If you are watching this video now, feel free to watch the whole thing, but I do have a new shoe I fully recommend. Check out that video here: ua-cam.com/video/C3hDUMsAeVo/v-deo.html
For what its worth I use the Adidas Total for jogging, tennis and weightlifting and they are my favorite shoes. The cushion is firm and stable, zero drop and the toe box is wide.
Part of me is tempted to buy the new adidas shoes because I feel like if we don't buy products marketed to powerlifters then companies just won't make them. I could be completely wrong on that however and maybe someone will just create their own shoe similar to how notorious lift did and market them. It's also frustrating that every time a product like this comes out it ends up failing because they didn't ask for feedback and input from any actual powerlifters.
Update: so I bought them on Amazon and the only thing I don't like about them is how the inner part of the sole comes up since I have flat feet like a lot of PLers. It's not as much of an issue if you remove the thin insole so that's probably what I'll do going forward. I think it's a solid 7.5/10 but could use a thinner sole and wider mid foot to actually make it the best.
@@alextheballer20 it's supposed to be a zero drop wide midfoot option without the paper thin sole, the market is already full of barefoot shoes you can just buy vivos if you look for that
@intravenosusinhalatioorali2756 yeah I ended up figuring that out, I just take the insole out and use them for deadlifts and really like them. It's my go to shoe for deads and squats.
I've checked my Adidas The Total as well and I think this issue is a bit exaggerated.The "internal padding" below the insole is just a very thin layer of foam that compresses very easily and essentially is what holds the shoe together. Below that must be the rubber sole itself glued on, which doesn't compress as easily. I'd say the rubber sole beneath is some 4-5mm thick. This obviously isn't nothing, but I doubt you could get much thinner on a shoe without losing support and stability. I'll have to check my Reeboks when I get home but I doubt the effective sole is much thinner. Apart from that I can say that they have a similarly wide toe box and run large. I recommend sizing down.
Upon further inspection, there is actually some kind of gluey foam compound beneath that fixed thin sheet of "internal padding" and NOT the rubber sole. The thickness of this appears to be a few mm, so the actual rubber sole must be even thinner. But what's really interesting here is that when this compound is pushed in, it actually remains that way! What I believe Adidas did here must be genius. I think this compound is meant to compress after a while of usage and break-in period and mold around the lifter's foot. Not only should this lead to a much thinner effective sole after a while but probably add comfort, more stability within the shoe due to sort of cupping the foot and better distribution of pressure as well. I think these should deserve a second more in-depth look.
UPDATE: Received pairs of half and full sizes smaller and I'm going with the 1 full size down. And I could've probably even gone 1.5 sizes down for a tighter fit, that's how large these run. Also keep in mind that in contrast the Adidas Power Perfect IIs actually ran a little small for me (and so do some of the other lifting shoes like Nikes). REGARDING THE SOLE/FOOTBED: it is as I initially suspected. These have some kind of an adaptive footbed using some kind of thermo foam, that will mold to your feet similarly to e.g. ski and snowboard boots. For testing I did some "quick molding" by taking out the insoles and heating the insides of the shoe up with a hair drier for 2 minutes or so and stepping in right away. After a few minutes the footbed has clearly and permanently molded around the foot with the heel, ball of the foot and toes clearly being imprinted into the footbed. I think with repeated molding (or just wearing them for a while) they will get even better. I was also able to compare them to my old Reeboks. Fresh out of the box I have to admit the Adidas were definitely much thicker - the Reeboks really are scary thin without the insoles. So much so that on the inside you can actually feel the outside pattern of the rubber sole with your fingers, but keep in mind that these are well worn. That being said after the "quick molding" the heel area of the Adidas becomes just around 1.5-2mm thicker and as I said this might improve even more with use. The comfort though is night and day as with the molded footbed the pressure is distributed to the ground more evenly and at the same time the rigidity and stability of the Adidas is also significantly better. Both the heel walls as well as the molded footbed cup your heel so well, there is absolutely no movement. This is an area where I always felt the Reeboks were a little lacking. Ultimately it becomes a choice of whether you prefer the sole to be as thin as possible or you accept an additional 1.5-2mm (which might get even better with use) for much improved stability and comfort.
Yet another Edit: I've mistakenly only checked the Reeboks around the heel area, which with extensive usage thinned down significantly. So really this can't be compared to a new shoe as I did above. If I take the less worn down middle section of the Reeboks for comparison I'd say they are just as thick as the molded down areas of the Adidas, if not slightly thicker!
@@claudiogordinho4881 Yes, absolutely. After a few weeks of lifting I can say that I really love them. They don't have the same apparent stability as a weightlifting shoe because those of course have a hard heel section, whereas on The Total there is none (just as on the Reeboks Power Lites, barefoot shoes, Chucks, other deadlift or wrestling shoes). So it still feels a bit different to a weightlifting shoe or maybe more flexible, when standing or walking. Yet, while doing the lift you don't notice any lack of stability since you're so close to the floor anyway. The heel has ample support around the back and on the sides and the rubber side walls also offer lateral support throughout the foot, so there is no slippage like for instance on Chucks or to a lesser degree on the Reeboks when e.g. "spreading the floor". The footbed and even the insoles have adapted to my foot shape, which at the heel, toes and ball of the foot makes them as thin or probably thinner than unworn Reeboks, while the rest kind of "hugs" your foot and allows them to distribute pressure more evenly. That's feels unusual because for one you can almost feel the floor as they're pretty much as thin as barefoot shoes in some areas, yet they also feel like one of the most comfortable shoes you have ever worn when they have molded to your foot. If you like lifting in flats this for sure is the best option available. I had mixed feelings at first because of the stack height when new but after noticing they are meant to adapt and mold to your foot shape, I am a big fan.
i really like my adidas totals, but then again i'm literally the demographic you mentioned in the video, i still prefer deadlifting in socks or slippers though, but my main selling point for these is 1. they're very comfortable 2. they have a cool, kind of old school look to them
I've generally enjoy the vans slip ons as well tbh. Very wide solid sole that doesn't tip over and is more stable than say a pair of chucks or deadlift slippers. They're also dead flat with no toe raise. Pretty ubiquitous and available mostly everywhere too.
Before watching, my favorites are the gen 2 notorious (non sumo) and crossfit lite Tr low. For the notorious, I don’t find the newer versions as good and sadly they don’t make the TR lites like they used to.
Yea I’ve heard that a lot with the newer Notorious slippers. I found them both bad but I did think the non sumo one that I got felt a little better than the 2.5s I got.
I hate being a Vivo fan boy but I’ve tried so many shoes and come back to them every time for DL. Have been using them for 3 years. Second favorite are the recent Sabo DL’s you have in the video
I bought the Total shoes for a deadlift strenght progression program i ran for a couple of months earlier this year. I got my conventional 1 rm up to 300kg finally and had absolutely zero complaints, the shoes were great and still are fantastic for me. I'm focusing more on bodybuilding style workouts now and the Totals are great for that aswell. Fantastic shoes...atleast for me and my mix of bodybuilding and strenght workouts.
A unique thing I feel makes the Reebok so good. The bottom almost seems to be slightly concave or atleast truly neutral. That combined with the hard edges to resist lateral overturn feel incredible. My issue with wrestling shoes and the sabos I'm currently using are the curved sides and slightly confex bottoms allow too much foot roll.
Yea I agree. If the sole is wide enough with the wrestling shoes, the rolling shouldn't be too much of an issue. But I do agree this is a big issue why the Reeboks are better.
I love “barefoot” running shoes for deadlifting. I’ve been using a pair of new balance minumus shoes for a while. They have a huge toe box and are still super grippy and solid.
I'm a huge fan of the Sabo deadlifts for deadlifts. I use my raised heel shoes for squats and bench press. I tried flat shoes for bench and it didn't work for me.
I am in the same boat. I bought the Sabo at first and thought it was ok. Then after trying many others, I came back to the Sabo. Notorious Lift slippers are useless imo.
Joey Flex's first shoe video had the best shoe; Adidas Mat Wizard IV John Smith. They have a wide toe box and are built to last. He made a second shoe video where HVC gained popularity, but have cheap construction and were more widely available. They are horrible for toe splay.
Thanks for the review. Was really intrigued about “The Total” but glad I held off buying any. I pull conventional and my go to’s have been the New Balance Minimus Trail shoes.
Also one extra shoe to potentially review: otomix. A lot of bodybuilders wear them, they seem like a flat shoe that comes in high tops. I've never tried them but I'm interested to see if they'd be any good for powerlifting.
i have these shoes for over 2 years now and i absolutelyy love these. If adidas ever anounces to discontinue them i will buy a supply of them. i have problems with my feat and put a lot of attention to what shoes i wear.. I don't agree with the sole being too soft. Yeah it wit compress a little, but i think that doesnt mather. The sole can compress just so far and i think that body weight alone is enough to compress it to it's near max. I screw my feet in the ground when i deadlift. and i think that by compressing the sole i have something to grip my feet in. it makes them stable. i hate sliding around in my shoes
I’d be interested to see if you tried a pair of Vans skateboard shoes with the inner sole take out, what your feelings might be. They are fairly wide, supportive and have a thin sole. Nike skate shoes are narrower and may not be suitable. You didn’t mention Converse Chuck Taylors, they would definitely be better than the wrestling shoes. Probably similar to your Reeboks.
I think you would like the Bearfoot high top Lux. I know you didn’t like the low tops bc like the other slippers, your ankle would roll out but the high top Lux Bearfoot have a heel cup that makes it way more stable.
@@BrazosValleyStrength I actually removed the insoles and are just as thin as the my reebok crossfit lite/power shoes. As for the quality, they are pretty good in comparison with most barefoots out there. The canvas cotton is definitely better than the suede. I'm still with you on the Reebok crossfit lite/power shoes, have 9 pairs 😅
@@BrazosValleyStrength Did you rip out the insoles on the barefoot? I haven't done it yet, but I may. I agree that they feel very 'basic' in construction, especially for the price tag. I do love how wide they are.
I finally wore a hole in my old sabo deadlift (not the pros) and am in the market for something new. Considering the vivos ($150 ouch) but actually went down the Amazon water shoe route that people like Angelo Fortino have done. $20 and I tried a bunch of different styles. Found a nice pair that works for me. Doesn’t have the classic slipper issue of “rolling over” when I do sumo. They have laces which was a must for me.
From the point of view of a mostly conventional deadlifter, the notorious v2.5 you have there were pretty decent in terms of fit, being very thin between my foot and the floor and stuff. I liked that about them. What I didn't like was how fucking cheap their construction was; especially paired with Notorious's blanket 'no returns sorry-not-sorry' version of a product quality assurance/warranty and their awful response to being told about the fact that the ring the tarsal strap passes through was so cheap (I'm not actually sure it was even metal) that they both *snapped* several months into me wearing the shoe while I was just walking around the gym with the straps tightened. By awful response, I mean basically non-existent, as in they never responded to me). Maybe their other shoes have better build quality, but I'll never know because I'm not trusting a company a second time after they made something so cheap for premium costs and talk up their commitments to quality and design and all that, and pair it with a "No lemon returns, in fact no returns at all" treatment of customers. Also, the tread wore out super fast.
I have the Reebok Powerlite Mids, Bearfoot Ursus, and Sabo Heavy Duty, and by far the Reeboks are my favorite. I like the Ursus a lot as they are extremely comfortable, but the build quality is pretty mediocre. I hated the Sabos, found them to be way too stiff and very uncomfortable to wear.
Ffs, I literally ordered The Totals yesterday and this vid is recommended today. I also just found out that Converse do Chuck Taylor's in a wide fit if you order from their website.
Awesome! Just want to say thanks for all the great content too. You're one of the only people I've heard mention things that I discovered by myself after years of trial and error, like breaking the wrists back on bench and sinking more. And hinging back on the squat and not trying to be upright actually lets you use your quads.
I found that the original sabo deadlift shoes didn't have a good sole. When pulling sumo my feet would slide out. I've been using the original notorious deadlift slippers for years now and they are much better. Do the new sabos have a much better sole?
I think the Asics wrestling shoes (I think the model is the matcontrol 2) are worth a try, both Brendan Tietz and John Haack use them for deadlifts and to me they look noticeably wider than the Adidas model you tried. Anyway, looking forward to hear your thoughts on the Vivo shoes!
Yea I know a lot of people like the Asics but I guess all of these shoes are pretty similar with the wrestling shoe style and the main difference is just the width. So I feel pretty safe recommending the sabos. Asics would be fine too if they are wider than the Adidas. And don’t have the Mexican Boot feel.
No idea. I’ve never used those. There are way too many shoes out there unfortunately. But these are very grippy. I think it would be hard to be significantly more grippy.
I wear feiyues for bench and dead’s (conventional) and for bench I slip a bit tbh. Maybe if there new it’s fine but wore ones will slip for people that use a lot of leg drive. For dead’s they’re awesome.
I think you should try the new high top converse like shoes (but improved version as they claim) from Raskol Apparel. I don't own them so i can't share an opinion, but perhaps they might resemble the reebok powerlites you are fond of. If you like those or the the vivos please do share a review please.
I managed to snag a pair of Reebok powerlites (I have two others) last year but the whole sole came away at the heel, I need to try to superglue them. For me vans/cons are too narrow toe box wise. Considering vivobarefoots now.
So if I understood correctly, the issues you have with the adidas total is the overall stack height right? The overall structure/ construction of the shoes are good, and if not for the stack height the would actually be good squat and deadlift shoes?
Yea that’s another one I have heard better things about. And I bet they are good as long as they are wider. And that’s really all I was trying to say about the OG Sabos. They aren’t amazing but they are better than most of the bad options. So that’s probably how I would feel about any wider wrestling shoe.
I know this is a 2yr old video, but, what i got so far was you didn't like the adidas shoe because the second insole was too cushioning or thick. But on the slippers that you wore in the video you were wearing socks with the slippers, wouldnt the socks give you cushion like the adidas shoe insole was giving?
@@BrazosValleyStrength yeah, I apologize just making observation about cushion of sock while wearing them with slippers. I did some local powerlifting meets in the 80’s, then after I retired from military in Dec 06, I started back powerlifting until 2012. I’m really not going to compete right now, but doing my research on flat sole shoes before buying any. I actually did my training and contest in the original adidas sambo soccer shoe. Like my belt, I lifted for a while with one prong belt, now shifted to a lever belt and love it. Now I’m watching another one of you 2yr old video flats vs heel- what is the best shoe for squats
I bet the new shoe video I just released is better for you. But I honestly don't remember much about the width of the totals. They sucked too bad to stick in my brain at all.
Hey man I really like your content, I think much more people would watch if the videos were a little bit shorter like probably this one could be around 12-14 mins.
I wish I liked that heavier feel but it’s just too much for me. I tried to use the old Metal lifting shoes/boots a long time ago and I don’t think I’ll ever want to go for another “heavy duty” shoe again.
Did you take the insole out of the hvc? You have to rip it out because it’s glued but helps the overall feel of the shoe imo and I hear no one mention this. Still a bit narrow tho lol
"Heel height - All the shoes of the PRO Series have a small heel drop of 1 mm. This innovation allows for a cambered heel design, similar to the camber in snow skis, when the lifter’s weight is added to the shoe, the heel flattens distributing the weight more evenly, over a wider surface area. This provides a more planted feeling and better heel drive."
@@BrazosValleyStrength Sure, so maybe I misworded it, but that 1mm "goes away" when you place weight on it so I'd argue that is flat when in use which is what matters.
@@Artheam I would argue not having it at all would be better then. I don't really understand the point of it and wanting "heel drive." I feel the heel. Even if it gets compressed. It would be much better if it just wasn't there.
@@BrazosValleyStrength ah I see. What was the shoe you recommended that are most similar to those? I'm currently using Asics matflex 5s atm but in in the market for a new one. Looking at the Asics matcontrol 2s or Adidas HVC
@@BrazosValleyStrength I'm aware I watched it last night but dont recall what you said. I wouldn't have asked if I remembered 😂 I do strongman and need a shoe that's grippy for deads, squats, and moving events
Reebok is the worst company. They could be great but the people running the company are running into the ground. I had the original and the V2 of the Reebok power shoes and they’re great. I was only able to get them because I know someone who works at Reebok corporate.
Ha I didn’t think the arch hurt, but I agree that it did seem to have a extra thick area in the arch area that seemed EXTRA padded to me. So I found it comfortable to wear, but I was also very aware of how much arch support there was.
@@BrazosValleyStrength If the inside was less padded and minimal arch support. It would have been the perfect shoe for me. I do miss the Reebok Crossfit Lite TR Highs as well.
Yea there could be hope here. The fixes that I would want to make the Total actually good are not far off where it is now. It’s just wrong in very important areas. But right in many others.
If you are watching this video now, feel free to watch the whole thing, but I do have a new shoe I fully recommend. Check out that video here: ua-cam.com/video/C3hDUMsAeVo/v-deo.html
For what its worth I use the Adidas Total for jogging, tennis and weightlifting and they are my favorite shoes. The cushion is firm and stable, zero drop and the toe box is wide.
Part of me is tempted to buy the new adidas shoes because I feel like if we don't buy products marketed to powerlifters then companies just won't make them. I could be completely wrong on that however and maybe someone will just create their own shoe similar to how notorious lift did and market them. It's also frustrating that every time a product like this comes out it ends up failing because they didn't ask for feedback and input from any actual powerlifters.
Update: so I bought them on Amazon and the only thing I don't like about them is how the inner part of the sole comes up since I have flat feet like a lot of PLers. It's not as much of an issue if you remove the thin insole so that's probably what I'll do going forward. I think it's a solid 7.5/10 but could use a thinner sole and wider mid foot to actually make it the best.
@@alextheballer20 it's supposed to be a zero drop wide midfoot option without the paper thin sole, the market is already full of barefoot shoes you can just buy vivos if you look for that
@intravenosusinhalatioorali2756 yeah I ended up figuring that out, I just take the insole out and use them for deadlifts and really like them. It's my go to shoe for deads and squats.
I've checked my Adidas The Total as well and I think this issue is a bit exaggerated.The "internal padding" below the insole is just a very thin layer of foam that compresses very easily and essentially is what holds the shoe together. Below that must be the rubber sole itself glued on, which doesn't compress as easily. I'd say the rubber sole beneath is some 4-5mm thick. This obviously isn't nothing, but I doubt you could get much thinner on a shoe without losing support and stability. I'll have to check my Reeboks when I get home but I doubt the effective sole is much thinner. Apart from that I can say that they have a similarly wide toe box and run large. I recommend sizing down.
Upon further inspection, there is actually some kind of gluey foam compound beneath that fixed thin sheet of "internal padding" and NOT the rubber sole. The thickness of this appears to be a few mm, so the actual rubber sole must be even thinner. But what's really interesting here is that when this compound is pushed in, it actually remains that way! What I believe Adidas did here must be genius. I think this compound is meant to compress after a while of usage and break-in period and mold around the lifter's foot. Not only should this lead to a much thinner effective sole after a while but probably add comfort, more stability within the shoe due to sort of cupping the foot and better distribution of pressure as well. I think these should deserve a second more in-depth look.
UPDATE: Received pairs of half and full sizes smaller and I'm going with the 1 full size down. And I could've probably even gone 1.5 sizes down for a tighter fit, that's how large these run. Also keep in mind that in contrast the Adidas Power Perfect IIs actually ran a little small for me (and so do some of the other lifting shoes like Nikes). REGARDING THE SOLE/FOOTBED: it is as I initially suspected. These have some kind of an adaptive footbed using some kind of thermo foam, that will mold to your feet similarly to e.g. ski and snowboard boots. For testing I did some "quick molding" by taking out the insoles and heating the insides of the shoe up with a hair drier for 2 minutes or so and stepping in right away. After a few minutes the footbed has clearly and permanently molded around the foot with the heel, ball of the foot and toes clearly being imprinted into the footbed. I think with repeated molding (or just wearing them for a while) they will get even better. I was also able to compare them to my old Reeboks. Fresh out of the box I have to admit the Adidas were definitely much thicker - the Reeboks really are scary thin without the insoles. So much so that on the inside you can actually feel the outside pattern of the rubber sole with your fingers, but keep in mind that these are well worn. That being said after the "quick molding" the heel area of the Adidas becomes just around 1.5-2mm thicker and as I said this might improve even more with use. The comfort though is night and day as with the molded footbed the pressure is distributed to the ground more evenly and at the same time the rigidity and stability of the Adidas is also significantly better. Both the heel walls as well as the molded footbed cup your heel so well, there is absolutely no movement. This is an area where I always felt the Reeboks were a little lacking. Ultimately it becomes a choice of whether you prefer the sole to be as thin as possible or you accept an additional 1.5-2mm (which might get even better with use) for much improved stability and comfort.
Yet another Edit: I've mistakenly only checked the Reeboks around the heel area, which with extensive usage thinned down significantly. So really this can't be compared to a new shoe as I did above. If I take the less worn down middle section of the Reeboks for comparison I'd say they are just as thick as the molded down areas of the Adidas, if not slightly thicker!
@@IDeeprootedI so would you consider the adidas a good shoe for heavy lifting? Structure and stability wise?
@@claudiogordinho4881 Yes, absolutely. After a few weeks of lifting I can say that I really love them. They don't have the same apparent stability as a weightlifting shoe because those of course have a hard heel section, whereas on The Total there is none (just as on the Reeboks Power Lites, barefoot shoes, Chucks, other deadlift or wrestling shoes). So it still feels a bit different to a weightlifting shoe or maybe more flexible, when standing or walking. Yet, while doing the lift you don't notice any lack of stability since you're so close to the floor anyway. The heel has ample support around the back and on the sides and the rubber side walls also offer lateral support throughout the foot, so there is no slippage like for instance on Chucks or to a lesser degree on the Reeboks when e.g. "spreading the floor". The footbed and even the insoles have adapted to my foot shape, which at the heel, toes and ball of the foot makes them as thin or probably thinner than unworn Reeboks, while the rest kind of "hugs" your foot and allows them to distribute pressure more evenly. That's feels unusual because for one you can almost feel the floor as they're pretty much as thin as barefoot shoes in some areas, yet they also feel like one of the most comfortable shoes you have ever worn when they have molded to your foot. If you like lifting in flats this for sure is the best option available. I had mixed feelings at first because of the stack height when new but after noticing they are meant to adapt and mold to your foot shape, I am a big fan.
i really like my adidas totals, but then again i'm literally the demographic you mentioned in the video, i still prefer deadlifting in socks or slippers though, but my main selling point for these is
1. they're very comfortable
2. they have a cool, kind of old school look to them
I've generally enjoy the vans slip ons as well tbh. Very wide solid sole that doesn't tip over and is more stable than say a pair of chucks or deadlift slippers. They're also dead flat with no toe raise. Pretty ubiquitous and available mostly everywhere too.
Before watching, my favorites are the gen 2 notorious (non sumo) and crossfit lite Tr low. For the notorious, I don’t find the newer versions as good and sadly they don’t make the TR lites like they used to.
Yea I’ve heard that a lot with the newer Notorious slippers. I found them both bad but I did think the non sumo one that I got felt a little better than the 2.5s I got.
Still havent found something i like more than the minimus you covered forever ago
I hate being a Vivo fan boy but I’ve tried so many shoes and come back to them every time for DL. Have been using them for 3 years. Second favorite are the recent Sabo DL’s you have in the video
I haven’t heard much negative about them so I’m hoping you are right.
@@BrazosValleyStrength please try vivo primus lite. they are the perfect powerlifting shoes
@@BrazosValleyStrength Try this: Merrell vapor glove 5 or merrell vapor glove 3 Luna leather or xero shoes zelen
I bought the Total shoes for a deadlift strenght progression program i ran for a couple of months earlier this year. I got my conventional 1 rm up to 300kg finally and had absolutely zero complaints, the shoes were great and still are fantastic for me. I'm focusing more on bodybuilding style workouts now and the Totals are great for that aswell. Fantastic shoes...atleast for me and my mix of bodybuilding and strenght workouts.
A unique thing I feel makes the Reebok so good. The bottom almost seems to be slightly concave or atleast truly neutral. That combined with the hard edges to resist lateral overturn feel incredible. My issue with wrestling shoes and the sabos I'm currently using are the curved sides and slightly confex bottoms allow too much foot roll.
Yea I agree. If the sole is wide enough with the wrestling shoes, the rolling shouldn't be too much of an issue. But I do agree this is a big issue why the Reeboks are better.
I love “barefoot” running shoes for deadlifting. I’ve been using a pair of new balance minumus shoes for a while. They have a huge toe box and are still super grippy and solid.
I'm a huge fan of the Sabo deadlifts for deadlifts. I use my raised heel shoes for squats and bench press. I tried flat shoes for bench and it didn't work for me.
I love the totals for squats tbh
I’ve fallen in love with Xero Shoes for lifting (1.Prio, or 2.HFS if you want something more multipurpose).
I've loved the Ryderwear DMack style shoes. Pretty flat to begin with, but you could take the small insole out to get even flatter.
I am in the same boat. I bought the Sabo at first and thought it was ok. Then after trying many others, I came back to the Sabo. Notorious Lift slippers are useless imo.
You should definitely try out the Vivobarefoot Prime 3 ! It's the best shoe out there
David you should re-visit the Bearfoot shoes. They check all the boxes you’re referring to.
I've heard they have improved some since the first design, but the first design was so bad to me it's hard to want to try again.
Joey Flex's first shoe video had the best shoe; Adidas Mat Wizard IV John Smith. They have a wide toe box and are built to last. He made a second shoe video where HVC gained popularity, but have cheap construction and were more widely available. They are horrible for toe splay.
Thanks for the review. Was really intrigued about “The Total” but glad I held off buying any. I pull conventional and my go to’s have been the New Balance Minimus Trail shoes.
Adidas sambas are a great all rounder, too.
Also one extra shoe to potentially review: otomix. A lot of bodybuilders wear them, they seem like a flat shoe that comes in high tops. I've never tried them but I'm interested to see if they'd be any good for powerlifting.
i have these shoes for over 2 years now and i absolutelyy love these. If adidas ever anounces to discontinue them i will buy a supply of them. i have problems with my feat and put a lot of attention to what shoes i wear.. I don't agree with the sole being too soft. Yeah it wit compress a little, but i think that doesnt mather. The sole can compress just so far and i think that body weight alone is enough to compress it to it's near max. I screw my feet in the ground when i deadlift. and i think that by compressing the sole i have something to grip my feet in. it makes them stable. i hate sliding around in my shoes
The foam on the Adidas should compress pretty quickly. Especially if you're lifting in them.
So people should have to put up with a really bad shoe for a while to eventually get to an ok shoe when there are other options?
What about the best heeled shoe if you want to pull a set of fahves? **snort**
I think that Inov8 bare fx210:s are nearly perfect shoes for sumo deadlifts
I’d be interested to see if you tried a pair of Vans skateboard shoes with the inner sole take out, what your feelings might be.
They are fairly wide, supportive and have a thin sole. Nike skate shoes are narrower and may not be suitable.
You didn’t mention Converse Chuck Taylors, they would definitely be better than the wrestling shoes. Probably similar to your Reeboks.
Excited for this. Footwear is huge
Should definitely look into the brand Barefoot. Everything you like is in these..
i really like the adidas total for sbd previously used noto slippers and vans so its an upgrade for me, so stable and cheaper than sabo dl pro
Yea I could really see them being very effective for squats and bench.
I think you would like the Bearfoot high top Lux. I know you didn’t like the low tops bc like the other slippers, your ankle would roll out but the high top Lux Bearfoot have a heel cup that makes it way more stable.
Maybe. But the Bearfoot shoes also felt noticeably thicker than any other flat shoe also. They also felt really cheaply made to me.
@@BrazosValleyStrength I actually removed the insoles and are just as thin as the my reebok crossfit lite/power shoes. As for the quality, they are pretty good in comparison with most barefoots out there. The canvas cotton is definitely better than the suede. I'm still with you on the Reebok crossfit lite/power shoes, have 9 pairs 😅
Lol I’m going to buy at least 3 pairs if they ever re stock them.
@@BrazosValleyStrength Did you rip out the insoles on the barefoot? I haven't done it yet, but I may. I agree that they feel very 'basic' in construction, especially for the price tag. I do love how wide they are.
@@thomastkach7467 Yes, on my high tops I pulled them right off. I left them in on my low tops because I just use them to walk around in.
Thanks for the review sir. 😊
I finally wore a hole in my old sabo deadlift (not the pros) and am in the market for something new. Considering the vivos ($150 ouch) but actually went down the Amazon water shoe route that people like Angelo Fortino have done. $20 and I tried a bunch of different styles. Found a nice pair that works for me. Doesn’t have the classic slipper issue of “rolling over” when I do sumo. They have laces which was a must for me.
Yea the price tag of the Vivos is definitely steep. But I'll gladly pay it if it solves the problems here.
@@BrazosValleyStrength looking forward to your review of them!
@@BrazosValleyStrength I know a 30% off code for the vivos if that helps
Yea that helps. Tell the world the code.
Xero Shoes are a bit more affordable than Vivos. Less stylish but better lifting shoes IMHO
From the point of view of a mostly conventional deadlifter, the notorious v2.5 you have there were pretty decent in terms of fit, being very thin between my foot and the floor and stuff. I liked that about them.
What I didn't like was how fucking cheap their construction was; especially paired with Notorious's blanket 'no returns sorry-not-sorry' version of a product quality assurance/warranty and their awful response to being told about the fact that the ring the tarsal strap passes through was so cheap (I'm not actually sure it was even metal) that they both *snapped* several months into me wearing the shoe while I was just walking around the gym with the straps tightened. By awful response, I mean basically non-existent, as in they never responded to me).
Maybe their other shoes have better build quality, but I'll never know because I'm not trusting a company a second time after they made something so cheap for premium costs and talk up their commitments to quality and design and all that, and pair it with a "No lemon returns, in fact no returns at all" treatment of customers.
Also, the tread wore out super fast.
I have the Reebok Powerlite Mids, Bearfoot Ursus, and Sabo Heavy Duty, and by far the Reeboks are my favorite. I like the Ursus a lot as they are extremely comfortable, but the build quality is pretty mediocre. I hated the Sabos, found them to be way too stiff and very uncomfortable to wear.
Yea I agree with all of that.
High top > > . I have said since I first purchased the Notorious slippers that if they made them in a high top version, it would be so much better
Ffs, I literally ordered The Totals yesterday and this vid is recommended today. I also just found out that Converse do Chuck Taylor's in a wide fit if you order from their website.
I wouldn’t do either. I have a shoe coming out in the next few weeks that solve every problem here.
Awesome! Just want to say thanks for all the great content too. You're one of the only people I've heard mention things that I discovered by myself after years of trial and error, like breaking the wrists back on bench and sinking more. And hinging back on the squat and not trying to be upright actually lets you use your quads.
Try this: Merrell vapor glove 5 or merrell vapor glove 3 Luna leather or xero shoes zelen
The video that i needed , thx for a detail review
For sure! And check out my Avancus review for the shoe that fixed all of these issues. New release should be coming next month.
Also Vivobarefoot shoes, you might really like those also.
I ordered them
@@BrazosValleyStrength we'll be waiting for the feedback/review as well!
It's so tough to find a DL shoe for sumo ugh
You should try Feelgrounds shoes. They’re a startup barefoot company, price point similar to vivos BUT they look a lot better and have high tops
I found that the original sabo deadlift shoes didn't have a good sole. When pulling sumo my feet would slide out. I've been using the original notorious deadlift slippers for years now and they are much better. Do the new sabos have a much better sole?
Yes, much better. Although using them for bench, where I'm sliding the shoes on the floor a bit, has worn the sole down a bit.
So what you're saying is that converse are the best flat shoes?
I think I can at least say they probably aren’t the worst. Both the Adidas I looked at here are almost certainly worse.
I think the Asics wrestling shoes (I think the model is the matcontrol 2) are worth a try, both Brendan Tietz and John Haack use them for deadlifts and to me they look noticeably wider than the Adidas model you tried. Anyway, looking forward to hear your thoughts on the Vivo shoes!
Yea I know a lot of people like the Asics but I guess all of these shoes are pretty similar with the wrestling shoe style and the main difference is just the width. So I feel pretty safe recommending the sabos. Asics would be fine too if they are wider than the Adidas. And don’t have the Mexican Boot feel.
@@BrazosValleyStrength Asics is the same shoe that sabo, but better quality and con the insole is non Removable
How does the sole grip on the adidas totals compare to Feiyues and Hyper Vs? Specifically on carpet.
No idea. I’ve never used those. There are way too many shoes out there unfortunately. But these are very grippy. I think it would be hard to be significantly more grippy.
I wear feiyues for bench and dead’s (conventional) and for bench I slip a bit tbh. Maybe if there new it’s fine but wore ones will slip for people that use a lot of leg drive. For dead’s they’re awesome.
have you tried the Kabuki shoes?
best flat and wide shoe for lifting?
How much if this video did you watch before making this comment?
I think you should try the new high top converse like shoes (but improved version as they claim) from Raskol Apparel. I don't own them so i can't share an opinion, but perhaps they might resemble the reebok powerlites you are fond of. If you like those or the the vivos please do share a review please.
Yea I saw those and was curious. If the Vivos don’t work out then I might give them a go. But I may never financially recover from this project.
I managed to snag a pair of Reebok powerlites (I have two others) last year but the whole sole came away at the heel, I need to try to superglue them. For me vans/cons are too narrow toe box wise.
Considering vivobarefoots now.
So if I understood correctly, the issues you have with the adidas total is the overall stack height right?
The overall structure/ construction of the shoes are good, and if not for the stack height the would actually be good squat and deadlift shoes?
good review bro very helpful
David you should try Nike Inflict 3s they are a wider wrestling shoe, I think you would like them
Yea that’s another one I have heard better things about. And I bet they are good as long as they are wider. And that’s really all I was trying to say about the OG Sabos. They aren’t amazing but they are better than most of the bad options. So that’s probably how I would feel about any wider wrestling shoe.
maybe try the feiyvue shoes,seen people using them to bench maybe they could be solid deadlift shoe and i think theyre only like 30 bucks max
Have you ever tried the Bearfoot Ursus? Super solid shoe
4x bw sumo puller here, can confirm Sabos > notorious lifts
I know this is a 2yr old video, but, what i got so far was you didn't like the adidas shoe because the second insole was too cushioning or thick. But on the slippers that you wore in the video you were wearing socks with the slippers, wouldnt the socks give you cushion like the adidas shoe insole was giving?
You have to wear socks in powerlifting…..
@@BrazosValleyStrength yeah, I apologize just making observation about cushion of sock while wearing them with slippers. I did some local powerlifting meets in the 80’s, then after I retired from military in Dec 06, I started back powerlifting until 2012. I’m really not going to compete right now, but doing my research on flat sole shoes before buying any. I actually did my training and contest in the original adidas sambo soccer shoe. Like my belt, I lifted for a while with one prong belt, now shifted to a lever belt and love it. Now I’m watching another one of you 2yr old video flats vs heel- what is the best shoe for squats
Subbed. Good content my friend.
I’m in the top 1% for wide feet. I heard about the totals for their wide toe box. If they’re not good, then what are my options?
I bet the new shoe video I just released is better for you. But I honestly don't remember much about the width of the totals. They sucked too bad to stick in my brain at all.
Tried the sabos didn’t like the grip
I use the vivos and i switch from the sabo deadlift pro and a heel shoe for squats to only use vivo
Good to hear. Lots of people are saying very good things about the Vivos so hopefully those are a good solution.
Im destroying all my shoes in the calf machine. Are these adidas good for pressure in that front/side area?
You should watch my new video for a better shoe
Hey man I really like your content, I think much more people would watch if the videos were a little bit shorter like probably this one could be around 12-14 mins.
You guys are weird. You would prefer watching a popular channel over one that has more thorough info?
I personally watched it all the way. Enjoyed his take and critique on all shoes in the the vid.
Sabo heavy duty is by far my favorite for squats
I wish I liked that heavier feel but it’s just too much for me. I tried to use the old Metal lifting shoes/boots a long time ago and I don’t think I’ll ever want to go for another “heavy duty” shoe again.
Did you take the insole out of the hvc? You have to rip it out because it’s glued but helps the overall feel of the shoe imo and I hear no one mention this. Still a bit narrow tho lol
Yes. Like I said in the video, that’s the first thing I do with every shoe. It’s still very bad.
@@BrazosValleyStrength Damn rip the flexx 1s 😂
Sabo have demonstrated that the shoe is flat and has no heel or drop. I love it for squats though prefer wrestling shoes for deadlifts.
"Heel height - All the shoes of the PRO Series have a small heel drop of 1 mm. This innovation allows for a cambered heel design, similar to the camber in snow skis, when the lifter’s weight is added to the shoe, the heel flattens distributing the weight more evenly, over a wider surface area. This provides a more planted feeling and better heel drive."
@@BrazosValleyStrength Sure, so maybe I misworded it, but that 1mm "goes away" when you place weight on it so I'd argue that is flat when in use which is what matters.
@@Artheam I would argue not having it at all would be better then. I don't really understand the point of it and wanting "heel drive." I feel the heel. Even if it gets compressed. It would be much better if it just wasn't there.
The flexx 1s are great imo
Can you provide a link or the full name of your Reebok shoes? I cant find them anywhere
Power lite mid. They are out of production.
@@BrazosValleyStrength ah I see. What was the shoe you recommended that are most similar to those? I'm currently using Asics matflex 5s atm but in in the market for a new one. Looking at the Asics matcontrol 2s or Adidas HVC
Did you watch the video? That’s literally the content of this video.
@@BrazosValleyStrength I'm aware I watched it last night but dont recall what you said. I wouldn't have asked if I remembered 😂
I do strongman and need a shoe that's grippy for deads, squats, and moving events
Why would you ask instead of just watching it again? That’s an interesting move.
I really like the sabo pros they're good for all 3 lifts
Yep. I agree much more with that now. Just some personal preference things really holding me back there when I do have other options.
@@BrazosValleyStrength I'm a heavy guy so I guess I'd appreciate some more ankle support lol
I really like the high top, just don’t like the super hard edge.
@@BrazosValleyStrength I could understand I got them in when I was trying to switch to sumo they felt stable.
I squat in some old timberland boots and rdl in flip flops. At home * don’t judge me 😂
By the end of this video, No Sabo nada
Vans ultra range exo trainers!
Please no
@@BrazosValleyStrength I love mine. Just sayin
Reebok is the worst company. They could be great but the people running the company are running into the ground. I had the original and the V2 of the Reebok power shoes and they’re great. I was only able to get them because I know someone who works at Reebok corporate.
Totals arch hurt! Returned them immediately!
Ha I didn’t think the arch hurt, but I agree that it did seem to have a extra thick area in the arch area that seemed EXTRA padded to me. So I found it comfortable to wear, but I was also very aware of how much arch support there was.
@@BrazosValleyStrength If the inside was less padded and minimal arch support. It would have been the perfect shoe for me. I do miss the Reebok Crossfit Lite TR Highs as well.
Yea there could be hope here. The fixes that I would want to make the Total actually good are not far off where it is now. It’s just wrong in very important areas. But right in many others.