NOBULL Impact review

Who should buy the NOBULL Impact

The Impact from NOBULL is a premium-level cross-trainer that caters to a more advanced athlete. It can be put alongside the flagships like Nike Metcons and Reebok Nanos.

Based on our tests, this shoe is perfect for:

• Crossfit WODs including lots of plyometric movements
• some general weightlifting (not too heavy)
• short runs (under 1 mile)

Those who train both indoors and outdoors will appreciate its reinforced outsole.

Who should NOT buy the trainer

If you prioritise weightlifting in your workout routines (especially deadlifts), it would be a better idea to go with the original NOBULL Outwork. It has a firmer, more grounded platform. You might as well have a look at our guide on lifters with sturdy elevated heels.

It is also not the most cost-efficient trainer. The asking price is £10 more than the Nike Metcon 7 and the Reebok Nano X1, which are of the same calibre. And if you were hoping to get an even cheaper trainer, see our catalogue of Crossfit shoes where we feature all of the available discounts for the previous editions.

If you prefer your cross-trainers to feel nice and light on the foot, it would be better to consider a lightweight cross-trainer (below 10.6 oz / 300 g). We found that the Impact can feel a bit clunky and blocky at times.

NOBULL Impact vs. NOBULL Outwork: what’s the update?

The brand enhances the following characteristics:

• Comfort: a much thicker midsole (about 2x) in the Impact offers more cushioning for jumps, runs, and daily wear.
• Stability: a significantly wider platform (by about 10%) creates a more stable platform for lifting.
• More arch support: we have taken note of the difference
• Traction: better grip on both indoor and outdoor surfaces as well as the rope thanks to deeper lugs and a new pattern.
• More toe protection: a much larger toe bumper also helps with explosive toe-offs.
• Fit: a bit more spacious in which our feet feel like it sitting down more deeply inside the shoe.

All of these advancements come with a bit of a price:

• £10 higher price tag (£140 over the original version’s £130)
• Increased weight (2.4 oz / 68 g heavier! in a men’s US size 10)

Impact has some extra cushioning for your jumps, runs, and walks

A taller midsole is one of the key updates in the Impact. The midsole thickness is claimed to go from about 0.5 inches to a full inch. 

Based on our measurements, the foam only got 0.2 inches (5 mm) thicker compared to the original. The Impact is 23.6 mm thick, while the Outwork is 18.6 mm.

Note: the measurements include the insole (2.8 mm) as well.

But nonetheless, we found the thicker midsole of the Impact meant significantly better shock absorption for box jumps, burpees, double-unders, and other plyometric exercises. We discovered there is also enough cushioning to support our sprints up to a mile.

We are delighted by how this NOBULL shoe doesn’t get our feet beat up as the workout progresses. The shoe even felt a lot more comfortable than when we initially started our workouts.

So, cushioning-wise, the Impact seems to have an edge over the original Outwork.

Stable cross-trainer for recreational lifting

Don’t be fooled by the thicker cushioning of the Impact. We verified that it still remains a fairly stiff platform for weightlifting. 

But the shoe’s got a noticeably wider platform than the original and the brand says it keeps a 4-mm heel-to-toe drop for a better ground feel. In fact, we felt super planted when we hit the ground.

The platform indeed got wider compared to the NOBULL Outwork. We measured it to be 9.2 mm larger in the heel and 6.2 mm more in the forefoot.

As for the drop, we actually found it to be taller than the officially reported 4 mm. It shows to be 4.8 mm given that the heel stack is 23.6 mm and the forefoot is 18.8 mm.

We learned that testers among us who are on the heavy side in the Impact had no issues whatsoever. The shoe also supported our wall balls and kettlebell exercises, among other strength training activities. It also didn't make our feet hurt during barbell cycling.

However, we believe that this is not the best option for deadlifts because of the thicker sole and the slightly raised toe. We did notice the change in our hips position. So, we advise you to look for something more grounded, like the original NOBULL Outwork if you do a lot of deadlifting.

Flexibility of the Impact: less about lifting, more about comfort

The added stack height of this NOBULL trainer certainly reflected in its stiffer build. We found very little give in the Impact which made it less than ideal for planks, lunges, and other exercises that involve forefoot flexion.

Its rigidity was confirmed in our shoe bending machine test which recorded as much as 19.7N of force needed to bend the Impact by 30 degrees. That's nearly 80% more than it takes an average training shoe! If you need that flex, try the NOBULL Outwork instead as it required only 10.0N of force.

On the flip side, the shoe's unforgiving platform proved to be very supportive and ensured good energy transfer between the foot and the ground (or machine pedals for that matter).

The shoe is too warm though

With its nearly bullet-proof SuperFabric upper, we established that the NOBULL Impact does lack in the breathability department, similar to its siblings. The trainer still felt a bit sweaty more than an hour after we finished our workout.

NOBULL Impact is flat-foot friendly

For those concerned about the shoe’s ability to support fallen arches and prevent overpronation, we vouch for the Impact to be a better option than the original Outwork.

First, the midsole itself is pretty stiff and is rather wide which won’t let your foot roll inwards.

Despite the added foam, the midsole got even firmer on the Impact. It is 7.5% denser, based on our durometer measurements.

Disclaimer: The photo below shows only 1 out of the 5 measurements we took in our lab procedure.

And if you're wondering, it gets as much as 15% firmer in cold conditions.

Finally, for those who need to use custom orthotics, we can confirm that the NOBULL Impact has a removable insole.

The logo is reflective

Reflective elements are always a nice touch. And it is good to know that the NOBULL Impact has got one.

Mind-blowing grip: this NOBULL bites everything

We are crazy about the re-worked outsole of the Impact. Its new herringbone pattern and deeper aggressive lugs work wonders on any flooring as well as on the rope.

It’s got an excellent grip for jumps and multi-directional movements. Having done double-unders in this shoe, we never felt like we were losing a sense of control the whole time. We also praised the larger toe bumper for burpees as it helped us get up from the floor really fast. 

We are also happy with the durability and traction that the Impact gives for sled pushes and other exercises on outdoor surfaces and turf.

But the magic doesn’t end there. The 360-degree rope guards on the sides proved to be sticky on the rope climbs. We encountered no slipping down the rope or losing our footing.

NOBULL Impact is truly true to size

We are satisfied with the size and fit of the NOBULL Impact in our regular US size, which almost felt like it was tailored for us. The fit overall is neutral without feeling neither loose nor cramped.

If you were happy with the toebox of the original NOBULL, you are sure to be satisfied with the fit of the Impact. The upper forefoot width is practically the same: 96.7 mm in the Trainer and 96.3 mm in the Impact.

However, we want to point out that a short break-in period (equivalent to one training session) is needed to feel fully comfortable in the shoe.

We also noticed that the heel counter got a bit stiffer in the Impact. We gave it 3/5, while the original Trainer received 1/5 (much more flexible).

One of the most durable shoes out there

We had no issues with the Impact in terms of durability. We found that it's not the type of shoe to break down, scuff, or really wear out quickly.

There are multiple contributing factors to it:

• unbeatable SuperFabric with little ceramic pods throughout it (these add protection without sacrificing flexibility)
• reinforced outsole which extends up on the sides
• thicker materials in every part of the shoe

Measuring the shoe's outsole thickness (4 mm), we can confirm that it is one of the thickest on the market.