Reebok Floatride Energy 5 Adventure Review: Adventure Time
By Matthew Klein & David Salas
Reebok Floatride Energy 5 AdventurePrice: $120 at Reebok
Weight: 10.4 oz, 294 g (men's size 9), (Women's Weight Not Provided)
Stack Height: 27 mm / 19 mm
Drop: 8 mm drop
Classification: Trail Running / Multi-Terrain Shoe
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
Matt: The Reebok Floatride Energy 5 Adventure is a hybrid road/trail, all-terrain shoe that adds cushioning, traction and some weight from the prior version. A tough CORDURA upper adds a snug fit in the forefoot and midfoot while a slightly loose heel has to be locked down. The sole increases in stack height while maintaining a midfoot X-plate for protection. New mild sidewalls provide better midfoot guidance while deeper lugs grip the trails far better. While this is an all-terrain shoe and can certainly handle some road, the Energy 5 Adventure improves its versatility most significantly on trails
David: The Reebok Floatride Energy 5 Adventure is an all-terrain training shoe that can tackle a little bit of everything from a footing standpoint. The shoe uses a similar platform as the popular Floatride Energy, though includes a plate in the midfoot, a multi-direction lug pattern outsole, and a CORDURA upper for security and environment protection. This is the definition of an all-terrain shoe.
SIMILAR SHOES: Nike Pegasus Trail 4, Saucony Ride TR
PAST SHOE: Reebok Floatride Energy 4 Adventure
FIT
Matt: The Reebok Floatride Energy 5 Adventure fits me mostly true to size in my normal Men's US size 10. The fit overall is slightly long and narrow everywhere except the heel. The upper material is thinner up front with significant reinforcement. The forefoot is quite tapered, narrow, and fits just a little long. This ended up providing security up front and fortunately, I did not have any abnormal chaffing. The midfoot also fits snug and I did not have to tie the laces that tight. The tongue is well-gusseted and moderately thick with greater thickness on the top of the foot than the sides. The heel fits normally width wise with a flexible heel counter and a somewhat thin heel collar. Despite the great security at the front, the rearfoot security was not great and I experienced a large amount of heel slippage. Lace locking only helped slightly and I had to mostly deal with it and tighten down the midfoot a little more. After a few miles I stopped noticing this but it was a consistent feeling at the beginning of each run. This is definitely a shoe I would NOT try sockless as the internal mesh is quite scratchy. Overall, the upper will work best for those with narrow feet and wider heels.
David: The Reebok Floatride Energy Adventure 5 fits true to size in my Men's 9.5. The fit throughout is on the snug and slightly narrow side. The upper material is decently comfortable and certainly protective from any abrasion. There is little stretch it and the security when running in trails is pretty good. The tongue is light to moderately padded but has enough padding for decently tight lacing. The tongue is gusseted and keeps the tongue from sliding. The length of the shoe was a little long for me, though still worked. I did have to use the final eyelet to help with additional heel security to prevent heel slippage. The trail specific effort did feel like it held my foot pretty well when running in softer trails like bridle material. The upper does its job pretty well, though the slightly narrow fit may make some look for other shoes. If you don't mind a slightly narrow fit this could work pretty well.
PERFORMANCE
Matt: The Reebok Floatride Energy 5 Adventure is now far more a trail than a road shoe (despite still technically being a hybrid). The lugs on the outsole are decently large, but are angled in a way that does not get in the way on the road. The outsole is also quite durable and has handle road/trail transitions without an issues over my 30 miles of use. However, the lugs and midsole feel best on trail. Unlike the softer Energy midsole from the prior model, this version runs cushioned but a tiny bit firm. There is actually more foam underfoot (28 mm compared to 26.5mm) however it feels more resilient than compliant. This is more noticeable on road but well-cushioned on trail, whereas version 4 was softer on all-terrain. The outsole also grips well on soft dirt, mild mud and steeper climbs. This is likely due to what looks and feels like deeper lugs, which makes me further feel this series has moved more onto the trial than the road.
The heel transition is fairly smooth thanks to the presence of a large, albeit centered heel bevel. This transitions quickly through the midfoot into a moderately flexible forefoot (a rarity now with the number of plated shoes). Despite the large bevel, the 8mm drop feels substantial, perhaps even slightly higher. This is not a bad thing for those wanting a little higher heel given how low most trail shoes are and I found the drop and rockered heel a decent way to offload my Achilles. Purpose-wise, this shoe works best for easy and moderate distance runs. It does a great job getting through daily miles. However, it does run lighter than its listed weight. On flat and uphill it is able to keep a good consistent pace. On downhills I have had a hard time not picking up the pace, likely due to the bevel and slightly resilient midsole. The midsole is not anything majorly special and is certainly not a super foam. However, it provides the right amount of firmness provided with rearfoot geometry that makes it fun to bomb down hills. Outside of that, this is a fairly standard all-terrain shoe that reminded me quite a bit of shoes like the Nike Pegasus Trail 4 and Saucony Ride TR.
David: The Reebok Floatride Energy 5 performed pretty well for me. It certainly runs neutral and doesn't come off as all that stable, but does well across all terrains. The shoe does a few things for me that make it work. The plate in the midfoot does seem to help with giving some slight guidance, but also seems to help with torsional rigidity of the shoe. The outsole is also decently grippy and I had no issues with runnable trails finding traction. The upper security is pretty good and did help my experience on runs when I was in trail specific situations. Does this shoe outright outperform trail specific shoes? Not really... but as a road-to-trail shoe I do have confidence in my ability to cover multiple footings without issue. The shoe feels pretty normal from a transitions point. There is a slight rounding to the heel and forefoot without an overly aggressive rocker. The transitions feel decently natural. This feels consistent with a shoes like the Forever Floatride Energy, Nike Pegasus, Saucony Ride. There is nothing overly special from the ride standpoint, but for $120 this is a decent offering if you know you are going to find yourself in a lot of road/trail hybrid runs.
STABILITY
Matt: The Reebok Floatride Energy 5 Adventure is a neutral shoe. However, there are a few methods that add a touch of guidance in this version over the prior one. The X-plate does seem to add some rigidity to the midfoot that I did not feel previously. There are also larger sidewalls in the heel and midfoot that I noticed immediately. I was initially worried about blisters, but had no trouble and found this to improve my tolerance to these over longer distances. The sole is on the narrow side for a trail shoe and the midfoot does narrow. The heel features sole flare in the rearfoot, which combined with the large centered bevel and sidewalls does keep the ride centered in the rearfoot. Overall this is a neutral shoe that does have some guidance in the rearfoot and a balanced ride in the midfoot, but those needing more stability will find this to still be a neutral shoe.
David: Despite the trail specific measures, the Floatride Energy 5 Adventure is very much a neutral shoe. The platform is normal width to slightly narrow. The Floatride Energy midsole does have some give to it. The upper security, midfoot plate, and the grippy outsole do help with stabilizing the platform. The shoe works for its intended purpose, though stability would not be what I would write home about for this model.
Thoughts as a DPT: Optimizing Fit in Trail Shoes
By Matthew Klein
While the Energy 5 Adventure may be a hybrid shoe, it leans far more toward the trail running side of things. Inevitably with trail running comes longer time on feet, greater variety of terrain and footing and greater elevation loss and gain. This requires a unique combination of features in the upper of trail shoes that can sometimes conflict. Given the variation in foot and terrain, upper security is key. You will land in a variety of mid to end range foot positions and may deal with sliding on unstable terrain (rocks, gravel, mud, etc). This requires an upper that not only locks the foot down but also keeps it on the platform. An upper that allows excessive translation not only risks blisters but also rolled ankles if things translate far enough. Therefore, upper security throughout the length of the shoe is extremely important.
On the other end, having enough room to allow for mild foot swelling and relative anatomic position is also important. Despite being on a softer surface, trail runners often spend more time on the trails due to slower speeds relative to the difficult terrain. Add to the additional pounding that comes from much greater elevation gain and loss and you have an increase in foot swelling. Blood will naturally pool slightly in the extremities for a variety of factors during longer efforts. Mild muscle damage, gravity, continued high blood flow and other factors can lead to this extremely normal occurrence. If there is not enough room in a trail shoe to accommodate this, discomfort, pressure sores and other irritations are quite common. Additional, with the variations in shock absorption and foot adaptability needed with the varying terrain, it is important that a trail shoe allow for for natural foot motion to occur within the shoe. Some of the more important shock absorption methods include mild midfoot movement and especially the ability to move and spread the toes to allow adequate force dispersion at the forefoot. If these are prevented, there may be a risk for irritation or even bone stress irritations (extreme).
RECOMMENDATIONS
Matt: The Reebok Floatride Energy 5 Adventure nails the sole for me but misses on the upper. I found the sidewalls to improve the stability and the slightly firmer midsole worked extremely well with my mechanics. The upper was the exact opposite of what I wanted, particularly over long distances. I would encourage Reebok to consider improving the volume of the upper, particularly at the forefoot where a significant amount of swelling can occur over longer distances. I would also suggest some external reinforcement to better lockdown the heel, The sole to me has improved, but if this shoe is to lean more toward the trail, I would like to see the midfoot widened just for a little more guidance.
David: The Floatride Energy 5 Adventure was a pleasant surprise. I do think the upper security and integration was pretty good, but I would like to see a tad more volume and a less narrow delivery. I would also like to see better heel lockdown, as I did have to use the final eyelet to avoid heel slippage in the heel region.
WHO THIS SHOE IS FOR
Matt: The Reebok Floatride Energy 5 Adventure is for someone wanting an all-terrain shoe with a great trail edge to it with a narrow forefoot and a well-rockered heel. The shoe can handle roads but the lugs do extremely well on a variety of trail surfaces. The slightly firmer Energy foam will get you through the road but feels better on trails. The fit is best for those with narrow feet and wider heels, an odd combination that may fit a unique population or those who want less restriction in the heel and good forefoot security. While it improves its guidance with more noticeable sidewalls, it remains a neutral shoe that runs in a similar vein to the Saucony Ride TR and the Nike Pegasus Trail. This trio of road-turned-trail shoes continues to have an important place for the majority of us who traverse the pavement to get to soft surfaces, although they all consistently need more forefoot room for some reason.
David: The Reebok Floatride Energy 5 is a training shoe for someone that wants a neutral ride that can do a little bit of everything from a footing standpoint. The shoe is an all-terrain shoe that feels decent on both road and trail. The fit throughout is a little on the narrow side. For those that have feet that respond well to narrow fits like that may like this shoe. Its a neutral daily trainer for those that find themselves frequently in road/trail hybrid runs.
GRADING
Matt
Fit: B- (Narrow forefoot/midfoot with slightly loose heel with slippage)
Performance: B+ (Well-rockered heel with moderately flexible forefoot. Consistent ride for daily miles on a variety of terrain)
Stability: B+ [Neutral] (Neutral ride with heel/midfoot sidewalls slightly offset by narrowed midfoot)
DPT/Footwear Science: B (Integration of sidewalls makes for better guided ride. Odd fit with heel slippage not optimal for trail running)
Personal: B (Average shoe that would be better for me with improved heel security. Oddly I keep reaching for this shoe for the consistent ride)
Overall: B
David
Fit: B (Good security from a material and torsional standpoint, a little long, heel slippage, narrow fit throughout)
Performance: B+/A- (Neutral training shoe that does its job pretty well. Not overly amazing in any specific footing category, but can do a little bit of everything. Best at daily paces.)
Stability: B (Very neutral throughout, normal to slightly narrow last, upper, midfoot plate, and outsole do help)
DPT/Footwear Science: B (Decent integration of trail components for a really neutral offering)
Personal: B (Good not great, but if I only had this shoe for training I wouldn't complain. It does its all terrain job pretty well.)
Overall: B
SHOP | SUPPORT DOR
Reebok Floatride Energy 5 Adventure
Price: $120 at Reebok
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FURTHER READING: MORE TRAIL SHOES
Brooks Cascadia 17 - A great trail shoe for easy runs, hiking, and walking
Brooks Catamount 2 - A redesign adds a SkyVault plate to the trail shoe
Brooks Divide 3 - A surprisingly solid trail runner at $100
Brooks Divide 4 - A light trail runner on a $100 budget
Hoka Challenger ATR 7 [Stable Neutral] - This road-to-trail comes in at its lightest yet with a firmer rolling ride
Hoka Stinson 7 - A crossover max cushion shoe that is built for trails, but can do road as well
Hoka Tecton X 2 - Subtle changes keep this trail racer a fun and fast ride
Hoka Zinal 2 - Hoka's super light trail runner gets an update
La Sportiva Cyklon Cross GTX - Winter ready running in every way possible
New Balance Fresh Foam X More Trail v3 - A real balance of cushion and durability for the trails
Nike Ultrafly - Nike releases their ultramarathon shoe, powered by ZoomX
Salomon Glide Max TR - A new max cushion trail entry from trail specialists, Salomon
Salomon Glide Ride 2 - A solid moderately stacked trainer for the trails
Salomon Pulsar Trail Pro 2 - A fast, aggressive trail shoe that has one setback that holds the shoe back
Salomon S/Lab Ultra 3 v2 - A snug, nimble trailer runner for speedy trails
Salomon Sense Ride 5 - A lower cushion, well-riding trail shoe that can do a bit of everything
Saucony Blaze TR - Surprisingly light trail running for $100
Sauocny Endorphin Rift - A flexible, light, PWRRUN PB-fueld trail runner
Saucony Peregrine 13 (and ST) - The lightest, yet also most cushioned model in the trail line
Saucony Xodus Ultra 2 [Stable Neutral]- A great trail runner becomes even better. Lighter, better fitting, and fun
Topo Athletic Terraventure 4 - An excellent walking, hiking option for runners and hikers alike
Xero Shoes Scrambler Low - A minimalist trail trainer with a generous fit
Find all Shoe Reviews at Doctors of Running here.
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