Did the Shoes Make the Cut?

#Reebok #AllTerrainShoes #HeidiPowell #SpartanRace

As some of you may know, Chris and I had the opportunity a couple of weeks ago to participate in the local Arizona Spartan Sprint Race ? one of those fun, muddy, obstacle-ridden courses that really tests your mental and physical preparedness (If you?ve never done one of these, you should check local races?and get signed up asap!). I was most excited to try out the new shoe Reebok is coming out with ? the All-Terrain Series shoe ? which was actually created for this exciting new sport. The shoe doesn?t come out until March 1, 2014, so I felt more than honored to get to test these babies out before the actual release.

#Reebok #AllTerrainShoes #HeidiPowell #SpartanRace

Now, before I go too far, you should know I am a tough one to please with this kind of thing. With bunions, banged up knees (2 ACL reconstructive surgeries), and years of gymnastics and dance under my belt, I have to be picky when it comes to shoes. But I must say, these shoes did not disappoint. By far, these are the best shoes I have ever worn in an obstacle race, on a trail, in the mud?one of the best shoe experiences I?ve ever had, period.

While I could (and do) go on and on for hours on the amazingness of this shoe, there are a few things I must share with you now:

First, let?s talk about the 360 Degree Traction: Amazing. TRULY ? I experienced 360 traction. You never know how well a shoe will hold up to it?s claims. This, by far and away, was the most valuable feature to me. It made climbing up and down anything?especially slippery or dirt covered, rocky surfaces?a breeze. All during the race I could hear others complaining: ?My shoes weren?t made for this!? I was actually feeling guilty, as mine were made for this. They were pretty much slip proof! (Gosh, I hope those peeps read this and invest in some new shoes!!)

#Reebok #AllTerrainShoes #HeidiPowell #SpartanRace

On this same note, I should point out that one of my pet peeves with trail running is that those pesky little rocks seem to get caught in the grooves of any shoe I put on. Not these ones?they were actually made with a special Rock Guard that kept me rock-free the entire race.

#Reebok #AllTerrainShoes #HeidiPowell #SpartanRace

Now on to the H20 Drains. Yes, you read this right?the shoes have water drains! First ever, that I?ve heard of at least. Before the Reebok All-Terrain Series shoes were sent to me, I had no other option with mud runs but to use regular shoes. While trail running shoes can hold their own on the trail, the water and mud parts of the race would literally take me down. Running from obstacle to obstacle with sloshing, water-logged shoes slowed me down, weighed me down, and seemed to prime my feet for blisters. These new All-Terrain shoes were clearly made to eliminate this problem altogether. ?They have the first ever water drain feature, which proved to be absolutely awesome. Water emptied from the shoe almost immediately, which is crucial when you go from a muddy, watery pit to climbing a rope, wall, or need to hit the trail.

#Reebok #AllTerrainShoes #HeidiPowell #SpartanRace

I can?t forget to mention the feature that made me feel like a beast ;). I fell in love with the Obstacle Grips. These grips, I must say, were solely responsible for me actually making it up the muddy slippery rope, and also what made scaling a wall doable for me. And if you are wondering, feeling like a ?beast? is a good thing to me! Haha.

So the burning question: Would I recommend the Reebok All-Terrain shoe? Without a doubt, 100%, yes. These shoes really do make the world of difference on so many levels. This is one piece of gear you do not want to pass up when prepping for your next Spartan Race, trail run, obstacle course, or fun run through muddy water (who doesn?t love that??).

#Reebok #AllTerrainShoes #HeidiPowell #SpartanRace

These shoes really hit the target! At the end of the day, we just hosed them off, let them dry and put them back into the closet looking almost new, rather than in the garbage can, like most shoes post mud-run.

And Girls, performance aside, they are uber cute, and comfy too ;).

To learn more about Spartan Races and these incredible Reebok All-Terrain Series shoes, check out these links:

? Spartan Race

? Reebok All-Terrain Series shoes

#Reebok #AllTerrainShoes #HeidiPowell #SpartanRace
All washed up after the race!

 

38 Responses

  1. These shoes look awesome, I love the traction on the bottom…by your pictures they certainly seem to prove tough. The fact that you hosed them off, let dry and they look great is a deal maker for me. I have MS and need the traction :)I do a mud run and hate that slippery sliding. I love the fun you two have and the love you share with the world! Stay Cool!

  2. I love to push myself into situations I am not yet comfortable with to expand my knowledge and experience. This includes acting in front of a huge audience, volunteering as a youth counsellor, and getting a job in security work.

    My next challenge is completing the Tough Mudder: Toronto 2014 with a group of camp staff I met at a camp for kids with disabilities!

    Killin? it in a pair of new reebok shoes would be amazing!

  3. Hello Heidi, how would you rate these vs. the Inov-8 mudclaws? I’ve done some research and found for Spartan races the Inov-8 were the best, but that was before these arrived on the scene. As my wife and I will be running a trifecta this year we intend to buy a paid each of shoes and are looking for the pair that will best suit our needs for Spartan races. I’m given to understand that the Inov-8’s also drain water. Can you comment on your thoughts of the comparison of the two?

  4. Heidi, thank you for the review! I was hoping to find a pair of shoes that would help me run my first Sprint Spartan Race (May 17th Burnet, TX) without a concern to injure my feet.

  5. Thanks for the review, Heidi! I am doing my first Warrior Dash in August and I’m very interested in these shoes for that. I’m curious…did you wear socks during your race with these shoes? Thanks so much!

  6. Awesome. Who knew one pair of shoes could do so much? And might I add…how do you manage to look so frickin’ gorgeous while doing so much absolutely tiring work. You look fabulous in all the photos! Simply not fair. 😉

  7. Hey Heidi! Nice meeting you and Chris in AZ! Hope to come across you guys at a future Spartan Race.

    Mind if I share this link on my social media. Honored to see my pics on your page!

    Thanks,
    Rory

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

CHOOSE A DATE: