Gear Reviews
Review: Reebok Nano X2
Reebok has released the Nano X2 cross training shoe. It is the latest edition in the sportswear company’s long-running Nano range that has deservedly built up a cult following over the last eleven years.
The Nano X2 is designed for fitness training across just about any sport on Earth. This includes our beloved soccer and rugby. Look for United States women’s national soccer team star Julie Ertz in the gym and you’ll find her rocking a pair of the X2.
Read on for our World Exclusive review of the Reebok X2!
Specifications
Here are Reebok’s technical specifications of the X2. We’ll delve into the key ones as we get into our experience with the shoe.
- Re-engineered FlexWeave Knit Upper: Provides improved protection, breathability, and style.
- Updated Heel Shape and Clip: Slimmer and more defined heel clip to help increase stability.
- Floatride Energy Foam: Offers extra responsiveness in the forefoot for comfort and support.
- Speed, Comfort, and Control: Continues to be the main focus
- Lace closure
- ROPEPRO outsole midfoot teeth add traction and bite for rope climbing
- Durable rubber outsole with targeted lug pattern
Design
The design team at Reebok have created a spectacular shoe specimen with the Nano X2! The shoe is a clever, functional unit that has a look that combines the vibe of an everyday lifestyle shoe with the swagger of kicks worn by serious athletes from the gym’s functional training turf to the weight room. There is also a touch of retro in the X2 thanks to the shoe’s iconic Reebok logo on the side and a silhouette reminiscent of 1990s trainers.
Reebok has launched the Nano X2 in a striking gray, black and white colorway which can be worn with any color of training and gym wear. Gray is dominant at the front of the shoe and transitions well to mainly black towards the back via the lacing area and Reebok logo. A cool contoured effect in the upper runs until the upper part of the logo is met. The black vertical stripe with the text “Reebok Nano X2” at the back of the shoe is a nice statement of fitness intent at the back of the shoe. Those aware of the fitness lifestyle will know that you’re a dedicated athlete when they see it!
The Reebok’s X2 upper’s knit fabric is lightweight and comfortable across a range of temperatures ranging from below zero to above eighty-degree Fahrenheit. It is quite sturdy and ready for whatever fitness activity you throw at it. We’re quite appreciative of it since we lived through the less breathable Nano Kevlar uppers of the past.
The Nano X2 has a remarkably wide tongue and lacing area. The tongue is very padded and provides a great feel on the top of the feet. The accompanying flattened laces are easy to adjust and stay tied. The combination is in all black on the initial drop colorway of the X2 and provides fantastic contrast with the rest of the shoe. It is in the same color as the rest of the upper in the X2’s other colorways.
A final appealing design touch on the Reebok Nano X2 is the mix of black and white throughout its sole. The black plastic heel clip that runs from the back of the X2 to the midsole is very much emphasized by placing it on a sole that’s bordered in white. Reebok, Nano X2 and speckles are subtly added into the black are for a brilliant fitness aesthetic. Other color mixes are used on the soles of the other color schemes of the X2.
Fit
Reebok recommends going half a size down from your regular training shoe size for the Nano X2. However, both of our testers thought that the shoe boasted a true to size fit even when wearing thin, low cut athletic socks. We also didn’t experience any stretching of the X2’s upper since it is made of a modern knit fabric.
The wide tongue and lacing system that we mentioned makes getting your feet into the Nano X2 effortless. It’s simply a matter of loosening the very top section of the laces, raising up the tongue slightly and sliding your feet into them. Pull tabs may make things easier the first time putting the shoe on but really not needed. We did not make any adjustment to how the X2 was laced out of the box. The laces can be easily made tauter for a bespoke fit, however.
We’ve been training in the Reebok Nano X2 for over two weeks now. The shoe fits so well that it feels like an extension of our feet. We attribute this to the sock like feel of the upper and the fabric that is made out of. We’ve encountered no hotspots, rubbing, blistering, sliding or unwanted spaces when training on the gym floor, running or working out outside in the X2!
Ride
The Reebok Nano X2 delivers an amazing, unreal ride for a cross training shoe! This is in line with Reebok’s focus on comfort in recent generations of the Nano. The Floatride Energy foam that is now used in the company’s high-end running shoes is also a big contributor to the X2’s ride since it is used for its sole.
The sole thickness of the Nano X2 is about one inch with a 7mm heel to toe drop. These dimensions aren’t dissimilar from your typical running shoe. Hence it comes to no surprise that the X2 offers a soft and well-cushioned ride when used for running on treadmills, rubberized track, concrete and asphalt. We were fine with distances up to three miles at a slow to medium pace. We recommend using runners like the latest Reebok Floatride for distances beyond 5K or for faster running because more cushioning and less weight than the X2 has are best suited for such runs.
The Reebok Nano X2’s feel on the foot when training in the gym is second to run. It provides fantastic stability for anything that you do when wearing it. The lock-in is among the best we’ve experienced thanks to its sock like fit. The X2 is a no slip affair from the heel counter to toe box with an extremely well-padded tongue.
Ventilation
The FlexWeave Knit upper used for the Reebok Nano X2 is the most comfortable one that we’ve seen in the line of shoes. It goes far beyond its stylish appearance by offering excellent moisture dissipation during exercise. This makes for a very well-ventilated training shoe that keeps your feet dry and cool while you’re doing anything from running to box jumps.
The X2’s upper isn’t ultrathin given that the shoe is intended for cross training workouts that can require foot protection (rope climbs anyone?). As such there’s no need to worry about cold feet when it’s worn outside in the wintertime. Rock the X2 with some socks of even average thickness and your feet will feel like they do in warmer weather in them.
In the Gym
The Reebok Nano X2 is the quintessential indoor and outdoor gym and cross training shoe of 2022! It can be worn for any type of workout from traditional free weight moves to cross functional training to specific sport-focused regimens. Its support and stability are second to none regardless of what you wear the shoe for. The X2 also transitions magnificently between a plethora of exercises. Great examples of this from our experience are rowing to running and from squatting to upper body weightlifting exercises.
The stellar sole and nominal heel to toe drop of the X2 make the shoe a must have for leg moves such as leg presses, hack squats, barbell squats and Romanian deadlifts. The contact and energy transfer from the legs to the weights when rocking the X2 is second to none. The feel created is like a meld between your feet and the surface that they are touching when doing the leg move.
Durability
We’ve been wearing the Reebok Nano X2 on a daily basis for every single workout over the last three weeks. The shoe looks like it was just unboxed even after what amounts to twenty-one solid workouts with several two-to-three-mile runs thrown in for good measure. The white area of the sole has understandable picked up some dirt but is easy to clean with a wet paper towel. The bottom of the sole looks brand new while the knit upper has yet to become creased or lose its shape in any way. We expect the Nano X2 to still be in great condition when the X3 comes out in 2023!
Bottom Line
Reebok continues to maintain the well-respected lineage of the Nano series with a world class training shoe in the X2. It rocks in every way from its head turning appearance to its versatility to its performance across multiple types of workouts. It is also a steal at an MSRP of just $135. The X2 is our recommended training shoe for the Spring / Summer of 2022!
