These shoes are great! These As Nature Intended (ANI) high tops are my go-to shoes for most of my workouts in the gym. Their flat soles are great for any lifts that require a stable stance such as squats, bench press, deadlifts, overhead press, and many more. They provide enough structure to keep the soles of my feet supported and protected, while still allowing enough flexibility for easy walking and daily use. Comparable to common alternatives such as Converse’s Chuck Taylors, these shoes have thin soles that keep me rooted to the ground and allow me to drive more power from the ground up through my lifts.
These shoes are limited in that they do not provide great traction for exercises such as sled pushes and pulls. They are also not designed for exercises like box jumps where a springing rebound after landing is required. However, they have performed well during my jump rope workouts. I’ve had the low cut and high top variations with the latter being my favorite design so far. I bought my current pair just over 4 years ago and they have withstood many hours in the gym without any decrease in their performance.
