TYRForce Elite Carbon Lifter Review: The Lifting Shoe, Elevated

Introduction to the TYRForce Elite Carbon Lifter

BRADY: TYR, a brand known for making a splash in the worlds of running, swimming, CrossFit, and pickleball (no joke, they make paddles now), has officially entered the market of supers hoes… for weightlifting. It’s been almost 10 years since Nike unveiled the Vaporfly 4% at the 2016 Olympic Games in Rio, and what was originally a controversial prototype reserved for the elites has somehow become commonplace. Almost every major brand (including TYR) sells running shoes with responsive foams, carbon plates, high stacks, and rockered designs, and they’re popular for good reason — they improve performance.

So, when TYR made some big promises (35% greater force production) upon the release of the TYRForce Elite Carbon Lifter, I thought, “That’s a really long name for a shoe. ” Then I thought, “Is this the future of weightlifting shoes?”

What we like about the TYRForce Elite Carbon Lifter

BRADY: The first thing I noticed when I got this shoe in hand is that it’s an absolute unit. My US M10.5 weighs in at 22.9 ounces, a full 2.6 oz. more than my TYR L-1 Lifter. For lifting shoes, weight doesn’t matter as much as it does for running shoes, but just know you will walk around in this shoe with the grace of an elephant.

Most of that weight increase comes from material and construction improvements made from the aforementioned L-1 Lifter. The Elite Carbon features a leather upper with heavy-duty straps (TYR refers to them as electro-plated stability wraps) and metal knurled rectangular split loops to hold them in place instead of the plastic ones on the L-1 Lifter. The upper is stitched as well, which gives it a very premium look and feel in line with the shoe’s price point.

Stepping into the Elite Carbon Lifter, I noticed that TYR fixed one of the biggest gripes I had with the L-1 Lifter: the anatomical toe box, or lack thereof. If you’re like me and stick to barefoot shoes with wide toe boxes, the Elite Carbon Lifter should be certainly wide enough in the toe box to allow for proper toe splay while still providing a solid lockdown. Even though the toe box is more accommodating now for a natural foot shape, I didn’t feel myself sliding around in the shoe at all. The dual-strap system allows you to tailor the fit to your preference, so overall, I was very pleased with the fit.

The Elite Carbon Lifter features a 25.4 mm (1-inch) wooden heel, which is taller than the 3/4-inch drop found in most weightlifting shoes like the Nike Romaleos 4, Adidas AdiPower, or TYR’s own L-1 Lifter. I wasn’t sure at first how I would like the extra height, but while dropping into front squats, I thought the extra height was helpful for maintaining an upright posture, and I didn’t have any point where I felt “pitched forward” during either front squats or back squats.

In regard to stability, the shoe’s base is both wide and flat, and I found that the new TYRTac outsole performs well and grips nicely to most flooring. This new outsole rubber is found on both the Elite Carbon Lifter and the newly released L-2 Lifter, which might mean they’re moving away from the Hextread previously used on the L-1 Lifter, but regardless, you should have no issues with grip and durability with these.

Peeking through the outsole rubber in the shoe’s forefoot, you can see the familiar shine of a carbon fiber plate, similar to what you see on the bottom of the Saucony Endorphin Pro series. Marketing departments call it “visible technology” and surveys have shown that athletes want to see it. During TYR’s development of this shoe, they tested the platform and its carbon fiber plate at the Louisiana State University Shreveport’s (LSUS) Human Performance Lab; results showed a 35% greater force production, which is no small boast.

Before I say anything about the carbon plate and its efficacy, I will say this first: I’m not an elite Olympic weightlifter. I can speak to how the plate affects my training, which consists of squatting and occasional power cleans, but to really test this shoe’s performance promises, I think you would need to be doing very heavy clean and jerks. Regardless, when wearing these, I can definitely feel the rigidity of the plate underfoot, and this shoe feels solid and firm in comparison to the softer ground feel of the TYR L-1 Lifter.

What we don’t like about the TYRForce Elite Carbon Lifter

BRADY: There are so many things to like about this shoe, and it feels like a huge upgrade from TYR’s first weightlifting shoe, but I have to address the very expensive elephant in the room. This shoe is pricey– $350 is a ton of money to spend on a pair of shoes when you can find competitors like the Nike Savaleos for under $100. If you’re like me and prefer a shoe with room for the toes to roam, though, you can pick up the original TYR L-1 Lifter or the updated L-2 Lifter (which we’re looking to test soon) for between $150 and $225. The saving grace here is that the Elite Carbon Lifter is built like a tank and should last many years without any noticeable degradation, so you could probably buy this and never need to upgrade.

In regard to the shoe itself, I found the upper to be a bit stiff, and the tongue put some uncomfortable pressure on my ankle during my first couple of workouts. I think this will go away as I break the shoe in (it is leather, after all), and it wasn’t anything huge, but I did notice it.

The high 25.4 mm drop also works well for my lifting technique and proportions as I have pretty short femurs, and, well, I’m just short, but squatting in heels fundamentally changes how one performs a squat. If you’re a powerlifter squatting with the barbell in a low-bar position, you might prefer to use shoes with no drop, so I encourage you to find what works best for you before making the investment.

Final thoughts on the TYRForce Elite Carbon Lifter

BRADY: In my opinion, this is the best weightlifting shoe that money can buy right now, but it’s hard for me to recommend a shoe like this to someone who isn’t an advanced lifter or someone looking to set some huge PRs in the Clean and Jerk. If you’re an experienced athlete and know that a shoe combining a high drop, anatomical toe box, and a stiff carbon fiber plate will complement your training, I think this a fantastic shoe that could be your go-to every time you go to the gym to squat or clean.

However, if your main use for a weightlifting shoe is solely to squat more efficiently with a better range of motion, I would recommend looking at TYR’s lower-priced weightlifting shoes instead. For less than half the price of the Elite Carbon Lifter, you can get a wide-toe box lifter with a sizable drop capable of handling the heaviest of squats. If money is no option, though, and you want the best of the best regardless of the cost, this is the shoe I’d recommend, hands down.

You can pick up the TYRForce Elite Carbon Lifter for $350 from TYR by using the button below.