Under Armour TriBase Reign 4 review: Truly excellent value cross-training shoes
Under Armour Tribase Reign 4: One minute review
The Under Armour TriBase Reign 4 are a great pair of cross-training shoes, offering excellent value for money, especially at the now reduced price. Their wrap-around rubber soles are supported at the heel and toe, and feature a nice, wide toe box – all the better for big lifts. However, these shoes aren’t just for shifting steel; the cushioning makes them ideal for short runs (I have been using them to run around a mile to the gym) and explosive plyometric movements, too.
They aren’t perfect, mind, with some users reporting quick wear of the soles, plus the glossy, vinyl-style laces come undone quite easily. However, at the discounted price afforded to older versions, the TriBase Reign 4 really do reign supreme. You’ll be hard-pressed to find a pair of gym-work buddies that offer better value.
Under Armour TriBase Reign 4: Specifications
Under Armour TriBase Reign 4: Price and availability
Around $90 in the US
Under £70 in the UK
AU$120 in Australia
The Under Armour TriBase Reign 4 debuted in 2022 to critical acclaim. Since then, as is the case with older shoes, their price has dropped significantly, almost halving in the US and UK. You can now pick up a pair from third-party retailers such as SportsDirect and Dick’s Sporting Goods for around $90, although prices fluctuate.
The Reign 4 are also available from the Under Armour site, although sizes are limited depending on available stock and region.
Value score: 4/5
Under Armour TriBase Reign 4: Design
Wrap-around rubber sole and wide toe box
Midsole cushioning to support impact
Slippy tongue and laces
The Under Armour TriBase Reign 4 – much like a lot of gym kit – have clearly been designed with a particular group of people in mind: CrossFitters. Even though only a small percentage of gym-goers devote themselves to WODs, Under Armour has made a smart choice: by designing a shoe for the multi-discipline sporting option, you have something that really can do it all. Lifting? You need a flat platform, minimal heel-toe offset, and a wide toe box that offers the room for your feet to spread out under the pressure. Explosive cardio? You need a bit of cushioning to soften the impact for short stints of plyometrics or for sprinting. And throughout, you need a shoe that offers breathability for hygiene and anti-odor purposes.
The TriBase Reign 4 deliver on all those fronts; the only thing they can’t help CrossFitters with is proper pull-up form (sorry). The roomy toe box, wrap-around rubber sole and extra heel support provide a firm foundation for squatting and deadlifting. The rubber outsole wraps around the side of the shoe for durability; it’s very low to the ground, plus textured rubber sections on the outsole keep your feet locked in during lifts.
The cushioning comprises a Micro G foam midsole, running from toe to heel, which I found super comfortable. In addition, the breathable mesh upper is made up of an “abrasion-resistant” material, since CrossFitters frequently involve rope climbs in their workouts. I’d have been happier if there had been an extra layer of protection here – many training shoes do incorporate an extra layer or strip of rubber for rope-climbers – but if the mesh is tough enough, I’ll take it. It’s the one element I wasn’t able to test.
Note that the Reign 4 aren’t designed for long runs, nor should they be used for them – you’ll want to visit our list of the best running shoes for that. Instead, they’re well-suited to short, sharp jogs or sprints that are part of a more varied workout. Likewise, running shoes aren’t designed for squatting, since all that extra cushioning creates an unstable surface. This isn’t the case with the TriBase, which are designed to maximise your contact with the floor at three points between the forefoot and heel, hence the name.
The downsides? The short tongue and the flat laces; the shiny vinyl coating feels unpleasant and doesn’t take tension well. The shape and surface of the laces resulted in them frequently becoming loose mid-workout – unless extra care and attention was taken when typing them up. But, if you can get past that, then these shoes are exceptionally well designed.
Design score: 4/5
Under Armour TriBase Reign 4: Performance
Excellent weightlifting shoes
Fully flexible, with no splitting near the toes
Very comfortable, great for everyday wear
For someone who used to wear a pair of beaten-up old Vans in the squat rack, the TriBase Reign 4 are a revelation. Never have my feet felt so comfortable while lifting, or more secure. Vans may have been thin-soled flat shoes that are ideal for ground connection, but their narrower toe box impacted the stability of my lifts.
The Reign 4’s spacious toe box felt like I was squatting barefoot, except without the slippiness of a sweaty foot on a vinyl mat. That wrap-around rubber comfortably locked my feet into the lift.
Despite the outsole wrapping around the shoe, it hasn’t split, even in the area that’s frequently flexed – the base of my toes. When I’m doing push-ups, planks or split squats, I’m sitting back on bent toes; one of my first thoughts during the set was whether I’m damaging the shoes by doing so. However, following a few months of wear, I’m happy to report there’s no splitting whatsoever. These shoes seem very durable.
They’re comfortable, too. I have been happily and willingly wearing these shoes outside of the gym: to work, to the pub and for running errands. Aside from the laces, which continue to be a minor annoyance for me, I’m exceptionally happy with the performance of these shoes.
Performance score: 4.5/5
Under Armour TriBase Reign 4: Should I buy?
Buy it if...
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How I tested the Under Armour TriBase Reign 4
I wore these cross-training shoes for around two months before writing this review, testing them in the gym and out. I used them for plyometric exercises such as box jumps and burpees, I used them for planks, standing on toes and checking for splits in the rubber, and all manner of strength and conditioning workouts.
I also used them for short runs, around 1.5km on concrete roads, to test their comfort during sprints and steady-state cardio.
