Review: Reebok CrossFit OLY Shoes

Recently I made an investment in my journey in the form of a pair of Olympic lifting shoes. I bought the Reebok CrossFit OLY Shoes that are pictured below. For those that are unfamiliar with these lifting shoes, they have a few specific purposes. The first of these purposes is to give you a hard surface to push off of so you don't lose any force in your lift. Imagine trying to squat on piece of memory foam compared with a slab of concrete. While these are drastic comparisons, the point that is being made is that the harder the surface you push off of, the greater the force that is directed straight to the load being lifted instead of being lost in the give of the surface. The "surface" in this explanation can also be replaced with "shoe". Think of squatting in a normal running shoe with all of its cushioning. As that load is applied to the shoe the padding will absorb this force and essentially lower your force output as you try and push back. This is the reasoning behind a lifting shoe, it gives you a hard solid surface to push against.
Another benefit of these shoes is the design of the heel. The heel is raised up to provide a mechanical advantage by keeping the shoulders over top of the hips. In this position the body is the strongest and can exert the biggest forces. It is similar to placing a weight under your heels when you squat. This is especially important when receiving heavy loads in the full squat position during a snatch or clean.
So to sum it up, a lifting shoe raises the heel to provide a more upright torso and pushing power as well as providing a hard, solid surface from which to push against.

Now to the shoes at hand, Reebok's shoe is a hybrid shoe which combines these elements along with a flexible shoe in the ball and toe region. They did this so the shoe would be able to be used during workouts that incorporate Olympic lifts and other exercises like box jumps, double unders, and burpees. The shoes run true to Reebok sizing, a 10 in their regular shoes will be a 10 in these shoes as well.
I love these shoes. They make a significant difference in squatting and even more so when doing full cleans and snatches. I could instantly feel the increased stability when I squatted down. It was the most apparent when doing overhead squats and full snatches. My feet felt glued to the ground during these lifts but the shoes are still light enough that I was able to do box jumps and double unders while still wearing them.
Overall, if you do a lot of Olympic lifting or even just a lot of squatting then I would recommend a pair of lifting shoes. If you plan on doing these lifts in conjunction with other exercises where you need some foot mobility then these are the shoes for you. Are they expensive? Yes. The Reebok ones are $150. You can find other brands from $99 to $200. Most of the other brands are going to have a hard sole throughout the entire shoe which will limit the mobility in them slightly but if you are only going to use them for those lifts then they won't be a problem for you.

So in review - If you do a lot of Olympic lifting then you may want to look into a pair. If you don't, I would pass.