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Barbell Olympic Lifting Shoes (That Won't Break the Bank)

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Steve Freides

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Looking for recommendations for Olympic lifting shoes for my 24-year-old son. Not sure how much use they'll get so I don't want to spend a fortune. He's got a big foot (compared to mine, anyway), takes a US size 11-1/2 and sometimes 12.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

-S-
 
I've bought a few pairs in the two years I've been lifting, all used and from eBay (with one exception).

You can get a really good price if you bid on auctions (as a specialist item in a particular size, you'll rarely end up in a bidding war over a pair of lifting shoes, unless they're something very special).

Used lifting shoes also have decent resale value (provided you sell them for a fixed price) so buying used is the way forward if you're not sure how much use they'll get.

The Adidas Power Perfect 3 (or 2, if you can find them) are a great shoe for beginner/intermediate lifters as the heel lift is significant but not quite as extreme as some Oly lifting shoes and the outsoles are a little more flexible making them easier to transition to from regular sneakers. They're also machine washable so you can freshen up a lightly used pair quite easily. I picked up my pairs for around £30-£40 ($45-$55, or thereabouts).

In Reebok and Nike, I'm a 9 but wear a 10 in the Adidas so you'd probably want to get a 12 if you went for those. If you can find a bricks and mortar store you can actually try them out in that would be ideal but, if not, taking measurements at home and consulting the size guide should give you a pretty good idea of what size to get.

@Steve Freides Feel free to drop me a PM if you want to discuss any options you'd been looking at; I've spent an inordinate amount of time during lockdown buying, selling and researching weightlifting shoes and would be totally happy to share my knowledge (and hopefully not bore you half to death in the process!).
 
Chris, thanks for the good info. I'm a fan of buying used, too.

A quick search on ebay for "Adidas Power Perfect" found only new shoes, nothing used - no quite sure why.

-S-
 
These are what I use and I like them. Hard sole is fine. My son has a surgically repaired right ankle and I don’t think any additional flexibility in footwear is good for him.

-S
 

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Not seen a pair of those in the UK but they look very smart in black!
Bought mine from amazon a while ago whilst being in the USA. So its either their website or the amazon website. I live in the UK now and there is no other way of getting a pair. Personally loving them.
Had a pair of Nike Romaleos 3 and sold them after a few training sessions and kept the Nordic Lifting ones.
 
That says it's a powerlifting shoes, not a weightlifting shoe. I'm am specifically looking for a weightlifting shoes for my son to practice barbell front squats in. Related to his surgically repaired right ankle is his limited dorsiflexion in his left ankle, and his physical therapist told him he simply needs to be stronger all over. We've had good results with the "stick" drill from FMS - dorsiflex around a stick positioned at the ball of the pinkie toe and other things designed to help him improve his ROM on his left ankle while strengthening his right. Hence the idea of barbell front squats.

-S-
 
They do say so but it's for both. If you read more then they say weightlifting as well.
"Designed for professional athletes and serious lifting enthusiasts in mind. Optimal for Powerlifting, Olympic Lifting & Bodybuilding exercises."
Basically people use olympic lifting shoes for squats, even if they don't do olympic lifting. So that's how they advertise it. Has the same heel raise as any olympic shoe around 1.4".
Anyway it is just a personal preference and the price doesnt break the bank.
 
They do say so but it's for both. If you read more then they say weightlifting as well.
"Designed for professional athletes and serious lifting enthusiasts in mind. Optimal for Powerlifting, Olympic Lifting & Bodybuilding exercises."
Basically people use olympic lifting shoes for squats, even if they don't do olympic lifting. So that's how they advertise it. Has the same heel raise as any olympic shoe around 1.4".
Anyway it is just a personal preference and the price doesnt break the bank.
Daniel, it's interesting copy because it mentions that these shoes would be good for deadlifts, and an Oly lifting shoe isn't something I'd ever deadlift in, but good to know the shoe is good, even if the copy isn't. :) We'll keep this one in mind for sure. Thanks very much.

-S-
 
Daniel, it's interesting copy because it mentions that these shoes would be good for deadlifts, and an Oly lifting shoe isn't something I'd ever deadlift in, but good to know the shoe is good, even if the copy isn't. :) We'll keep this one in mind for sure. Thanks very much.

-S-
Definitely not the shoe for a deadlift. But I bought these cause I found the design really nice and has a wooden sole, and at the time I had Nike Romaleos which are way more expensive. Personally the Nordic lifting are way more comfy. Mainly used them for back and front squats.
 
I hate using my lifting shoes for conventional deadlifts but, for some reason, I rather like them for sumo DLs.
 
I bought a pair of Inov 8 Fastlifts a few years ago. I don't remember how much I paid, but they were substantially cheaper than the big brands...I use them a couple of times a week for squats and they are holding up well. Not the prettiest shoe, but they have a good rise and solid foundation.
 
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