adidas Men's Powerlift 4 Fitness Shoes

I'd been using my old squat shoes (Powerlift 2) for about 3 years and while they probably had some life left in them I was tempted to take a look at these having seen them in use by a lot of lifters in a couple of competitions this year. For me they are a huge improvement and I'm glad I "took the plunge"!Adidas have moved away from the plastic/vinyl construction they used in the earlier versions of this shoe and moved to a canvas body and Velcro strap. They have also added a loop at the back to help pull them on which, although a small change, is really useful and will no doubt stop the heel wearing so quickly. The soles, at least to the eye, appear the same as they did before made of hard rubber though these have always been more than adequate. The overall feel of the shoe is that it is more robust now than before and I certainly felt it was giving me more support than my old ones.I'd planned a lightish session for my first time out in these but such was the feeling of security I moved pretty quickly to try them with bigger loads and they certainly didn't let me down. With heavier weights over 200kg I felt "nailed" to the floor and transfer of leg drive through the heels was completely effective with absolutely no give in the sole.I'm really impressed with these and I think they'll be a big contributor to my moving upwards in weight over the coming months. If you're thinking about new squat shoes and don't want to spend a fortune these are really effective and I'd thoroughly recommend them.PS: I've not yet bench-pressed in these but if like me you do that in squat shoes I'm sure these will work just as well for that!

They feel a bit tight but overall good shoes:

These do the job but as others have pointed out they are a bit small. I normally take 10, and having read the reviews ordered 10.5, which is also the size I take in Converse.This was still a bit small however and my big toe was right up against the end of the shoe. Whilst I pondered getting a bigger size, the shoes fit well otherwise and I did not want a looser fit. Tightening up the shoe laces properly also helped, as it prevents the foot from sliding down towards the end of the shoe.As to the effect on my lifting, I didn't find this magical (I have excellent ankle flexibility) but definitely felt more stable, squats much easier on the knees and the dead lifting motion much easier (not banging the bar against the knees on the way up). I had hoped to add 20% to my lift, but hey ho.Update: having worn them for a week they have loosened up a bit and they are more comfortable. Still a tiny bit tight but I definitely wouldn't go for a bigger size than this.

I decided the time was right to upgrade from Powerlift 2, so chose a pair of Powerlift 4. My Powerlift 2s were in UK size 9.5, and that is my usual shoe size, so went for that again. However, the Powerlift 4 was much more snug than the Powerlift 2, so sent them back and got a pair of 10s. These are the right fit.The best thing about these shoes is that they are super comfy, much more so than the 2s. Stability feels slightly compromised to me by virtue of being a primarily canvas shoe, compared with the leather 2s, which just feel tighter when on. I also have a slight concern that being canvas they may not last as long as the 2s. However, overall they are a decent pair of shoes, feeling perfectly secure when squatting heavy, and for the price (£67 when purchased) are good value for money.

These were at a massively reduced price when I purchased them. For the price, ideal. The mrs uses these and they are her first pair of squat shoes. Stable and improved her ankle mobility for multiple exercises, which has improved her form overall.

As a long legged lifter, squats are going to be quite the pain and very frustrating because no matter how low you seem to go, it always seems like it's above parallel. These shoes changed that for me, I was able to reach parallel and go deeper thanks to the rigidness and ability to push my knees forward further than doing it barefoot. If you are squatting barefoot you are missing out on a lot, your feet will never be as secure as these shoes I don't care who you are it's just not biologically possible. regardless, these shoes are needed if you want to take your lifting seriously, just don't deadlift in them it's the wrong type of shoe for that.

Glad I purchased these, feels much more stable compared to lifting in socks, and the heel aids in getting depth.As for the fit, there are some mixed reviews as to what size to get. I got the same size as my regular trainers, where as my vans trainers are a slightly loose fit (can slip them on and off), these are more snug fitting.What I did is check the size chart by the product description, which gives you a length measurement and then compare that to my regular trainer and in my case these were a shorter length than my vans trainer of the same size, but big enough when compared to my foot measurement. Hope that helps a bit.

I've been wearing these shoes for squats for over a year. I immediately noticed the increased stability and ability to push through the floor. I wear them in the gym several times per week and they are almost like new. Very good quality and hard wearing. I also like that the material is breathable so my feet don't get too sweaty.Other reviews are correct that the sizing is a bit small. I got a half size larger than what I usually get and the fit was good.