I was excited to try the Reebok Floatride Energy Adventure 4. Recently it seems like a lot more road+trail hybrid shoes are coming out. As someone who runs 50% on roads and 50% on sandy trails (give or take each day), they seem ideal for me. But it’s hard to make a shoe that is good at both.
The Reebok Floatride Energy Adventure 4 has a unique ride and is a lightweight but well-cushioned trainer that can take you to both the roads and trails. Something that makes it interesting is that it’s also not expensive. Reebok remains one of the cheaper running brands but still produces high-quality shoes.
Reebok Floatride Energy Adventure 4 Quick Facts:
Weight: 9.6 oz
Heel to Toe Drop: 9 mm
Cost: $120
Reebok Floatride Adventure Intro:
Reebok has stepped up its game using recycled material for running shoes. The Floatride Energy Adventure 4 uses 30% recycled materials. We love to see it! I often wonder, with shoes made from recycled materials will the shoe *actually* be great. I can already tell you the Floatride Energy Adventure 4 fits and feels good. Plus, it performs well on trails and roads. The bonus: it’s at the cheaper end of running shoes for just $120. Really, I have yet to find something I don’t like with the Floatride Energy Adventure 4, which is certainly very rare.
Reebok Floatride Energy Adventure 4 Fit:
When trying on the Floatride Energy Adventure 4, I immediately noticed it felt wide. Not in a too wide feeling, but it’s definitely wider than average.
The Reebok Floatride Energy Adventure 4 features the “extended toe wrap,” which is hard to miss. This giant toe bumper prevents rocks. If you are someone who tends to “shuffle your feet” and ding up the toes, you will likely benefit from this massive toe wrap.
Most of the Reebok Floatride Energy Adventure 4 is made from recycled “ripstop upper.” The upper is thin but reinforced, and it flexes and breathes well. I was a little nervous about how the Floatride Energy Adventure 4 would breathe since it seemed thick. But even in the hot Mojave Desert summer, it breathes well. The laces are thick and long but do a fine job.
I strongly believe the best running shoe uppers disappear off your feet, and the Reebok Floatride Energy Adventure 4 does just that. I actually think it was one of the most comfortable shoes I’ve tried on just right off the bat. It feels like a shoe I’ve worn for years the second I slid it on.
Regarding size, I typically wear between a size 10-11, and the size 10.5 of the Floatride Energy Adventure 4 fits perfectly.
Reebok Floatride Energy Adventure 4 Ride:
I was most curious about the Floatride Energy Adventure 4 ride. Would it *actually* be able to handle trails and roads? Would it handle one better than the other? Most of my current runs have a combination of sandy trail+ and road. Sometimes I’ll make a 90% trail; it just depends. Mojave Desert trails are usually highly sandy, and running up sand dunes requires traction that many shoes don’t have. I struggle with finding a shoe that works because starting a run with a trail shoe often feels too hard and like I’m about to break something on the pavement. But beginning with a road shoe means I’m sliding around in the desert.
So the Reebok Floatride Energy Adventure 4 is marketed as a hybrid trainer. The midsole features a full-length Floatride Energy Foam, which gives it a softer ride. The outsole has a total length rubber and additional lugs for grip. There is no rock plate, but that seems to be fine.
Durability and Traction: I’ve run close to 100 miles in the Reebok Floatride Energy Adventure 4, and it feels nearly close to brand new. The traction is still there, and the bottom doesn’t look like I’ve made a huge dent in the lugs. We will see above-average durability, and I predict it might last 400-500 miles.
As far as traction, I’ve found it grips downhill really well. You don’t have to worry about sliding around, and it’s a great shoe for inclement weather. Heck, I might even get a pair for ice/snowy days if I lived in that region.
Where does the Reebok Floatride Energy Adventure 4 fit in my rotation? It’s a great everyday shoe and, in fact, one of my favorites right now. It feels comfortable for both roads and trails, and I was surprised a running brand could actually conquer this feat. I find it’s an awesome daily trainer if you are someone who runs partially on roads and trails. It could do either moderately well. If I were running technical courses with a lot of climbing, I would likely get something more geared toward trails. I’ve taken them on a few “only trail” runs, and they are fine, but I feel like they are better for what they are intended (trails+roads).
If I know I’ll just be running on roads, I’ll probably grab its road counterpart, the Reebok Floatride Energy 4 Shoe.
Reebok Floatride Energy Adventure 4 Conclusion:
I am a big fan of Floatride Energy Adventure 4. I think Reebok has done a great job creating a shoe you can use for both. Plus, if you have a slightly wider foot, you might be surprised with how well it fits (wider trail shoes are hard to find!). This is one of my favorite shoes of 2022. I rarely find a shoe that I have no complaints about…maybe just the long name…just kidding.
My Current Shoe Rotation:
Easy/Daily Runs: Reebok Floatride Energy Adventure 4, New Balance 1080v12, Diadora Mythos Blushield Volo, Saucony Triumph 19, Brooks Launch 9,
Speed Work: Brooks Hyperion Elite 3, Altra Vanish Carbon, 361 Flame, Nike Tempo Next%, Reebok Float Ride Run fast Pro, Nike ZoomX Streakfly, Reebok Floatride Energy X
Long Runs: Saucony Freedom 4, Hoka Clifton Edge,
Trail Running/Hiking: Brooks Caldera 6, Saucony Peregrine 12, Hoka Torrent 2, Hoka Zinal Shoe, Speedland SL: PDX,
Races: Nike ZoomX Streakfly, Asics Metaspeed Sky, Hoka One One Rocket X, adidas Adizero Pro, New Balance Fuelcell 5280, Nike Next%, Saucony Endorphin Pro 2, Reebok Run fast Pro
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Questions for you:
Have you tried the Reebok Floatride Energy Adventure 4?
What is your favorite running shoe?
Hey Hollie, is the Reebok Floatride Energy Adventure 4 “kinda water resistant”, I briefly read your review, loved the Reebok FE3, ran the Chicago Marathon in the Miami Vice Edition, then got a pair of the White Nature Friendly models (forget what they called those) but here is my dilemma. I am the father of two little girls who are doing all kinds of sports stuff and most of those grass fields are damp, wet, and swampy here in SJ and this shoe peaked my interest if it’s possibly more water resistant than the standard shoes. K. Thanks. Bye.
It is definitely more mud resistant than the regular Energy models. But the regular Energy models are still better for running on the roads. Also, we need to catch up soon!