Got my "Rips Shoes" - Review

[DaveR]

Just got em. Here are my first impressions. For background so you know where I am coming from, I spent the last 8 years or so lifting in Chucks, powerlifted for 13 years (stopped in 2005), leaned up a little bit and lost about 30 pounds, lost some raw strength but kinda maintained my strength relative to my bodyweight (depending on the lift), and then I won the lottery (OK I made some of that up). Also, if you care, I am 39.

First impressions: Ugly. As. Hell.
But I don't care, so I got past that in about 2.5 seconds.

Squatted in them. AMAZING. Felt like my feet were glued to the floor and solid as hell. The only way I could describe it, is that I felt like there is no way someone could kick my foot out from under me. Just SOLID.

They made me a bit "taller" than the Chucks, so that was a tiny bit awkward at first. I thought the slight heel would throw me off, but it didn't. My quads were a bit sore, so there was definitely a shift in my form.

I did power cleans also, but you have to interpret them with a grain of salt. I am new to powercleans and am really just working on form increasing the weight sloooowly. (To give you persepctive I squatted 385x8 and powercleaned 170x3x3). However, the shoes made the cleans MUCH easier than they are with my Chucks.

Here's the coolest part. After my workout, I realized that my feet didn't hurt. Then I realized that my feet would always hurt after training with Chucks. I was so used to it, it became "normal" to me. And the next morning, feet didn't hurt. Then I realized that they usually do. Very, very cool.

I will probably miss my DL workout due to a non-lifting-related medical procedure I have tomorrow that will lay me up for a few days. I will report back when I DL with them.

Also, the fit was spot on with my normal shoe size.

So far, my recommendation: GET THEM.

-- Dave

[Gottatri2lift]

To all:

I have the VS athletics, they work well for me. Has anyone switched from VS athletics or shoe with 3/4" heel to the Rip shoe? Review?

[Paul Stagg]

Hows the fit? Same sizing as your normal shoes?

[DaveR]

Same exact fit. I wear a size 12 and they were right on.

[Notorious]

To all:

I have the VS athletics, they work well for me. Has anyone switched from VS athletics or shoe with 3/4" heel to the Rip shoe? Review?

I have, and IMO the difference is very small. I didn't really notice much of a change, even for deadlifts. Made my presses a little harder to balance though, probably because I was so used to a 3/4" heel.

[WildPegasus]

I just got mine today.

The size 12 fits like a regular size 12. It's a little loose in the heel for me but I only notice when I'm walking. Squatting in them just feels right compared to the Chucks type shoes I used to wear. Very stable and firm on the floor.

I'd previously read that the laces were too short but they must have fixed that issue because they were the perfect length in mine.

That being said my feet hurt wearing them but I've got as flat a foot as you can possibly have and I had it even worse wearing new hockey skates for the first time. Speaking of which, I wonder if hockey skate boots would be good to lift in. They've got a hard flat bottom and mold to your feet with lots of lateral support due to the rigidity of the boot.

[Mr.City]

I've been wearing my 13s. One foot is slightly bigger than the other, creating some discomfort in the show with the bigger foot. I wish I had a 13.5 and a 13, however it's nothing big. I have a hard noticing any real difference in my lifts. However, I like the way the shoes "stick" to my feet, a result from the metatarsal strap. And who says they look ugly?

[ILiftAlone]

A question for your guys: Do these shoes seem at all wide?

I ask because I have unusually wide feet. It makes me a little unsure about sizing because Im all over the place anytime I get shoes. I wear 9.5 chucks and they are a little tight in the width but good in the length. 10's probably would have been a better fit overall.

[Hurt]

I have size 11 7E feet (read: really damn wide). I tried the 11.5s no way. Size 12s fit OK but they are still narrow for my feet. You can call/email Rogue and they will measure the width of the foot bed, that may get you a better idea of what size to get. Additionally, the rogue do-wins (3/4" heal) had the same foot bed width as the ripp's in size 12.

I just got mine back, finally squatted and cleaned in them today, fantastic. These shoes are great, though a little too narrow. I lifted for (+10) years in wrestling shoes so the 1/2" heal was a good compromise to get the better support of a lifting shoe, without the typical high heal.

[ColoWayno]

I had been using the dreaded "Gels". Then I got some Chuck Taylors. I only used these for a while because I almost immediately ordered my "Rip" shoes.

Had a problem with sore feet after Power Cleaning in the Chucks. I had just about gotten used to them when my new shoes arrived. They feel amazingly solid and I feel they are working well for my foot type (high arches, kind of weak).

I didn't really have too much trouble adjusting to them. I've only had one weird squat rep since I got them where I ended up forward on my toes. I think I was just tired and got careless. No harm done, not the shoes fault.

I'm a size ten, which is what I ordered and the fit was good.