Review on Reebok Lifters JQ144 Pr II by Michael Straughter

I decided to write a review about them because for some reason there is very little information about them on the net. A YouTube video or two, nothing more, and for some reason I felt compelled to write my very first Revain review. So let's get started, let me tell you this is my first weightlifting and squat shoe so keep that in mind. I've argued for a long time between them and the Adidas Powerlift 3 as they're sort of in the same league so to speak, but I ended up buying them mainly because I knew my Reeboks size and they were still cheaper/easier to find. A few things that bothered me (initially): 1-lower heel height compared to most other shoes and 2-slightly "twisted up" toe. I'll come back to that later. Due to a bruised hip I stopped squatting for almost 3 months and while I was diligent in physical therapy I was looking forward to having running shoes that might help me get deep when I started again with a better one Squatting shape for the anatomical limitations of my body. When I unboxed them, I found the heel height to be minimal at best. I compared them to the Nano and the difference was really tiny. I was a little disappointed. However, once I started squatting, my thoughts changed. Suddenly I can go down parallel relatively easily. Combined with some of the exercises/methods I've been working on over the last few months and given to me by my physical therapist, I can now squat much better than before (although still easier and slower to recover). I've only done two real squats in them so far (and two T2 front squats) and I have to say I regret not buying squat shoes sooner. They really help you feel stable and get to depth better if you have poor ankle (or hip in my case) mobility. I haven't done any Olys in them (yet) so can't comment on that, but I think they're perfect for some of the CrossFit workouts where Olys make up the bulk of the WOD. in size if you have worn Reebok before. I have Nano 8s in 12.5 (46) that fit perfectly. I bought the Nano 9 with it (both also 46/12.5) and both fit perfectly. I could POSSIBLE make them a half size smaller as a tighter feel might be better, but I ship using a carrier so there is no way for me to return them. I like to spread my toes so the size fits perfectly. If you have the option to return them for a different size, I suggest you experiment with a half size smaller if you like the "closer" feel. But I'm happy with the size I chose. To sum it up, if you are a beginner, fairly intermediate or just looking for your first pair of weightlifting shoes, don't hesitate. Go ahead and buy these as nothing can compare to them at this price point. If you're experienced and can already lift some heavy weights, you're probably better off with higher heeled (and priced) shoes. But then again, you probably haven't considered these shoes at all and aren't reading this... I think part of us likes to think that we're going to "grow" into an expensive shoe that you can squat 300kg in or 220kg C&J but after some personal reflection I decided that in my case I didn't need the more established models/brands and that I should focus on developing strength and technique with something less expensive like this PR II lifter. instead of this. A few things to gripe about: I wish the strap was a little shorter (it's too long for most feet, doesn't allow for a super snug fit/makes the strap number marker useless) and the toe box was flat instead of one little curl like the sneakers. But to be honest the toe box wasn't a problem at all and the shoe is generally very stable/stiff so maybe it's just a mental thing that makes me assume that weightlifting shoes have to be perfectly flat. Overall a great purchase for the price.