Whenever a fitness trend emerges, you can bet shoe companies won’t be far behind — if they aren’t leading the charge, that is. So it’s no surprise that, with the growing popularity of gym-based HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workouts, Nike and Reebok have leapt into the fray with HIIT-specific footwear.
Last month we told you about the Nike SuperRep ($120), which catches the eye with its bisected sole and promise of supplying both the cushioning and support needed for HIIT staples like lateral lunges and burpees. Now comes Reebok’s answer, the HIIT TR ($90), which the brand says it created in response to the tendency of HIIT participants to wear running shoes that don’t adequately stand up to dynamic movements.
Accordingly, the HIIT TR boasts an outsole with two high-performance rubbers, plus a mixed-grip sole to support multi-directional movement, a beefy midfoot cage to bolster plyometrics and lightweight cushioning foam for reliable comfort during punishing workouts.
Sound familiar? The pitch is very similar to Nike’s. And while the shoe isn’t nearly as sexy looking, it is $30 cheaper. It still leaves us with one question, though: is this shoe that much different from the Crossfit-oriented Reebok Nano 9 ($130), which we recently named one of the 10 best fitness products of the year… or is it more a matter of marketing?
We’ll get ahold of a pair and keep you posted. But if Reebok’s reputation in the gym space tells us anything, we might be looking at a winning workout shoe — at a better price than either of these other two sneakers.
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