TYR L-2 Lifter Review: Flat, Yet Flexible

Introduction to the TYR L-2 Lifter

BRADY: Three years after releasing the L-1 Lifter, TYR has revamped what was originally a bit of a unicorn — a weightlifting shoe with a wide toe box. A first of its kind, the L-1 Lifter admittedly wasn’t perfect, but it nestled into its corner in the market by providing a lifting shoe meant to aid performance while also preventing injury by allowing athletes to have a natural toe splay.

Then, TYR released the Elite Carbon Lifter, a huge jump in quality from the L-1 Lifter that also came with a big jump in price. That beast of a shoe is meant to compete with lifters like the ANTA 2, which also features a 1-inch drop and carbon-fiber plate, but is clearly not for everyone. Now, we have the L-2 Lifter, which sits nicely between TYR’s other current offerings. So, how does it stack up?

What we like about the TYR L-2 Lifter

BRADY: Just looking at the shoe, TYR nailed the aesthetic. I didn’t love the gigantic TYR logo on the original L-1, and it feels like the team made large improvements across the entire upper here. There is a grippy rubber toe guard now; most elements are stitched, and the quality looks like it jumped up a level. There’s also something about the combination of black and white leather with the gum sole that fits together nicely, while the plastic heel counter reminds me of a pair of Kobe signatures. It’s subtle, but I think the simple, retro aesthetic is nice.

On the foot, I do have to say this shoe is super comfortable for a lifting shoe. There isn’t a need for any break-in period, which you might find on other leather lifters. During my workouts, I felt like the shoe almost disappeared on my foot, and the new TYRTac outsole felt as grippy as ever on the lifting platform. The L-1 felt softer to me in the forefoot, but overall, squatting and Olympic lifting in the L-2 feel stable and secure. To me, this is a solid middle-ground between the flexibility in the L-1 and the rigidity in the Elite Carbon Lifter. Overall, this feels like a big upgrade over the L-1 without encroaching upon the company’s more premium option.

What we don’t like about the TYR L-2 Lifter

BRADY: Okay, I like everything about the L-2, but in my experience, I need to go up a half size in TYR shoes. The L-1 and Elite Carbon lifters I have tried have both been size US M10.5, with the latter feeling even a little roomy in the toe box. So, I switched it up and got a US M10 (my typical size in every running shoe I own), and the L-2 Lifter was too short in the toe box. I didn’t notice it a ton when I was lifting, but I think going up a half size would be perfect. Robbe mentioned that he didn’t have any issues, though, so it might be a me problem.

Final thoughts on the TYR L-2 Lifter

BRADY: I think this is a worthy upgrade to the original L-1 Lifter. From looks to materials and feel, I think TYR knocked it out of the park. You could compete in Olympic Weightlifting and find joy in this shoe, or you could be a general gym-goer looking to get a squatting companion, and I think you would be happy. If you want to experiment with a higher drop or a stiffer response, you could spring for the TYR Elite Carbon Lifter, but I think in comparison to other competitors in the 21 mm-ish drop range, the L-2 Lifter is a standout if you like to have some toe splay (and who doesn’t like some toe splay).

You can pick up the TYR L-2 Lifter for $225 from TYR by using the buttons below.