If you’re a hybrid athlete or CrossFit enthusiast, you’re used to wearing many hats in the gym — but that shouldn’t mean needing to lug two or three different pairs of footwear around in your gym bag.
The right cross-training shoe should be able to cushion your footfalls while you run while also supporting heavy-duty strength training. On May 2, 2024, NOBULL announced the release of their latest foray into mixed-modality athletic footwear with their Drive cross-training shoe:
[Related: The Best Weightlifting Shoes on the Market]
NOBULL Drive Trainer Sizing, Details, & Recommendations
NOBULL calls the Drive trainer, “the ultimate hybrid workout shoe without limits,” touting its versatility for both treadmill workouts and anything involving free weights. Here’s a brief rundown of the specs you can find on the Drive:
Sizes: Men’s are available in sizes 8 to 16, and women’s are available in sizes 5 to 11.
Weight: A Men’s size 9 or a Women’s 10.5 weighs around 8.3 ounces.
Stack Height: 23 millimeters in the heel and 19 in the toe.
Heel-to-Toe Drop: 4 millimeters
Material: The upper is constructed with NOBULL’s Performance Knit fabric, while the midsole is made of “100% Pebax®“. The shoe’s outsole is entirely rubber.
Price: The Men’s and Women’s Drive trainer is available for $139.00 on NOBULL’s website.
On Instagram, NOBULL remarked that the Drive is a “neutral shoe” meant to offer maximal versatility for running and strength training, specifying that the Drive comes with a “less-pronounced” arch support.
[Related: The Best Running Shoes for Arch Support]
What People Are Saying
As of May 3, 2024, the Drive trainer has racked up 21 pre-release product reviews on NOBULL’s website, 17 of which rate the shoe five stars.
Buyers broadly praised the Drive for being comfortable on the feet and easy to slip on and off.
Regarding sizing, most reviews report the shoe as true-to-size, though some recommend going up half a size. NOBULL also recommends purchasers size up if they’re between sizes.
Why Buy a Cross-Training Shoe?
If you’re out of the loop, here’s your lifeline: Hybrid, multi-dimensional athletic training is in vogue right now. Instead of sticking solely to one type of workout routine, many people are dipping their toes into endurance training, weight lifting, and sport-specific practice all at once.
Cross-trainers are designed to function well enough in all of those contexts. While specialty footwear (like weightlifting shoes for Olympic lifting) is the optimal choice, it’s not always practical to bring multiple pairs of footwear with you to the gym.
Cross-training shoes are designed to do a serviceable-to-good job at multiple types of athletic training.
Studies indicate that adequate cushioning and arch support are essential for ideal running technique, but those same properties can interfere with weight-lifting performance for some people. (1)
Trainers like the NOBULL Drive attempt to bridge the gap. The Drive provides plenty of cushion and a flexible mesh upper, but comes with a flatter sole to help you maintain solid ground contact for power output.
References
Sun X, Lam WK, Zhang X, Wang J, Fu W. Systematic Review of the Role of Footwear Constructions in Running Biomechanics: Implications for Running-Related Injury and Performance. J Sports Sci Med. 2020 Feb 24;19(1):20-37. PMID: 32132824; PMCID: PMC7039038.
Featured Image: @nobull on Instagram
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