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Road Running Shoes • December 1, 2022

Reebok Floatride Energy Symmetros 2 Review: Save Your Energy 4 Adventure

reebok floatride energy symmetros 2 cover
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What You Need To Know

weight

Weighs 10 oz. (283 g.) for a US M10 / 8.2 oz. (234 g.) for a US W8

[Ree]cycled

Thumbs up for some [Ree]cycled material

technology

Still loving the current Floatride formula

look

Maybe not the most unique offering from Reebok

price

Available now for $140

Intro

SAM: They say to find what works and to do it to the best of your ability. In a running ecosystem bloated with super foams, carrier foams, and layers on layers on layers, Reebok has found a simpler approach. It’s doubled down on the TPU-based Floatride Energy foam and from it, built a range of shoes that just seem to work. We were fans of both the Floatride Energy 4 and Floatride Energy 4 Adventure, given what they offered for the money, and now we’re back for more with the Reebok Floatride Energy Symmetros 2.

Reebok says the Floatride Energy Symmetros 2 is a versatile, cushioned daily trainer that’s made from at least 30% recycled or repurposed material. It’s supposed to be at home on the road, on light-duty trails, and even on the track. While it looks to be built from largely the same platform as the other shoes in the Floatride Energy line, it has a different name, so it has to be different, right?

Right?

reebok floatride energy symmetros 2 on foot

The Good

SAM: The Floatride Energy Symmetros 2 follows the rest of Reebok’s Floatride line by offering something nice to look at when our eyes stray downwards. The recycled upper echoes the Reebok Classic but gives it a smooth and modern shimmer. The outer layer of fabric around the toebox feels and looks a bit like a mesh made from plastic bottles (and it very well could be, considering the [Ree]cycled nature of this shoe), but would you believe me when I say that’s good here? It offers texture and originality to what’s otherwise a very basic trainer. There’s even a smooth blue rubber wrap around the heel flare that somehow ties the whole package together. Good on Reebok for having some visual success with more unique design elements.

The upper is plenty comfortable (you’d never know it was once a plastic bottle), if a bit rough to the touch, and feels relaxed around the midfoot and toebox, while the structured heel counter provides adequate amounts of heel security. Even though the upper is relaxed, this shoe feels more narrow than the Floatride Energy 4 Adventure, although the length is true-to-size.

The TPU-based Floatride Energy midsole is as good as ever and withstands much more than its modest stack height would attest. Although Reebok doesn’t offer the exact heel and toe heights, it doesn’t feel too far off from their Floatride Energy 4 Adventure, although this shoe is advertised with a 10mm drop, and the Energy 4 Adventure with a 9mm. The drop height paired with a gentle rocker gives a very comfortable feeling of forward momentum when running. This shoe has a more prominent heel flare but not one that becomes obtrusive for any variety of stride or strike patterns.

I’m a fan of the outsole. Its full-coverage, tightly packed, low-profile lugs look exactly as if someone took shears to the outsole from the Energy 4 Adventure. Since we weren’t too pleased with the trail grip on that shoe or the way it wanted to carry most of the trail with it, this is an improvement on a shoe that’s meant to be deployed mainly on the pavement.

Shop Reebok Floatride Energy Symmetros 2 – Men Shop Reebok Floatride Energy Symmetros 2 – Women reebok floatride energy symmetros 2 heel

The Bad

SAM: For a shoe that touts its unique upper and versatility, I wasn’t convinced by either. As attractive as the upper material is, it lacks almost any structure and seemed to loosen over the course of my test miles. I’d have to stop at least once a run to get everything tightened back in. I just couldn’t tighten this shoe enough to keep the overall fit from feeling a little loose.

Normally, this kind of comfortable looseness would be unremarkable in a road shoe, but the combination of 10mm drop, narrow toe box, and rocker kept my pinkie toes mashed uncomfortably into the lateral edge of the toebox on downhills or at faster paces. The mashing was prominent enough that I seriously considered bailing on a long run because I thought I was losing toenails. My precious toenails were ultimately fine, but my toes hurt the rest of the day.

That 10mm drop feels much steeper than it is with the thinner layer of foam under the toebox, which was not an issue with the Energy 4 Adventure. The 9mm drop there seemed much less aggressive, even with the mere 17mm of foam that the shoe offered in the forefoot. I couldn’t help but think that the ride of the Reebok Floatride Energy Symmetros 2 could be improved with just a little more foam in the forefoot and a little less drop.

Shop Reebok Floatride Energy Symmetros 2 – Men Shop Reebok Floatride Energy Symmetros 2 – Women reebok floatride energy symmetros 2 side

Reebok Floatride Energy Symmetros 2 Conclusion

SAM: Look, I could summarize and justify whatever parts of the Reebok Floatride Energy Symmetros 2 work, but I spent most of this review comparing this shoe to the Floatride Energy 4 Adventure. That shoe fits better, weighs less, and feels better in heel-to-toe turnover because of a slightly lower drop. It also has less build-up in the heel, better lockdown, AND is still made from at least 30% recycled content. It’s also $20 cheaper — $120 instead of the $140 the Symmetros 2 is listed for. Buy that shoe. They’re both Reeboks.

You can pick up the Reebok Floatride Energy Symmetros 2 for $140 by using the shop link below.

Shop Reebok Floatride Energy Symmetros 2 – Men Shop Reebok Floatride Energy Symmetros 2 – Women reebok floatride energy symmetros 2 outsole

 

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  1. BW says:

    Shame they’re not a little cheaper. They’re very simple but cool looking.

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Authors

Sam Edgin
Mid-Atlantic Trail Reviewer
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Sam lives in Baltimore with his wife and two kids and spends his days fixing espresso machines for Ceremony Coffee Roasters. He runs with the Faster Bastards when he can, races ultras, and has been working on completing the AT section by section. He thinks the best days are made of long miles on nasty trails, but that a good surf session, a really stunning book, or a day of board games are pretty all right too.

All-time favorite shoes: Saucony Xodus Ultra, Topo Athletic Ultraventure 3, Altra Lone Peak

More from Sam
Shoe Size

10

Fav. Distance

50K

PRs
  • 6:15

    50K
  • 1:40:39

    Half Marathon
  • 21:30

    5K
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