Our verdict
- Top pick in best hiit shoes (2023)
Pros
- Perfect for HIIT
- Light on the foot
- Bouncy cushioning
- Great flexibility
- Stable side support
- Snug, locked-down fit
- Breathable
Cons
- Not for wide feet
- Arc catches debris outdoors
Audience verdict
Comparison
The most similar training shoes compared
+ + Add a shoe | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Audience score | 81 Good! | 83 Good! | 85 Great! | 78 Decent! | |
| Price | $120 | $80 | $150 | $65 | |
| Use | WorkoutCross-trainingGymHIITJumping rope | WorkoutCross-trainingGymHIITJumping rope | WorkoutCross-trainingGymHIITJumping rope | WorkoutCross-trainingGymHIITJumping rope | |
| Drop lab | 4.2 mm | 8.8 mm | 9.8 mm | 4.5 mm | |
| Heel stack lab | 31.7 mm | 30.6 mm | 32.9 mm | 24.2 mm | |
| Forefoot | 27.5 mm | 21.8 mm | 23.1 mm | 19.7 mm | |
| Weight lab | 12.9 oz / 366g | 10.4 oz / 296g | 11.3 oz / 319g | 8.8 oz / 249g | |
| Lightweight | ✗ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ | |
| Breathability | Breathable | Breathable | Breathable | Breathable | |
| Width / fit | Narrow | Wide | Medium | Medium | |
| Toebox width | - | Medium | Medium | Wide | |
| Size | - | Slightly small | True to size | Slightly small | |
| Midsole softness | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced | Balanced | |
| Stiffness | Moderate | Flexible | Moderate | Flexible | |
| Torsional rigidity | Stiff | Stiff | Stiff | Flexible | |
| Heel counter stiffness | Flexible | Moderate | Flexible | Flexible | |
| Toebox durability | - | Bad | Bad | Decent | |
| Heel padding durability | - | Bad | Good | Bad | |
| Outsole durability | - | Decent | Good | - | |
| Midsole width - forefoot | Wide | Wide | Very wide | Average | |
| Midsole width - heel | Very wide | Average | Wide | Average | |
| Widths available | Normal | Normal | Normal | Normal | |
| Insole thickness | Average | Average | Average | Average | |
| Outsole thickness | Average | Average | Thin | Average | |
| Outsole hardness | Average | Hard | Average | Average | |
| Heel tab | None | Finger loop | None | None | |
| Tongue: gusset type | Both sides (full) | None | Both sides (semi) | None | |
| Tongue padding | Very thin | Average | Thin | Average | |
| Ranking | #39 Bottom 17% | #22 Bottom 29% | #15 Top 49% | #28 Bottom 9% | |
| Popularity | #25 Bottom 46% | #10 Top 33% | #21 Bottom 32% | #13 Top 42% |
Size and fit
Size
Who should buy the Nike Air Zoom SuperRep 3
We affirmed that the SuperRep 3 is appropriate for circuit training and HIIT-type exercises. You can confidently grab a pair if your workouts consist of aerobic and plyometrics exercises including burpees, box jumps, rope jumps, lunges, squats, push-ups, mountain climbers, skipping, short treadmill runs, and similar.
This trainer is among our highly recommended footwear choices for HIIT.
Who should NOT buy this training shoe
Stay away from the SuperRep 3, if you see yourself in one of the following:
- You incorporate heavy weightlifting, squats, and deadlifts into your training routine. For that purpose, your first choice should be the Nike Metcon 9 or any of the previous Metcon iterations. They’ve got a flat and firm sole and solid side support which make it significantly more stable for lifting.
- You hope to stay on a budget. There are other trainers from Nike that perform exceptionally. Consider the Nike Air Max Alpha Trainer 5 or Nike Flex Control 4.
Updates to the SuperRep 3
The SuperRep introduces a few design tweaks, upgrading both the visual and functional aspects of the shoe:
- It got lighter. We do notice that the shoe weighs less than previous versions and is more slimmed-down. The bulk has been trimmed a bit from the shoe’s cushioning, helping you stay fast on your feet.
- There is more stability. We learned that the newly introduced plate connects the front and back portions of the sole to enhance support for side lunges, skier jumps, and other side-to-side movements.
Airy upper of the SuperRep 3
The shoe uses a thin yet soft fabric that is non-padded but wraps around the foot nicely.
The mesh material does make a difference in keeping our feet cool and well-ventilated.
SuperRep 3 is perfectly cushioned for HIIT
The shoe is just what we want for HIIT workout shoes as it superbly blends cushioning, flexibility, and support. We find this shoe a must-have for HIIT because of its high level of comfort.
We are impressed with the two Zoom Air units in the forefoot which are efficient in absorbing impact and returning our energy for a kick-back.
We also feel that the SuperRep 3 helps us not to feel a workout three days after we've had it, and we believe that cushioning helps with that.
The SuperRep 3 is quite generously cushioned compared to most training shoes. It's got 31.7 mm of stack height in the heel and 27.5 mm in the forefoot. Compared to the average, it is 6.4 mm and 7.8 mm thicker respectively.
Flexes with the foot - is it really?
For every burpee, mountain climber, and similar exercise, you’ve got to have enough flex in the forefoot. The SuperRep 3 comes with a divider that allows your foot to flex naturally. We couldn't believe how easy it was to get in and out of the planks and lunges in the shoe.
Surprisingly enough, upon checking the shoe's flexibility level in our lab, we found it many times stiffer than the average (62% to be specific).
You can also see how difficult it is to bend or twist the shoe either way. We gave it 5 out of 5 in our manual flexibility check, where 5 is the stiffest. Apparently, this creates a sort of springboard effect underfoot, helping us feel quick on our feet.
The stability you need for side movements
Every SuperRep shoe comes with these funky arcs on the sides. We confirm that these do help in keeping the foot securely locked in place, especially for quick multi-directional footwork.
When we landed incorrectly when jumping off the box, the awkward landing didn’t feel hard on our feet. We found that the reason behind this is the rounded edges of the sole which make our feet feel really protected.
Contributing to the shoe's stability is its insanely wide platform.
It is one of the widest we've ever come across in training shoes. The shoe's forefoot is 114.5 mm wide while the heel is 97.4 mm. For reference, the averages are 109.7 mm and 89.9 mm respectively.
Fits snug to keep you supported
We observed that the upper wraps around the foot to create a very close-fitting coverage. The moment we put it on, it was quite tight across the foot. We thought that was because of the enhanced support on the sides of the shoe.
Thus, we established that the SuperRep 3 best suits people with narrow-to-average feet but forces people with wider feet to look elsewhere.
Unlike its broad sole, the SuperRep 3 is not so wide inside the toebox. We measured it at 97.9 mm in the forefoot, which is 2.2 mm narrower than the average.
Not the best shoe to wear outdoors
We want to take note that the carved-out arc underneath the foot is going to be a magnet for dirt and debris. So, if you do use it outdoors, you’ll have to give special attention to keeping this area clean. Don’t even think about walking in muddy areas.
Potential squeaking issue
We observed that the Zoom Air unit started making a squeaking sound with every step we took. However, this problem only occurred in one of the pairs we tested and not with the others.
