The Reebok Legacy Lifter is Reebok’s answer to the Nike Romaleos and Adidas Adipower and it’s certainly very deserving of its place in the upper echelons of the Weightlifting Shoe family.
Reebok traces their heritage back to Bolton, England in 1895, originally called J.W. Foster, and was responsible for some of the first ‘spiked’ running shoes. It wasn’t until 1958 that the name Reebok took hold, which was actually taken from the Afrikaans name for a type of Antelope called the rhebok.
Fast forward to today, Reebok is now a subsidiary of Adidas and is a major global sportswear firm. Among their product offering are of course Weightlifting Shoes with their premium shoe, the Legacy Lifter, under review in this article.
For the new Reebok Legacy Lifter 2, please see my review of the new Reebok Legacy Lifter 2.
I have also written a comparison review of the original Legacy Lifter and the new model.
Reebok Legacy Lifter | General Review
Quick Stats
The following stats were taken from a US size 10.
- Weight 590g
- Length 302mm
- Toe Width 105mm
- Heel Width 86mm
- Heel Height* 35mm
*The Heel Height measurement is the overall measurement from the floor to where the insole and heel meet, and not the effective heel height or drop, which is around 0.75″ (20mm).
Looks
Right off the bat, the Reebok Legacy Lifter looks and feels like a quality weightlifting shoe and I’m a fan of the design overall.
There are a lot of color schemes to choose from with the Legacy Lifter, which is a department that is sometimes lacking in other Weightlifting Shoes.
My personal favorite is the orange style pictured, however, expect to find pretty much any color your heart could desire!
As is typical of weightlifting shoes in the same category as the Legacy Lifter, the heel is made from TPU (thermoplastic polyurethane) and has an effective heel height of 0.75”, so nothing that stands out from the crowd here.
The design of the heel itself is quite unique, however, and reminds me of an egg cup when you look at it from the rear, with the base flaring out then tapering in before coming back out again to rise up and over the sides of your heel.
Moving along towards the midfoot, you’ll find a double strap system. The only other weightlifting shoes I know of that use this feature are the Nike Romaleos.
Rather than stitched into the sides of the shoe, the straps feature a lot more material that wraps around the side of the Legacy Lifter, making them a lot more robust and of higher quality.
I’ve always been a fan of the double strap as it just allows for that extra degree of control and customization around the fit that you don’t get with a one strap Weightlifting Shoe.
Another nice feature on this system is that the upper strap doesn’t have Velcro through the middle where the laces would be, meaning you’re less likely to tear them up every time you adjust the shoe, it feels like Reebok have paid attention to all the tiny details with this shoe.
Fit
The Reebok Legacy Lifter is one of the best fitting weightlifting shoes on the market.
Every aspect of the Legacy Lifter fits my foot shape perfectly, from the heel to the toe and the support structure underfoot.
The support around the back of the foot is excellent with plenty of material covering the Achilles area.
One particularly interesting feature is the use of a small band of material that loops around the back of the shoe, this really helps to hold the heel down and prevent any heel slippage, further adding to that feeling of security overall.
The only feature I felt was missing at the back (and its a very minor detail) is a little fabric loop at the Achilles to help pull the shoe on, similar to the Adidas Adipower 2, but considering this is my only real complaint, its hard to argue overall.
The toe box has plenty of room for toe spread, without going overboard, and manages to equally balance this out with appropriate levels of support and tightness, which so many weightlifting shoes get wrong!
Through the midfoot, there’s a lot of control and adjustability thanks to the double straps, however, I do find this area a little too tight, and because its so supportive, its not the easiest to open out.
If you are flat-footed, you should know that the Legacy Lifter has particularly high arch support built-in, which may not be the most suitable.
Comfort
Holding it in your hand, the Reebok Legacy Lifter feels very weighty and robust, the Legacy Lifter is certainly one of the heaviest weightlifting shoes I have come across.
Of course, a heavy shoe will be a plus for some, and a negative for others.
As a Powerlifter, I don’t do a lot of moving in my shoes, so I prefer that solid, bulky feel, however, some of you Weightlifters out there may prefer a lighter shoe as it may benefit those more dynamic movements.
Like so many things in this world, it’s all about personal preference.
Despite its weight, the Legacy Lifter is still a very comfortable weightlifting shoe to walk around in and doesn’t feel overly heavy when worn.
The Legacy Lifter provides a snug fit overall, particularly in the midfoot area, it doesn’t, however, feel restrictive in any way so overall comfort is superb.
The only annoyance I found with the Legacy Lifter is when bending at the toes, the top of the toe box tends to bunch or fold over and presses against your foot.
At best this was a minor annoyance, at worse this could lead to pain and blistering over time.
Still, this was the only con to speak of in a long lost of pros!
Straps & Lacing
The straps of the Legacy Lifter are of great quality and the overall system is about the best you will find from a weightlifting shoe.
As a consequence of this though, it can make putting the shoe on and taking it off again a bit of a pain as you are constantly having to adjust lots of straps, buckles, and laces which are all pretty tightly packed together and overlapping on each other.
In the same vein, loosening off the laces can be particularly bothersome with the straps constantly getting in the way.
Obviously, if you can get past this, you won’t find a more supportive system when it comes to performance, which should be the number one consideration of weightlifting shoes anyway!
Grip/Traction
The Reebok Legacy Lifter scored 0.61 in the Powerlifting Perfection Grip Test.
Compared to other weightlifting shoes, this was actually quite a low score, which I was surprised to see.
Make no mistake though, the Legacy Lifter has all the grip you will need for your lifts and you won’t be left wanting. Just know that it is far away from being the most grippy weightlifting shoe going!
Reebok Legacy Lifter for Squats
I’m a very happy Squatter in the Legacy Lifter. From the heel right through to the toe, every detail was exactly as it should be.
The TPU material provides all the support you could ever need and the way it comes up around the base of the heel really strengthens that feeling of stability.
The overall weight of the shoe and perfectly flat and grippy sole just further lead to that feeling of being rooted in the ground.
The design of the upper also continued that theme of security and stability, I never once had a feeling that my feet were going to shift out of position.
Everything from the heel to the laces to the straps just worked together so perfectly to hold my foot in place without feeling overly tight.
Achieving all that and allowing enough room for toe spread is no mean feat and there are very, very few Weightlifting Shoes that can pull all that off so well.
Reebok Legacy Lifter for Weightlifting
The Reebok Legacy Lifter is an extremely popular weightlifting shoe when it comes to the sport of Olympic Weightlifting, and for good reason!
Similar to the squat, everything about this weightlifting shoe just works in perfect harmony so well.
Heel slip is a bit more of a concern in the Olympic lifts than squatting alone due to the more dynamic movements involved and the Legacy Lifter holds up well here.
The key feature of the band around the back of the shoe works outstandingly well to hold your heel down, even in movements such as the split jerk where a lot of weightlifting shoes fail.
Overall, there’s very little to complain about with the Legacy Lifter, its an outstanding weightlifting shoe for Olympic Weightlifting!
Reebok Legacy Lifter for the Bench Press
Lastly, the Bench Press, and its back to top marks again for the Legacy Lifter.
The positives are pretty similar to the Squat, the raised heel provides an excellent platform to push from and allows me to keep my heels planted while arching my back as much as possible. The snug fit and general control over how the shoe fits around my foot creates a perfect base for leg drive.
One slight downside that comes to mind is more geared towards those who prefer to raise their heels.
I mentioned previously that the material of the toe box folds into your foot, and this is quite noticeable here.
Of course, if you are someone who prefers to Bench Press on their toes, you probably don’t need to be wearing weightlifting shoes here, but something to bear in mind of course!
Reebok Legacy Lifter Price
The only major negative to speak of with the Reebok Legacy Lifter is the price.
As with most of the more premium Weightlifting Shoes, its a lot, and more and more I am finding that the price varies wildly depending on the retailer, color choice, and size.
The Legacy Lifters are also becoming more scarce with the introduction of the Legacy Lifter 2 and given their popularity, I am half expecting sellers to try and take advantage of this and their increasing rarity by bumping up the price considerably!
For this reason alone, if you’re seriously considering buying the Reebok Legacy Lifter, I would move now while they’re still relatively easy and cheap to get your hands on!
You can check the current prices at Amazon and Rogue Fitness below for both men’s and women’s Legacy Lifters.
Men’s Reebok Legacy Lifter
Women’s Reebok Legacy Lifter
Final Thoughts on the Reebok Legacy Lifter
The Reebok Legacy Lifter may just be one of the best Weightlifting Shoes ever made!
It’s certainly one of the best I’ve had the pleasure of trying.
I can’t help but feel it was made specifically with me in mind as everything from the fit to the feel to the performance are just about perfect, with the negatives being so minor they’re basically negligible.
Of course, with the Legacy Lifter 2 now on the market expect this shoe to become harder and harder to get your hands on.
If you’re at all interested and can stomach the high price tag, I would strongly suggest buying a pair now before they’re gone, I know I will be.
Overall Rating – 9/10
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