Gym Belle Q&A: Reebok Nano 2.0's vs. Inov-8's

Joe asks: Hey Lauren.....so how do you like your Nanos? I'm so comfortable with my Inov-8's I'm afraid I won't like how the Nanos feel. I want to get them, just making sure you like them. Thanks! 

Too pink!By way of background, I first ordered the Reebok Nano 2.0's on the recommendation of one of my fellow coaches at CrossFit Metropolis.  He told me that he loves his new Nanos more than his Inov-8s.  Blasphemous, right?  But I was intrigued - and the Nano 2.0's came in pink, so I decided to give them a shot.  (I am still bitter about missing out on the pink Inov-8 230's last year.)  

My new sneakers arrived less than 48 hours after I ordered them, which was amazing.  But they were half a size too small (my fault) and, well, VERY pink.  I like pink.  A lot.  But these were intense.

Right around the time I sent them back, I learned that I could design custom Nano 2.0's.  I spent hours playing with color combinations.  Some of my ideas were pretty bold, but I was nervous because of the pink debacle.  In the end, I decided to go with a fairly simple gray and purple design.  I added "Gym Belle" to the sides.  

I ordered them on June 13; they arrived one month later.

Straight out of the box, they were super comfortable.  The toe box is wide and they're pretty light, although not as light as the Inov-8's. The Nano 2.0's are a more solid shoe.  The soles are considerably more substantial even though they're fairly flat.  They're also more deeply textured, which makes them grippy.

Inov-8 230, Nano 2.0, Inov-8 210I've worked out in my Nano 2.0's a few times now, and I like them.  They're flat enough to squat and lift in comfortably, but when you run and jump you feel like you've really got something between you and the ground.  My only complaint is that the back of my socks keeps slipping down into them.  I hear that will stop when they're broken in.  By far the biggest difference is that I don't feel the ground through the shoe the way I do in the Inov-8 230's and 210's.

If I were picking one shoe for a competition tomorrow, I'd pick a pair of Inov-8's.  I love their lightness and I like that grounded feeling that comes from feeling what's beneath the shoe.  That said, I'm pretty excited to have the Nanos 2.0's in my mix.  There are certainly days when I want a more substantial shoe.  And they're cute.  And they say "Gym Belle."

Meanwhile, my quest for the perfect pink sneaker continues... I'm eyeing the Inov-8 F-Lite 215 if anyone wants to buy me a present.

-Gym Belle-