Reebok FloatZig 1 Introduction

Reebok is a brand that used to be very popular, however they have been out of the lime-light for a while. While the company has tried to reenter the competitive running market, they have yet to strike gold with any of their offerings.

Back in the early 2010s they released their Zig technology, and although it was novel, it never really gained traction. Now they have decided to combine their Float midsole tech, with the Zig format to create a trainer that is worthy of attention.

At $130, the Float Zig will compete against offerings such as Brooks Ghost 16, Nike Pegasus 41, Mizuno Wave Rider 28, ASICS Gel Cumulus 26, ASICS Novablast 4, Saucony Ride 17, and New Balance 880 v14 amongst others.

Of those offerings that I’ve tried, the FloatZig is far-and-away the softest ride available. They would also be toward the top of the list in responsiveness. Truly the only distinguishing factor that would place a couple of those shoes above the Reeboks for me is the general stability.

However, I’d put the FloatZig toward the top of that list for my personal running.

Reebok FloatZig 1 First Impressions

I was interested in trying these shoes when I saw them online. Reebok is a company that intrigues me, and they are in a place to perhaps enter the field with some different technology. So when they arrived, I was excited to see them, and they do not disappoint.

Visually, these shoes are some of the best I’ve seen or received in years. They are striking while also still looking classy. They are distinct, while not being crazy.

I bought the white, blue, and green colorway, and my wife was jealous of them when they arrived. Out of the box, I put them on my feet and was truly impressed with how soft and bouncy they felt while walking around.

On my first run, they impressed me with how soft they maintained and how responsive they were. I tried them on a quicker-tempo 5k, and they were great. Really enjoyed every aspect of them from the beginning.

Reebok FloatZig 1 Upper

Reebok uses printed overlays on the upper to help add structure to the shoe and keep your foot locked in. This is coupled with a well-cushioned tongue that stays comfortable in all the runs I did during the test phase.

The upper fits true to size, if perhaps a bit long. However, it is not long enough that I would order a half size smaller.

Reebok FloatZig 1 Sole Unit

The most distinctive feature of the Reebok FloatZig 1 is the sole unit. It will catch your eyes, and for good reason.

Reebok uses their signature Zig midsole geometry which involves having the midsole zig-zag across the midsole. This midsole design is used to help disperse weight and momentum as you land during your stride. This technology allows for the shoe to be very flexible.

In past offerings with the tech, the cushion had been too hard and it made things feel jarring. The FloatZig 1 uses Reebok’s Float Energy material, a cushion that offers a soft, yet responsive, ride. You may have seen it before in offerings like the FloatRide. The cushion is fairly light, resulting in a shoe that was lighter than I had expected (10.2 oz for Size 13).

Under the midsole, Reebok uses a carbon rubber outsole using Energy Band geometry to help add responsiveness. This outsole is engineered to also include some incredible grip. I had grip and confidence to run on any surface, including if it was wet.

The sole unit is 31mm in the heel, going down to 25mm in the forefoot. This 6mm drop is more aggressive than the normal shoe, while not being extreme for most runners. There is plenty of cushion for any length of run I did. However, I’d be wary of marathon long runs as the cushion can start wearing out during longer runs.

Reebok FloatZig 1 Conclusions

I was supremely impressed with the Reebok FloatZig 1. The combination of cushion, bounce, and responsiveness was more than I had expected.

If I’m being honest, I struggled to find many negative aspects of this shoe. They worked well on tempo runs, they did well on the track, and they felt good throughout my longer runs.

That does not mean that this is a perfect shoe, there are a couple of things I think need refinement.

Specifically, the cushion is so soft and bouncy that when I took hard corners, I felt it in my ankles more than with other shoes. This made me wary of recommending this to anyone who has ankle issues. On runs with lots of sharp corners, I felt it in my ankles after the run was done.

The other bigger issue was that toward the end of the longer runs, the cushion felt compressed and less forgiving than earlier. This was still fine for my purposes, but if I were doing an 18-miler, I don’t know if they would hold up.

Those negatives said, I truly feel that the FloatZig is one of the better shoes I’ve used in a while. At $130? These are definitely worth the price, and are absolute winners.

If you’re not in need of a lot of support, and you have strong ankles, you should check out the Reebok FloatZig 1.