Under Armour TriBase Reign 5 review

We strongly believe that the TriBase Reign 5 from Under Armour is a real gem that happens to be undermarketed and underappreciated. Having experienced the shoe ourselves, we can recommend it to the following folks:

• gymgoers who do a little bit of everything, from squats to rope climbs
• athletes who prefer a low-to-the-ground feel (lower stack and drop)
• Crossfitters looking for "something else" that's on par with the Nike Metcons and Reebok Nanos

We found that the TriBase Reign 5 is on the stiff side and doesn't bend that easily for planks, lunges, etc. So if you value manoeuvrability, consider the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 or the Nike Free Metcon 5 instead.

The TriBase Reigns have a reputation for being pretty grounded shoes. And the 5th iteration is no exception.

We measured the heel stack at 22.3 mm which is a few millimetres lower than the average.

This setup made us feel in touch with the ground and in control of the movements.

The trainer also proved to be low in the forefoot. With a calliper reading of 17.5 mm, it is about a millimetre lower than average.

The brand states that the Reign 5 has a heel-to-toe drop of 2 mm. This nearly-zero drop is one of the reasons why athletes keep choosing this UA trainer.

However, based on our own stack measurements, the drop is much higher than that! We found it to be 4.8 mm instead! That's a crazy discrepancy.

While this is not a big deal for most gymgoers, we think that people who are after that minimalist offset may be disappointed.

Looking at our durometer reading, the cushioning is not very plush in the Reign 5. And it shouldn't be! At 26.8 HA, it is exactly the same as the training shoe average.

The brand uses its renowned Micro G foam for the TriBase Reign 5's cushioning. While it doesn't feel very soft, we definitely experienced plenty of impact protection. Our workout went entirely free from pain and fatigue.

The shoe comes with a pretty standard insole. It adds a very welcome touch of underfoot padding to keep it cosy.

We measured its thickness at 3.9 mm which is a typical insole thickness for a training shoe.

For our average-width feet, the fit of the TriBase Reign 5 felt right at home. We can confidently claim that it runs true to size and fit.

To back up our experience with data, we measured the widest part of the toebox with a calliper. At 98 mm, it sits in the medium range of cross-trainers.

We also made sure that the Reign 5 doesn't get too tapered around the toes.

The width at the big-toe point comes in at 78.4 mm, which is also the average of our lab-tested trainers. 

The shoe has lace loops that are attached all the way to its base. It works similarly to Nike's Flywire but is much sturdier.

Our only complaint about the laces is that they are unnecessarily long.

The stiff and flat platform of the TriBase Reign 5 really boosts confidence when lifting.

We felt nice and planted in this trainer.

The shoe's midfoot cage and firm midsole teamed up to create a fairly rigid platform. Twisting the shoe, we rated its torsional rigidity as 4 out of 5. Nearly the stiffest on our scale!

This is a major stability bonus not only for lifting but also for a number of exercises where you rely on a steady base.

The shoe also provides a good amount of ankle support through its moderately stiff heel counter. On a 1 to 5 scale, where 5 is the stiffest, we rated it as 3.

Generous padding in this area also contributes to the comfort.

The TriBase Reign 5 further enhances stability with its wide platform.

We measured the widest part of the forefoot at 112.1 mm, which is a couple of millimetres wider than the average.

In the heel, our calliper shows that the widest part is 85 mm and it is a couple of millimetres narrower than the average.

We don't think that's critical but a few extra millimetres wouldn't hurt either.

Despite having two large flex grooves in the forefoot, this UA trainer turned out to be on the stiffer side.

We turned to a gauge tool to measure how much force it takes to bend the shoe to a 90-degree angle. The reading showed 24.9N which is 10% more than the average.

From our own experience, the shoe bends fine for planks and lunges as long as you don't expect the same flexibility as you see in a Nike Free Metcon 5 for example.

Working out in the UA TriBase Reign 5, we never felt like it was a heavy shoe.

Our scales show that the shoe weighs 12.3 oz (350g) in a men's US size 9. Even though it is an ounce heavier than training shoes on average, it is about the same as similar Crossfit shoes.

The Reign 5 also lost some weight compared to its predecessor which came in at 13 oz (369g).

To our delight, the UA TriBase Reign 5 is one of those rare cases where the upper combines durability and breathability quite successfully. The fact that our feet remained fresh all throughout the workout had a really positive impact on our performance.

To assess the shoe's breathability in an objective way, we pumped smoke through its upper to see how fast all of it passes through the material.

We rated the Reign's breathability as 3 out of 5. Not the highest score, yes, but a good trade-off given how wear resistant the fabric is.

Holding the upper against a bright light reveals how many ventilation holes are present throughout the upper.

Of course, we turned to our microscope to take a closer look at the shoe's unique Warp upper.

What we saw was a very intricate intertwining of various threads that all work together to create that fine balance of aeration and protection.

We couldn't wait to put the shoe's unique Warp upper to our Dremel test.

Applying the tool to the toebox for a whole 12 seconds with a 3.2N force and 10K RPM speed, we were astonished by its abrasion resistance. It got away with really minor damage and was still very much wearable!

The TriBase Reign gets a solid 4 out of 5 on our durability scale.

The heel padding on the other hand didn't do so well. After only 4 seconds of drilling, it ripped apart quite significantly.

We rated this part of the upper with the lowest score of 1 out of 5. 

As for the outsole, we got some fairly average results.

Starting with the hardness of the rubber, our durometer showed 85.4 HC. This is a very typical level of hardness for training shoes.

To assess how easy it is to wear through the outsole, we applied the Dremel to it for 22 seconds.

We then measured the depth of the dent with a tread gauge. The tool showed 1.23 mm which is a little deeper than the average.

It doesn't necessarily mean that the TriBase Reign 5 is going to be destroyed sooner than most shoes. But we recommend limiting its use to the gym if you want to extend the shoe's shelf life.

And if you need a pair for outdoor workouts, we highly recommend the Reebok Nano X2 TR Adventure.

Another factor that helps to predict outsole durability is its thickness. Measuring it with a calliper, we found that it is 4 mm thick in the Reign 5. This is a pretty average outsole.

Just like the rest of the interiors, the shoe's tongue is very well padded. We measured its thickness at 6.4 mm, which is a little more than what we see on average.

There are no gussets on this UA trainer. But the asymmetrical design of the shoe mouth proved to be pretty effective in locking the foot down and preventing tongue slips.

The finger loop on the TriBase Reign 5 has an interesting asymmetrical design.

It is easy to remove the shoe's insole and replace it with any other insert of your choice.