Reebok Floatzig Tread Review
By Andrea Myers
Reebok Floatzig TreadPrice: $110.00 at Reebok
Weight: 9.1oz, 258g (men's size 9)
Stack Height: Reebok states the stack height is 20mm, but does not specify heel or forefoot
Drop: 8 mm
Shoe Purpose: Treadmill specific running shoe
Pros: Wider toe box with comfortable overall fit, good cushioning for easy runs
Cons: Shoe feels too heavy and stiff to run faster than easy
RUNNING SHOE SUMMARY
The Reebok Floatzig Tread is a lower stack, moderately cushioned shoe designed for treadmill running. Its dual density SuperFloat midsole with an EVA rim provides moderate cushioning while still providing good ground (or belt) feel. Its unique Griptonite outsole should provide better durability than running shoes with exposed midsole when running on a textured treadmill belt. The shoe runs fairly neutral thanks to a narrow rearfoot and midfoot, but does feature lateral forefoot sole flaring, which will work well for those with lateral forefoot stability needs, but may be too aggressive for those who are sensitive to forced medial forefoot loading.
FIT
(To learn how a shoe should fit, check out our full podcast on fit by Matt Klein.)
Andrea: The Reebok Floatzig Tread fits true to size in my usual women's 9.5. I have a full thumb's width from the front of my big toe to the end of the shoe. While the rearfoot and midfoot are narrow, the forefoot widens just before the MTPs and provides a comfortable amount of width and volume in the toe box. There is a rigid heel counter with a small amount of internal padding. The gusseted tongue is thin, but it does feature a small amount of additional padding closest to the ankle. The rest of the tongue is not padded enough to protect the dorsum of the foot from the laces, and I had to be cautious with how I tightened the laces to avoid lace bite. It was relatively easy to lock my feet down in the Floatzig Tread and I did not experience any foot translation or heel slippage in the shoe. Overall, the fit is comfortable, but I would like more padding in the tongue for protection from the laces.
Andrea's Typical Size: Women's US Size 9.5
Shoes that have fit Andrea well: Brooks Hyperion Max 1 and 2, Topo Cyclone 2, Nike Vaporfly 3, ASICS Novablast 4 and 5, PUMA MagMax Nitro
Shoes that have fit snug: Altra Escalante 4 (toe box width and volume), Mizuno Wave Rebellion Pro 2 and 3 (length), Saucony Endorphin Speed and Pro 1-4 (length)
Shoes that have fit large: Adidas Boston 12 (length), Adidas Adios 8 (length)
Doctors of Running Checklist
Is This a Good Shoe for Walking: Yes
Is This a Good Shoe for Standing: Yes
Is the Forefoot Flexible: Yes
How Flexible is the Shoe: Forefoot flexible, midfoot and rearfoot not flexible
Is This a Good Heel Bevel: Yes
Recommended for Haglunds: No
Is This Shoe Orthotic Friendly: Maybe
Recommended for Sockless: No
Durability Expectation: High
PERFORMANCE
Andrea: The Reebok Floatzig Tread is the first treadmill specific shoe I have tested. It arrived at an opportune time for me in Connecticut, as we are having the worst winter we have had in several years, which has kept me on the treadmill much more than I would like, and of course I kept all of my test runs in the shoe on the treadmill. My first run in the shoe was a 5 mile recovery run. The shoe surprised me with more compliance than I expected for a lower stack shoe. It felt comfortable for jogging along and felt like it was giving me a little bounce with each step. My next run in the shoe was a 6 mile easy run with several pickups from marathon pace down to threshold pace. To my surprise, the shoe felt stiff and heavy each time I tried to pick up the pace. I particularly felt like I was fighting the forefoot of the shoe, which was unexpected due to the flexibility in the forefoot. Upon further assessment, I think that the forefoot flex point is too far towards the toes, whereas I would like it to flex further back. I also think this feeling is accentuated by the sharp toe spring. I typically do not get along with shoes that have both a sharp toe spring and a flexible forefoot.
The rest of my test runs in the shoe were easy runs because I didn't want to have to fight the shoe in another workout. Again, the midsole felt nicely compliant without being soft or unstable, and I liked the grip of the full coverage outsole rubber. While Reebok only states that the stack height is 20mm (but does not specify whether this is in the heel or forefoot), it appears that the rearfoot stack is around 28mm and the forefoot is 20mm. Assuming this, the shoe feels like a somewhat higher stack shoe than it actually is. I found the shoe comfortable for midfoot landings thanks to the small heel bevel, the wide forefoot, and the large lateral forefoot sole flare.
Traction on the treadmill is excellent in the shoe thanks to the Griptonite full coverage outsole. I would expect high durability from the outsole, particularly if you limit your runs in the shoe to the treadmill. There is almost no visible wear on my pair after 25 treadmill miles.
STABILITY
(Learn more about stability in our full guide)
Andrea: The Reebok Floatzig Tread is a neutral shoe with rare forefoot stability features. The narrow midfoot and rearfoot do not provide much in the way of stability or guidance. The wide forefoot features significant lateral flaring, which Reebok calls a lateral outrigger, which results in a strong medial forefoot bias. This will work well for those with lateral forefoot stability needs (like myself) but may feel too aggressive for those who are sensitive to being pushed medially in the forefoot. The shoe also features an early forefoot rocker and sharp toe spring. The presence of the toe spring will make the shoe inappropriate for those with hallux rigidus or general toe extension limitations.
Thoughts as a DPT: Do We Need Treadmill Specific Shoes?
By Andrea Myers
The Reebok Floatzig Tread is the only treadmill specific shoe I have tested, and the only other treadmill specific shoe I can think of is the Adidas Treadflow, which was released in 2025, but doesn't appear on Adidas's US website. Both shoes feature a breathable upper, a full length rubber outsole, lower stack, and a dual density midsole. The existence of these shoes begs the question - do we need shoes that are designed specifically for treadmill running? Are the biomechanics of treadmill running sufficiently different from overground running that they justify a separate type of shoe?
A 2020 systematic review and meta-analysis analyzed the differences in running biomechanics between overground running and treadmill running. It included 33 studies with 494 participants and compared motorized treadmill running to running on a track, concrete, or laboratory runway. In general, the authors concluded that "spatiotemporal parameters, kinematic, kinetic, muscle activity, and muscle-tendon outcome measures are largely comparable between motorized treadmill and overground running."
None of these biomechanical differences justify the need for a treadmill specific running shoe. However, if I were designing a shoe for treadmill use, I would make sure it had a highly breathable upper and a wear resistant outsole. The highly textured surface of a treadmill belt does wear shoes down faster, particularly those with areas of exposed midsole. The rubber outsole design of the Floatzig makes sense from this perspective. Likewise, a breathable upper is a desirable feature of an indoor shoe due to warmer indoor temperatures and likely reduced airflow. If the geometry of the Floatzig Tread or Treadflow work with your mechanics, and you do a lot of running on the treadmill, then one of these shoes may be a good choice for you. Otherwise, I would recommend choosing treadmill shoes based on comfort and performance, not whether they are specifically designed for treadmill use.
RECOMMENDATIONS
Andrea: I like Reebok's idea for a treadmill specific shoe, however this particular shoe has features that will limit it's use for many runners. Just like there is not one best outdoor running shoe, there will not be one best treadmill running shoe. I think the sharp toe spring, narrow rearfoot and midfoot, and medially biased forefoot are going to greatly limit the number of runners this shoe works for. I would instead encourage Reebok to design this shoe as a stable neutral shoe, with a wider overall base, reduced toe spring, and balanced sole flaring throughout the length of the shoe. I also like that Reebok kept the stack height on the lower side, because there are not that many shoes with a stack below 30mm these days, and I would recommend that they maintain the lower profile in version 2.
WHO IS THIS SHOE FOR?
Andrea: The Reebok Floatzig Tread is a treadmill specific shoe that features rare forefoot stability thanks to large lateral sole flaring. This feature in combination with the sharp toe spring will limit the number of runners who will be able to run comfortably in the shoe, as the toe spring makes it inappropriate for those with reduced toe extension range of motion. If you are a runner who has a narrow heel and midfoot and a wider forefoot, needs lateral forefoot stability, and has normal toe extension range of motion, this may be a good treadmill shoe for you. I personally found the forefoot design to be best for easy running, but others may be able to use it for faster paces. At $110, this shoe is a bargain for those who get along with the design features. I think this shoe would be an even better value as a true stable neutral shoe, and I hope that Reebok will take my recommendations into consideration for future versions.
GRADES
Andrea
Fit: A- (Comfortable, wide toe box, secure upper, but thin tongue results in lace bite)
Performance: B- (Sharp toe spring combined with flexible forefoot makes the shoe only comfortable at easy paces. Shoe feels also feels heavy on foot when picking up the pace. Traction is excellent and upper is breathable, which are appreciated on the treadmill)
Stability: [neutral] B (Narrow midfoot and rearfoot reduce stability in this area, but wider forefoot and large lateral sole flare make this a rare shoe with lateral forefoot stability. Sharp toe spring will not work for those with toe mobility limitations)
Value: A (If this shoe works with your mechanics, $110 is a steal)
Personal: B- (This shoe was only comfortable for easy runs for me, and there are many other shoes that I like better for easy runs)
Overall Design: B
SHOP | SUPPORT DORReebok Floatzig TreadPrice: $110 at Running Warehouse
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