebok CrossFit Nano 5.0 will be available July 1, 2015.