15 Years Strong: How the Reebok Nano Transformed the Sport of Fitness

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I still remember the first time I walked into a CrossFit gym.

The year was 2008. I was a college rower in London, Ontario, and we heard that CrossFit London had Concept 2 rowing machines.

I felt like a kid in a candy shop when I walked into the 800-square-foot gym and saw a class of six people throwing barbells around and rocking kipping pull-ups, a movement I was familiar with because of my gymnastics background as a kid.

• I also noticed their shoes: The room was dominated by Converse All-Stars – “Chucks.”

“What’s going on here,” I thought.

I later learned that, while not ideal, Chucks were most CrossFit enthusiast’s shoe of choice at the time because they had a flatter sole than your typical running shoe or cross-training shoe, which was helpful for weightlifting.

They weren’t great for CrossFit, but they were better than anything else available at the time, when most people had never heard of CrossFit, let alone developed a shoe for it.

The following year, a new shoe emerged that CrossFit athletes flocked to: Vibram Five Fingers.

• Remember the ones? They were like gloves for your feet and took five minutes to put on as you tried to shove your bare toes into the individual toe slots. 

I bought myself a pair, wore them twice, and then had to throw them out because I couldn’t take the stench that was festering from wearing shoes without socks. 

Three years into my CrossFit journey, Reebok came to the rescue and launched the first Reebok Nano, which became the official shoe of the 2011 CrossFit Games. 

Finally, a shoe specific for CrossFit.

And just like that, the Nano swept in, and by the end of 2011, you couldn’t even call yourself a CrossFit athlete if you didn’t own a pair of Nanos.

Reebok Nanos From 2011-2025

Since 2011, we have seen 14 more iterations of the Nano come to market. 

• The Nano 2.0 was released in 2012, and it had a slightly wider toe box than the first model.
• The Nano 3.0 followed in 2013. It included a protective layer in the middle of the sole to prevent fraying from rope climbs. 
• A year later, in 2014, the Nano 4.0 was released at the 2014 CrossFit Games, featuring a protective layer on the front of the shoe and an enhanced toe-wrap for more durability, as well as a more rigid sole for better grip and stability.

Since then, each new version of the Nano has continued to evolve alongside the sport itself, something Reebok is proud of.

• “We’ve stayed relevant through our continued dedication to provide athletes with what they’re looking for — the sport has evolved, and so has the Nano franchise to give athletes the most elite training shoe on the market,” Tal Short, the product director at Reebok, said.

Although the CrossFit shoe market is much more competitive than it was in 2011, the Reebok Nano is still just as relevant as ever 15 years later. 

The new Nano X5s, which are available for purchase today, January 24, are no exception.

• They feature a DualResponse midsole and decoupled MetaSplit outsole to enhance performance and provide support throughout any type of workout, whether it’s a heavy lift or a conditioning session.
• Other features of the new Nano X5 are performance comfort collars and a premium Flexweave upper that helps with protection, comfort, and breathability. 

“The latest model truly pays homage to the iterations that came before it,” Short said, “[It takes lessons] and some fan-favorite features to create the latest Official Shoe of Fitness that sets a new industry standard.”

Ultimately, as plenty of shoe and apparel brands have come and gone in the CrossFit world since 2011, the Reebok Nano has become a mainstay.

Fifteen years since the first Nano became the dominant shoe of CrossFit, you can still go into any CrossFit affiliate or functional fitness gym anywhere in the world and see the shoe adorning the feet of countless hard-working athletes.

Nanos at the CrossFit Games

As more and more brands started creating training shoes designed for CrossFit athletes, it’s worth noting that the original G.O.A.T — four-time individual and sixt-time team CrossFit Games champion Rich Froning — has always worn Nanos.

• Froning even has his own Nano, which has four iterations: the Nano X1-X4 Froning.

Worth noting: From 2014 to 2018, CrossFit mandated all athletes wear Reebok shoes at the Games, as they were the title sponsor. But even after they lifted this rule, the Nano continued to be worn by many of the athletes, including podium finishers.

• In 2019, the entire women’s podium was made up of Nano-wearing women: Tia-Clair Toomey-Orr, Kristin Holte, and Jamie Greene [now Simmonds].
• Two years later, in 2021, with an even more competitive shoe game unfolding, both Pat Vellner and Brent Fikowski stood on the CrossFit Games podium after competing in Nanos. They were joined by Annie Thorisdottir on the women’s side.

Fast-forward to today, and Reebok Nanos can still be found on the competition floor at any elite-level CrossFit competition.

The Big Picture

CrossFit athletes have a few things in common: We love measurable progress, we love to suffer together, and we have always taken our shoes seriously.

In 2011, Reebok changed the game and set a new standard in CrossFit footwear. This let us move away from the less-than-optimal shoe options at the time and provided us with a footwear solution that has allowed the sport to evolve to where it is today. 

A decade-and-a-half ago, Reebok captured the hearts (and feet) of the entire CrossFit community, and it’s safe to say they still have a stronghold over both today.
The Reebok Nano X5 is now! Check out the launch colorways here.

Featured image: Reebok

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