At the 2019 CrossFit Games, James Newbury (the 4 x Fittest Man in Australia and 4 X CrossFit Games Athlete) stepped out onto the competition floor in a shoe that caught everyone's eye. This was the first year that athletes had been allowed to wear the footwear of their choice. As expected we saw the latest colour-ways of Nanos, Metcons and Nobulls, but it was the first time anyone had seen what was to become the Under Armour Tribase Reign 2 on James' feet. James went on to finish 5th at the Games in 2019, putting the shoe through its paces in some of the most gruelling and varied workouts imaginable, including an unforgettable performance and first place finish in the Ringer event 1.
The Tribase Reign 2 On the Foot of James newbury at the 2019 crossfit games, as he climbed into the top 10 and was titled the 5th fittest on earth.
Months later and the anticipated shoe finally launched worldwide, and we were able to get our hands upon the 2nd generation of the Tribase Reign. The original Reign 1 was launched by Under Armour a year prior, it was a balanced training shoe designed to ensure stability, even in the most dynamic and versatile of movements. With the Reign 2, Under Armour have made a series of developments that not only enable the shoe to evolve with the sport but also develop the shoe into a more mature, focused performer with the technology to support your every movement. Read on to find out what the Tribase Reign 2 can do for you and your training...
Functional fitness encompasses lifting, jumping, and lateral movements. Which means most athletes need stability AND flexibility.
STABILITY & FLEXIBILITY ARE REQUIRED. THE TRIBASE DELIVERS BOTH.
As a shoe the Tribase Reign is essentially trying to answer one major problem in functional training shoe, and that is that functional fitness needs more stability. Our feet are our foundation. They’re designed for propulsion and weight bearing, which demands a lot of stability. Going back to physics class, we know for every downward force, there must be an equal upward force. Without a base of support and close ground contact, our heel and midfoot can’t drive into the floor and create that sense of equilibrium.
The Tribase Reign answers this problem by bringing together grip & flex. Functional fitness encompasses lifting, jumping, and lateral movements. Which means most athletes need stability AND flexibility.
You can visibly see the 3 points of stability in the triangular shape on the bottom of the outer sole. It is this feature that inspired the Tribase name.
To get that combination, UA started the design process with the people at the heart of the sport - CrossFit Games veterans James Newbury and Marquan Jones - to create a shoe that delivers maximum ground control whilst ensuring versatility, stability, power and comfort.
TRIBASE TECHNOLOGY
TriBase technology maximizes ground control with three zones of flexibility to allow your foot to move naturally but with the ultimate stability for intense training. You can visibly see these 3 points of stability in the triangular base on the bottom of the outer sole, as seen in image above. It is this feature that inspired the Tribase name.
MAXIMUM GROUND FEEL
Ground control is maximised in the Tribase with the lowest heel to toe drop on the market of just 2mm. This reasonably flat sole gives the Tribase a stable feel and progressive ground to movement power transfer. This is combined this with MicroG cushioning within the midsole which supplies responsive cushioning & shock absorption to cushion your movements.
MULTIFUNCTIONAL
The engineered zonal flex & traction in the forefoot allow greater mobility in short runs, & greater grip to the ground during tough planks, sled pushes, & split jerks.
STABILITY, STREGTH & POWER
A higher heel collar offers a more locked-in feel compared with the lower heel of the Tribase 1. There is also a lowered toe spring to improve responsiveness through decreased ground contact time. The midfoot width has also increased by 10% from the Reign 1 to adapt to a larger foot range. Abrasion resistant, tough materials combined with extended rubber sidewalls protect against everything from hours of burpees to steel barbells and rope climbs, making this the ultimate versatile and durable shoe.
This shoe has the technology to take you all the way to the top, just ask James Newbury.
The Verdict ? The Tribase Reign 2 is a big step forwards from the Reign 1. A more stable locked-in feel, combined with increased traction technology makes it a far more durable and dynamic shoe. You should feel confident that this shoe has the capability to be as versatile as your programming, and has the technology to take you all the way to the top, just ask James Newbury.
The Tribase Reign 2 is now available on WIT Europe in multiple colour-ways.