I found the Reebok Legacy Lifter 3 to be a rock-solid gym shoe focused on weight lifting rather than more dynamic workouts.
Men’s Fitness verdict
While these are not suitable for cardio workouts or dynamic strength sessions, if your main priority is a strong, stable base for weight-lifting, this is definitely the shoe for you.- Specialist weight-lifting shoes
- Strong, reinforced heel gives plenty of stability
- Too bulky for anything but heavy lifting
- Not suitable for more dynamic workouts
The Reebok Legacy Lifter 3 is a shoe that’s been built with heavy lifting firmly in mind. Offering great stability and a locked-in feel that keeps you firmly gripped to the ground at all times, these shoes allow you to push yourself to your absolute weight-lifting limit. I put them through three months or gym workouts to see how they stack up against the best gym shoes in 2025.
How we tested the best gym shoes
At Men’s Fitness we pride ourselves on delivering information that serves a singular purpose: to improve some aspect of your health, fitness or wellbeing. For almost 20 years, we’ve been publishing authoritative health and fitness content – written by our expert editors and contributors. We spend hours testing every product or service we review, so you can be sure you’re buying the best. The Reebok Legacy Lifter 3 was tested by sport, health and fitness journalist Laurence McJannet. Find out more about how we test.
Reebok Legacy Lifter 3 design
I tried out these shoes in Reebok’s Core Black color scheme, which is a bold, eye-catching design. A thick velcro strap provided a snug fit and kept the shoe laces tucked neatly away when I was exercising.
A hard, reinforced thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) heel clip is central to the Legacy Lifter 3’s design. It essentially anchors you to the ground by the heels, which is a big plus when you’re lifting. However, the thick, heavy feel of the shoes means they’re not the most comfortable when you’re walking between machines in the gym (a common sacrifice made with specialist weight-lifting trainers).
Reebok Legacy Lifter 3 performance
The bulkiness of these gym shoes might not be to everyone’s tastes. One thing you definitely don’t want to do is use the Legacy Lifter 3 for a more generalized workout. On test, I found them too heavy and inflexible for cardio workouts or any other exercises that required me to be light on my feet.
Ultimately, this is a shoe designed for heavy lifting, and this is where it excels. If you’re gearing up for a day of heavy lifting at the gym, you’ll do well to find a better option than the Reebok Legacy Lifter 3. If your main priority is a strong, stable base, this is the shoe for you.
Reebok Legacy Lifter 3 technical specs
| Material | Textile upper, TPU heel clip, rubber outsole, midfoot strap |
| Weight | 575g |
| Colors | 5 color combinations available |
| Sizes | 7 – 14 |
How we test the best gym shoes
Our team of reviewers are experienced testers of all manner of fitness kit. They put each gym shoe through its paces in a variety of workouts, from cardio to strength training to heavy lifting, assessing them in terms of fit, comfort, and performance. They also paid close attention to the materials used throughout the shoe, the sizes and widths available, and the shoe’s total weight.
