Reebok Floatride Energy 4 Review: Future Forward
By Social Media Manager Bach Pham
Reebok's Floatride Energy series has always had a special place in
my heart. The first version was an absolute blast and a standout for the
time, offering an incredibly fun, responsive foam for an outstanding
$100 value. Last year's Floatride Energy got a major remodel, softening
the Floatride Energy foam and redialing the shoe into a sleek,
borderline performance trainer with a streamlined upper. Reebok
continues to push the mold into what a budget shoe can offer, this year
incorporating sustainable elements into the shoe while still keeping the
price relatively low - albeit a touch higher at $110.
Reebok Floatride Energy 4Price: $110 at Reebok
Weight: 8.4 oz, 238 g (men's size 9), 7 oz, 198 g (women's size 8)
Stack Height: 26 mm heel, 17 forefoot (unofficial)
Drop: 9 mm
Classification: Lightweight daily trainer
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The Reebok Floatride Energy 4 features a subtle update to last
year's fully redesigned edition. This year's model features what Reebok
calls their "Speed Shift Upper" which aims to add lightness,
breathability, and durability. The change helps the latest Floatride
Energy join Reebok's REE[CYCLED] program which aims to incorporate at
least 30% recycled materials in the upper. Underneath the new upper, the
shoe maintains last year's reengineered Floatride Energy foam which
provides a softened, comfortable ride in tandem with their well done
bevel. The shoe remains a highly affordable, well-riding shoe that does
an excellent job at eating up daily training miles.
FIT
The
Floatride Energy 4 fits true to size. The shoe features a new Speed
Shift upper which incorporates at over 30% of recycled materials, making
this the first Floatride Energy that is part of Reebok's REE[CYCLED]
program. The material on the outside is a little course to the touch,
but structured and protective, while the area around the forefoot is
mildly translucent and breathable. The top of the forefoot features a
slightly less structured material that caused some minor folding over my
toes during my first run. There was also some stiffness around the
midfoot with the new frame. Both improved over my runs, however, and has
done a nice job conforming to my feet. It's just a comfortable upper
through and through.
Compared to the last version, once broken in
there is a decent amount of room around the toes to splay during longer
runs. There is some minor, but comfortable padding around the heel that
offers light cushioning and holds the foot in well. I did find that I
had to lace lock the shoe to get a good fit on the platform itself to
align the upper with the midsole. I found regular lacing to be a bit
constricting over the top of my foot when I attempted to lace the shoes
regularly and the upper not quite syncing up with the midsole, but had
no issues when lace-locking. The tongue is very minimal and is
forgettable in a good way. There is a pull tab that actually folds in
slightly which is a nice aesthetic design for those who don't want a
pull tab flaring out wildly.
In the heel, there is a very mild
external heel counter-esque stitching that contributes to a nice
lockdown. The heel itself is fairly flexible with just the external
stitching and padding providing structure. I had no issues with any kind
of rubbing or heel slippage. The insole provides some average
cushioning and is removable. Overall, as long as the shoe was lace
locked, I grew to really enjoy the new Speed Shift upper after it
adapted to my foot with a couple of runs.
PERFORMANCE
When I think about the Floatride Energy, especially last year's
version, I think about how clean the bevel of the shoe is and how it
contributes to a very smooth ride. This year's edition carries on what
Reebok calls their "engineered bevel" which continues to do an excellent
job of helping facilitate quick, seamless transitions. While it often
takes me a mile to get warmed up in the Floatride Energy, I found the
shoe to be tremendously easy and fun to turn over once I got into
rhythm. The Floatride Energy 4 feels particularly good for daily mileage
and middle distance runs. Though I enjoyed it on my long run, I do
believe the shoe lacks just a touch of cushion underfoot to go for a
longer training run past 2-3 hours. The beveled ride is so smooth
though, it almost didn't matter for me as the ride is effortless. If you
are used to shoes like the Kinvara or older traditional trainers, you
should feel at home with the Floatride Energy 4's cushioning for a
variety of distances. The shoe can pick up the pace, but sits
more as a natural riding daily trainer that can manage strides or
slightly uptempo work. Those used to the propulsion of a carbon plated
shoe or more performance-oriented shoe like the Rebel v2 will not find
that sensation here. The Floatride Energy excels at maintaining a steady
rhythm at easy to slightly uptempo paces. The shoe is also excellent
for strides and some light work you may throw in the middle of your easy
runs.
The "carbon outsole" is carried over from Version 3 and
provides the same excellent grip and traction, which does help the shoe
pick up some pace. I was able to do some light trails in the shoe with
no issues as well. There has only been minor wear in the heel after 30
miles, and if prior versions are any indication the shoe should have a
slightly above average lifespan of 250-350 miles thanks to the durable
outsole and upper.
STABILITY
The
Floatride Energy 4 is a neutral shoe. While the forefoot has some
generous width that makes it stable upfront, the midfoot narrows
medially (inner side of the foot), taking away from the stability there.
The Floatride Energy foam is also is soft enough that it compresses a
bit, making the midfoot additionally less stable. Stepping into the
shoe, you would think this would be a very neutral shoe that is not at
all stable based on the midfoot design, but some components do help add
just a touch of stability.
The engineered bevel does a nice job
of transitioning forward, keeping you rolling with mild guidance through
the rocker. The shoe also very mildly flare out laterally through the
forefoot, promoting a tiny bit of guidance outward. Some stitching on
the medial side of the shoe's upper along with a unique insole that
curves up medially helps promote the foot towards feeling a bit more
centered. A full contact outsole and lower stack also helps provide some
good ground feel.
I did have to lace lock the shoe, however, to
feel fully centered on the platform on my first runs. The upper
loosened up during my long run and made me slightly spill out medially.
During a brief water break, I found retying the laces helped set me up
soundly for my final miles. The shoe has gotten better with time though,
and I have found the shoe to be more centered over time as it's broken
in. Again, this is very much a neutral shoe. There is a deceptive amount
of components though that make it a touch more stable than many neutral
shoe. I have flat feet and typically enjoy a more stable neutral shoe
like the Asics Nimbus Lite 3 or Craft's Ultra 2. I was genuinely
surprised to find that I had few issues with the Floatride Energy 4.
CULTURE CORNER: IS THE FUTURE GREENER?
With the
Floatride Energy 4, Reebok ultimately takes the direction that it's been
pointing at with it's various Floatride Grow models the past two years.
The shoe has been given an environmentally-friendly boost through
recycled materials in the upper and insole. Reebok has been uplifting
their green efforts the past two years and clearly wants to move to a
fully green model in the next decade. The Floatride Energy 4 presents a
subtle compromise by keeping the midsole that fans raved about in
Version 3 and incorporating the materials first seen in the Grow models
with a brand new Speed Shift Upper. For most folks, this likely won't
mean much besides a new upper that provides a comfortable fit. For
Reebok, it means their first test of A. taking their REE[CYCLED] program
a big leap forward with their most popular running model and B. testing
the effects of a $10 price increase to be able to incorporate this
element. There was no doubt with global prices dramatically increasing
that the Floatride Energy would see a price increase one way or another,
but this is also Reebok's gauge into whether they can go fully
sustainable successfully in the future. Last year's Floatride Energy
Grow model at $120 no doubt marks the path forward for the Energy series
as a whole as Reebok continues to tweak their sustainable formula to
the point where it can comparably match the impression Floatride Energy
foam that's been the hallmark of their series.
Many running
companies today are making going green a priority. The issue is that
sustainability appears to be a low priority. Anecdotally-speaking, from
our discussions with consumers it often gets outweighed by performance
and price. Reebok may be the one company that best sets the path forward
with a well-loved shoe that is being slowly adapted year-by-year to go
green. Let's say they take the shoe up to a 50% or even 100% recycled
upper at equal or slightly greater cost before dialing in a midsole that
matches performance by 2024-2025. Even if the shoe's ride and
performance doesn't dramatically change, if Reebok somehow manages to
recreate the shoe we have today into a fully green shoe in the next 3-5
years, that could mean setting a tremendously high bar for the industry
as far as competitive pricing to sustainability goes. Most companies are
taking higher end models to accomplish the task, and transitioning
green there which means price points as high as $150, $160, and even
into the $180s to $200s. If we are to get to a place where we can match
performance with sustainability at a $110-$120 range, that would mean a
tremendous impact from an environmental standpoint and a big move
competitively, putting the pressure on other companies to be able to
push product in the same range. I'm excited about where Reebok is now
with the Floatride Energy 4 and the opportunity they have to push the
industry green with the Floatride Energy series.
RECOMMENDATIONS
As
far as a daily trainer goes, the Reebok Floatride Energy 4 is an
excellent performer for the price. I personally would like to see just a
bit more midsole width under the medial side to improve stability of
the shoe.
We don't talk about the business side of things often
at Doctors of Running, but I also would love to see Reebok expand this
particular model out to more box stores and markets worldwide. A very
efficient, durable, quality daily trainer is often so hard to come by.
The Floatride Energy from Version 1 to today has provided a really solid
foundation for both new and veteran runners alike.
WHO THIS SHOE IS FOR
The Reebok Floatride Energy 4 is a neutral daily trainer that
offers a fluid ride thanks to an excellent bevel and enjoyable foam.
Those who enjoyed the previous version will find a slightly roomier
upper in the forefoot that's comfortable for longer mileage. The outsole
grip is excellent and viable for light trails. The shoe is ideal for
daily mileage, recovery miles and slightly uptempo running. For
marathoners, the Energy 4 pairs well with the new Floatride Energy X
from Reebok which offers a performance trainer for distance workouts or a
versatile speed day shoe like the Endorphin Speed. The Floatride Energy
remains a reliable neutral daily trainer that neither breaks the wallet
or sacrifices quality along the way.
FURTHER THOUGHTS
"The progression from the Floatride Energy 3 to 4 comes with an overhaul to the upper while maintaining the same midsole underneath. For fans of the underfoot feel of version 3, you will be pleased that the update maintains a very consistent ride with what you are used to. The upper does start to incorporate recycles materials and also becomes a bit more synthetic in feet. There are two layers, where the layer closer to the foot is a thin and slightly softer mesh that is covered by the top layer, a more plastic like material. Compared to the previous version, there is a bit more noticeable taper of the toe box, which is the narrowing of the toe box on both the outside and the inside of the shoe. Additionally, the volume of the toe box is a bit lower, and given the more plastic material it does not have a lot of stretch to it. This lack of stretch does seem to help with a bit of midfoot security from the upper. Overall the jump from the 3 to the 4 comes by the way of fit, aesthetic, upper material change, and a price jump of $10. The underfoot feel rides that line of being soft and firm, and the outsole provides a grippy surface that has proved durable from previous iterations." - Senior Contributor Nathan Brown
GRADING
Bach
Fit: B+/A- (Runs
true to size. Points lost for minor break-in time and some snugness in
the midfoot. Upper overall performs well and has only gotten better with
time)
Performance: A- (A really fun, really smooth ride that ticks miles off easily)
Stability: B [Neutral] (Though a neutral shoe through and through, some unique design mechanics help make it deceptively more stable than it seems)
DPT/Footwear Science: A (Integration of sustainability elements in a $110 package is a big step forward)
Personal: A (Besides the minor break-in time for the upper, the fluid ride is as fun as ever)
Overall: A- (A versatile daily trainer that ticks many boxes and appears to only get better and better from one version to the next)
SHOP | SUPPORT DORReebok Floatride Energy 4Price: $110 at Reebok
Using the following link to purchase helps support Doctors of Running. Thanks so much!
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Find all Shoe Reviews at Doctors of Running here.
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TESTER PROFILES:
Marketing and Social Media Manager
Bach Pham is a 140 lb male with PRs of 23 5K, 52 10K. He typically runs between 25-35 miles per week at a variety of paces between 8:30 (tempo) -10:00 (recovery) min/miles. He typically prefers shoes that provide some mild to firm cushioning underfoot that is lightweight and responsive. Currently his goals are to complete the half and marathon distances.
Editor's Note: As always, the views presented on this website belong to myself or the selected few who contribute to these posts. This website should not and does not serve as a replacement for seeking medical care. If you are currently injured or concerned about an injury, please see your local running physical therapist. If you are in the Los Angeles area, I am currently taking clients for running evaluations.
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