The Problem with Today's Weightlifting Shoes

[@DannyPimienta]

It comes down to economics. Weightlifting makes no money for these companies. If WLing gets booted out of the Olympics, that may totally kill the shoe market as that is Nike and Adidas biggest stage for that niche of shoes.

[@NateCerwinske]

Very true, but there has also been a boom in the amount of people buying in recent years !

[@CoolColJ]

You forgot about the crossfit market, quite big

[@MaestroJericho]

I think even then there's a huge demand for Rom 2s. Idk why they don't make pretty much Rom 2s with the modern materials like the Reeboks and make the Rom 4s the Savaleos. The CrossFit, powerlifting, weightlifting market is a lot bigger today for these shoes than when the 2s and Adipowers were the only choices.

[@markoffkin7204]

​@@NateCerwinske hi! What do you think obout TYR or Anta weightlifting shoes?

[@kcb5150]

As an older guy who hoarded old adidas shoes to last him out just one word of warning to anyone paying a lot for vintage wl shoes, at least ones made by adidas: you're probably going to have to get the upper reglued to the sole. Especially the 04 ones for some reason. Not all the old shoes were perfect either. I love ironwork 2s but the black panels on the upper where some of the laces go through is a woven nylon of hysterically poor quality. Like a dollar store duffle bag... 04 adistars are just too soft to begin with and keep getting softer as you go. Also had a glue failure on 04. Super comfortable, but no lateral support. If 08 fail it is either usually the glue at this point, or there will be a blow out in one of the seams of the toebox. 08 adistars your ankles and achilles are also really exposed so if you like a bit of support in those areas, avoid them. Adipower 1 the heels tend to crack, the red ones with the extra eyelets the upper tears in that area as well. Romaleos 2 are almost indestructible, but they never achieve that glove like fit a lot of old adidas can where it feels like an extension of your leg, vs this mass strapped to you. Also, you have to be careful buying used as a lot of people threw away the competition insoles like morons. I have experimented with the new models once they went on closeout and the only ones I liked and kept are the 2016 rio leistungs with the boa and no laces. They kind of ruined those too with the redesign, the first run were laterally way more supportive (a running theme with me, I hate shoes that are wayward left to right) The trend with the newer shoes is they seem to have been pandering to crossfitters and pulling out stability to enable a bit of the goofy crap they love doing during workouts that will cripple them all eventually. Rom 3 clearly was crossfit influenced, adipower 2 was as well. Crazy power the heel is too low for me but that was not a bad shoe, very stable, more of a pl shoe than anything. I think the worm is turning now and companies seem to understand that while there is some overlap, cf shoes and oly shoes shouldn't really be the same shoe. I have heard nothing but bad about the fit but rom 4 seem to be overbuilt bricks, Legacy 2 are supposed to be great but I haven't bought a pair to try out yet.

[@dexvt1862]

Yep, have romaleos 2, loved it. Bought the 4 since they looked sexy, but had heel slip. Exchanged with another pair of 4's, still had heel slip. Went back to my 2's with more love and respect for it ❤️

[@michaeldyer3244]

I heard a lot of people say this but no offence the 2s look way better, once heard them described as the 'rock star' of the weight lifting shoe.

[@skatex95]

I would try breaking in the 4s. Once their broken in I haven’t had any heel slip

[@sem4151]

@@skatex95 I've also had zero heel slip on my 4s.

[@TheSilversimon]

The BOA system will probably break eventually. I have 2 pairs of leistungs and the boa has broken on 3 of the shoes. BUT the good thing about that is BOA is a separate company and they have a lifetime warranty on the BOA system and all you have to do is fill out a form on the website and they sent you a replacement kit in the mail. Easy to replace

[@NateCerwinske]

ahh that was a roller coaster I was reading the first half and like 😨 and then read the end an felt 😅 lol. any way thanks for the heads up man!

[@DaniClaps]

FYI BOA lacing system is awsome and won't brake easily. STILL if they do, you can replace the parts easily. People in cycling use it for years and years. I had shoes with boa that survived some hard crashes.

[@NateCerwinske]

awesome to hear! makes me like the shoes even more!

[@snorlaxcom]

Leistung 2016 looks hot and BOA is better implemented. Have you tried them?

[@NateCerwinske]

I love them! But after a year the stitching is starting to rip 😪

[@sahilgupta4]

You're so fucking right in this video bro I've been spending WEEKS looking for leistungs in my size its ridiculous

[@NateCerwinske]

dude it is terrible !! i got mine off poshmark! but look on ebay, poshmark, letgo, all those after market sites!

[@ms9614]

Got a pair of Velaasa, and def. quality issues. Now aiming for a pair of Anta's. You should do more gear reviews. Great vid again.

[@NateCerwinske]

Dang the velasaas arent holding up ?! Appreciate it man!

[@rondeniro]

I have 2 pairs of the Romelo 2’s … still use both till this day. I had the 3’s and gave them away after 2 wears & I have the white 4’s never even took out the box.

[@NateCerwinske]

The 2s are goated !

[@rondeniro]

@@NateCerwinske I have a few videos on my channel squatting only in the 2’s 🔥☑️💯

[@AH-rz2zl]

I’ll have them if u don’t want them

[@thenxgirldz]

I will love to have them if you are not using them :.)

[@MellonVegan]

Bought a pair of Romaleos 2, never saw a reason to buy another heeled shoe. Still using them, still good as new (except the sole coming off one of them bc of how I used to take them off but I got that fixed by a cobbler for free). Granted, I don't wear them for most of my training but still, it's been how long? 10 years?

[@NateCerwinske]

Rom 2 are the goats

[@jaydenszeto7037]

What do you think about Risto shoes, all leather and wooden heel.

[@NateCerwinske]

havent heard of em!

[@TheQuangle21]

Dope video. You should do an in-depth review on the leistung.

[@NateCerwinske]

Will do!

[@kenshinag]

I've definitely given up on Nike, Adidas, and Reebok. I decided that my next 3 shoes will be Velaasa (I've had Strakes for almost a year now and they're just like the day I bought them), Asics, and Antas.

[@NateCerwinske]

Good choice! those all seem to hold up!

[@briancheng8243]

I have 2 pairs of Asics, they are otherworldly. No other weightlifting shoe comes close other than the Adistars

[@michaelderenne9838]

What's wrong with the Reebok legacy lifters 2. There considered one of the best out right now. I have multiple pairs and love them

[@EL-Geovanni]

I’ve had my r2’s since 2016. Still holding up well👌🏼

[@kylelowe137]

Squatting 600 in Nike savaleos..they are fine

[@asdvsdvkpea]

Lifting in Adidas Leistung 1, in case they will fail i still have a brand new pair of rebook legacy lifters 1 in my closet. Thank good i was kind of addicted to buying oly shoes back then when i wasnt even oly lifting :D.

[@richardlawton1023]

My first shoes were hand made in Italy. Bought from an Olympic team member Bob Hise....he published International Olympic lifter.. I bought mine in 94'

[@trippmorris690]

Hamp loves his Leistung. He is on his second pair, but they are already hard to find.

[@NateCerwinske]

yeah they are great! I was so frustrated when I decided on them then discovered they aren't being manufactured anymore 🥵

[@maxamey1010]

Maybe check the Antas out - theyre constructed almost identical to the Rom2s I lifted in some for awhile and they were great. only issue was ventilation

[@NateCerwinske]

I’ll have to try them out !

[@jakubwysocki736]

Im here because I’ve just bought Romaleos 4s and I’m fucking pissed. I’ve had adipower power perfects 2 for over a decade and they are still viable, not mint but I’ve been lifting in them daily for 10 years… I just wanted something fresh, and since I knew of how good romaleos 2 were and how trash 3s and XDs were I went with 4s after I read how great of a remake they were. They totally let me down. They feel trash, all synthetic, the front strap doesn’t even align and it gets that weird bulge which is totally absurd IMO… am sending those back and gotta look for some nice shoes again.

[@NateCerwinske]

They don’t make ‘em the same anymore 😢

[@dominickbasso2523]

I switched from my very beat rom2s to some 4s and i fucking love them. Theyre kinda a hybrid between the adipower 1s and the rom2s

[@NateCerwinske]

Glad to hear they are working ! hope they do good for you brotha!

[@MaestroJericho]

same size?

[@getstrongby4038]

Agreed! And that SE colourway is the shit

[@V3NOMOUS22]

Why are you NEEDING shoes designed for lower body exercises 5 days a week?

[@behulk]

Can you explain more about the ADEASIS brand of weightlifting shoes

[@jacksonehlers6385]

i have a pair of rom 4s. literally have used them for 4 months and theyre starting to fall apart already.

[@NateCerwinske]

they not durable at all 😭

[@GainsGoblin]

Just an idea, but couldn't you ask a cobbler to make you a pair? It would probably be made out of, I am going to guess, so 8oz leather which can be quite thick and probably won't breathe that well but you can forever kiss good by any need for shoes.

[@NateCerwinske]

One day when I got the cash !

[@d_page]

Rom2 Anta2 and Legacy3 are the GOAT, we need to also remember them Asics 727 cuz they proved their worth. Looking forward for Tyrforce's Adistar remake, but they seem so overpriced its such a shame.

[@ElCucuy2031]

I just got legacy lifter 3 today for Christmas and im so excited to use them im coming from romaleos 2 and the legacy lifter are competitive to the romaleos 2 just from putting them on

[@TheSilversimon]

I would love to get the adidas leistung back on the market. Anybody have any suggestions how to do that? Petitions? I have tried to contact adidas but cannot seem to get ahold of anybody beyond customer service. I would give up my middle nut to have Leistungs back in production

[@NateCerwinske]

yeah they are a great shoe! lmaoo idk about middle nut tho maybe the left one hahahah

[@arouhwaanifs8255]

And here I am with my Inov 8 400.. The old adidas with a wooden heel look absolutely amazing Cheers Nate !

[@NateCerwinske]

THEY DO BRO!!

[@easy_eight2810]

Have you tried TYR shoes? They seem pretty hot recently

[@michaeldyer3244]

(You literally crack me up) anyway to the shoes, I got the reebok legacy lifters (great shoe very tough had them a year nothing wrong with them) romaleos 2 are the ones though way better looking than the 4s.

[@NateCerwinske]

Yeah I heard the legacy’s are pretty sturdy !!

[@jesperboge]

i have had 4 pairs of nike now and all have broken the flaps and the sole is the one that breaks the fastest. will absolutely never buy nike again

[@NateCerwinske]

Yeah they are pretty awful bow

[@StefanosL1v]

Acics tiger 727 shoes..best lifting shoe ever.expensive but it will last for years

[@NateCerwinske]

I’ll look into it 👀

[@RSTARZ10]

My Antas have held up amazing!

[@NateCerwinske]

They look like a solid shoe!

[@crabbostabbo278]

Ever thought on using position shoes? They are leather and wooden ✌🏻

[@NateCerwinske]

no i never heard of them ill look em up!

[@getstrongby4038]

Look at alan thrall "what shoes are those" the positions were by fsr the least durable, they looked like they had been ran over by a steamroller

[@emiltjstheim6021]

here from norway i almost cant find aaaannny shoes, if i were to buy from other countries it would cost double prize bcoz of tax and shipping...

[@ndi5670]

Rogue Do Wins. For the average lifter of course.

[@jmace4]

Have Romaleos 4, Adipower 2, and Reebok Legacy lifter 2. The Reebok are by far the best with Rom4 coming in 2nd.

[@NateCerwinske]

Yeah the reeboks look solid!

[@yiz2494]

maybe you can try ANTA weightlifting shoes, it used by team China , it's awesome

[@NateCerwinske]

ive heard those are pretty nice!

[@williamwebster2211]

reebok use to be comfortable, not now. to narrow, to short, only glue and plastic. brand new and falling apart. shredded my feet. sorry, not a lifter, i'm a runner

[@snorlaxcom]

Agreed all this new age is garbage and overpriced. Ebay is littered with Adi 2 and horrible colors. N00bs are buying the shoe and telling Adidas that they made a subpar product that still sells.🤦So it's only going to continue.

[@NateCerwinske]

Yeah we are DOOMED 😭😩

[@athanasiosoikonomou4083]

Rebook legacy or lifter 2.0 it's the best 🤜🤛💪

[@getstrongby4038]

I just got 2 new pairs of romaleos 2 for normal price Its not actually that hard like many people think Surprised you rated the leistings tbh i thought they were quite a bit worse than the adipower

[@NateCerwinske]

good you got 2 pairs of them! they will be gold in a few years lol!

[@getstrongby4038]

@@NateCerwinske yeah i might just leave one pair nice and crispy, still not selling them though 😂

[@NateCerwinske]

@@getstrongby4038 for sure 😂

[@nickcampbell6658]

You should look into NoBull’s lifter line. They are made out of leather and wood, but are a little pricey!

[@NateCerwinske]

I’ve heard of ‘em! Also a bunch of mixed reviews from them as a company as a whole

[@krishnanka6297]

For someone who is entering weightlifting, which shoe would you suggest and also budget friendly? Ps: always great content bro. Keep Up the good work🙏

[@NateCerwinske]

Depends! Rogue fitness has a lot of good options!

[@hoangchauhai8392]

You can consider Anta man ! It is similar with romaleo 2

[@NateCerwinske]

yeah antas are solid!

[@Synday]

Was wondering if i should get wlifting shoes but i guess that answers the question. I'm just using the same shoes for everything xD

[@ty4living]

Velaasa is a great shoe. Can’t beat the wooden heel

[@belhoutamir839]

True

[@venujafernando6236]

Try an anta weightlifting shoe pair.

[@NateCerwinske]

yeah those seem pretty solid!

[@misterf7739]

Long live the Asics 727s.

[@NateCerwinske]

The goats

[@misterf7739]

@@NateCerwinske The only issue I've had is the sole separating from the front of the left shoe, which is my back foot in the split jerk. The best part of the Asics 727s, however, is that they were made to be repaired by cobblers. There's no bullshit or superfluous material in the shoe, so any shoemaker can repair them. Went to a cobbler, paid around 10 bucks for a new rubber sole. Problem fixed. If you have a problem with any other shoe, good luck getting it fixed. lol. Also, after wearing the Asics, any other shoe feels too heavy. This is a personal preference, however. Some people lament the lack of a strap, but I've never found straps necessary. Straps often feel more like a gimmick than a functional necessity.

[@mrgrumpfish5720]

I picked up excessive jerking and violent jerking. 😂.

[@JezzaTheChamp]

I would have stayed on this video longer but it took you too long to get started and the I got hit with an ad.

[@NateCerwinske]

Glad the Ad gave you time to comment ! 🤘🏽😁

[@nathanfassett1597]

Man I just want a pair of the North Korean ASICS

[@NateCerwinske]

solid choice my guy! wood heels for the win

[@madworld109]

ASICS are Japanese

[@toby2979]

jerk jokes will never not be funny

[@NateCerwinske]

😇

[@al-ww5jp]

Try the Antas.

[@johnathonborja]

My opinion… Adipower 1’s great but my wide feet hurt so bad in them Romaleos 2 great! Will never break. For me, I always have heel slip whether I wear a 9.5 or 10 Romaleos XD was better than the 3’s but same issue for me as the adipowers Rogue Do-wins with tpu heel are great too but they hurt my feet 🤷🏽‍♂️ but budget wise are amazing. Velassa’s I wanted to love them so bad but the quality control is crazy. Legacy’s loved too but the raised forefoot made me feel like I had a weird balance point. If you’re just squatting. These are it. WIT legacy’s super loose in the forefoot because of the flex weave but they’re still solid for squats Now hands down the best I’ve had and use now are the Lu’s Anta’s (panda color). Amazing in every aspect. I do feel they won’t hold up as long as the romaleos2 and they’re currently sold out. Except from hookgrip. I want to try the ASICS 727 but idk if they’ll beat the Antas.

[@NateCerwinske]

dang man you have had alot of pairs!! maybe i will try the antas one day!

[@johnathonborja]

@@NateCerwinske I just wanted to try them all. 😅 I usually buy them used to try and just resell them after. I only train in my Antas now because nothing has beat them. Plus I was obsessed with lifters for a while lol.

[@neondanublu0376]

Velaasa’s are the best

[@NateCerwinske]

Ill have to give them a try one day!

[@anabellibutton]

They are great but my wooden heel started to detach after less than 6 months of use.. the company wasn’t helpful at all

[@richardlawton1023]

Wooden heals only.

[@mikeb8924]

Have not heard anything good about any of the "newer" Nikes (3, 3-Xd, or 4), the newer Adidas (including the Leistungs), or even the Velaasas. A lot of durability and quality issues, and this coming from folks who are lifting a lot less than you and only over 4-5 sessions per week. Ya gotta do what ya gotta do. About a year ago, I saw a couple of pairs of Romaleos 2 in my size so I just bought both of them. It will probably be ages until I even need to consider using that 2nd pair, but when that time comes I know I'll have a pair.

[@NateCerwinske]

Yeah for sure it is very frustrating it has come to this! I do not know what they are thinking. Hold on to those shoes! maybe in 10 years or so they will be worth alot like adistars lol

[@FistsOfSteelHeartOfGold]

Stop listening him!!!