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New shoes are a guilty pleasure for us around the Magnetic offices. There always seems to be a consistent drip drop of new sneakers hitting the market, but to keep up with all of the dope ones coming out on a seemingly weekly basis would run us out of house and home.
But still, our occupations necessitate the occasional acquisition of new kicks that can hold up to the rigors of what we do daily; hitting festivals, late nights at clubs, casual walks, and more strenuous outdoor activities. And while we admit that it’s a tall order to have one pair of sneakers check all those boxes, we certainly stumbled upon one that comes close.
We were sent a pair of the Lane Eight HIIT Trainer shoes to try on for size, and after wearing them out on the town and on the trail for the last few weeks, we were pleasantly surprised at what we found.
So let’s dive into the review of the Lane Eight HIIT Trainers
What Are Lane Eight Shoes?
The Lane Eight HIIT Trainer shoe is a brand-new style from the boutique activewear shoe company Lane Eight. This new model of shoe is explicitly designed to allow users to stay active across a wide range of activities, a Jack of all Trades style of shoe-wear. And while the company has released a couple of other different shoe styles and options, the HIIT Trainer seems to be the most widely well-received one on their line.
This is likely because the HIITS Trainers are explicitly designed for High-Intensity Interval Training, which has become an increasingly popular means of exercise over the past few years. With more companies like CrossFit and Orange Theory offering their own take on interval training, there has never been a higher demand for a shoe that can, ideally, “do it all.” Lane Eight seeks to do that, and we think they pulled it off pretty well.
So let’s dive a bit deeper into the minutia of these shoes.
What I Loved Most About The Lane Eight Shoes
I received my pair of LANE EIGHT HIIT Trainers a couple of weeks ago and have rarely taken them off since. I’ve worn them at DJ gigs, hikes in the woods outside my house, and while walking through the neighborhood with my nine-month-old son strapped to my chest. And while wearing these shoes in various situations and during different activities, I discovered some things that really stood out to me.
Here are my three favorite aspects of the LANE EIGHT HIIT Trainers.
Their Support
You can tell they’ve covered you when you put these things on. The ankle support feels rigid but not overly so, and the arch support feels sturdy and durable. As somebody who gets most of their own exercise from my daily walks that usually span a few miles at a time, the most common issue I have with almost all of my footwear, from AllBirds to Nikes, is the lack of the exact support that LANE EIGHT brings.
My Nikes hold up just fine when my wife drags me to her Orange Theory Classes. But when I am on my feet, trekking across town for walks that span well over two hours, the consistent and repeated contact of my feet on the pavement always leads to lingering pain in my feet and ankles.
And while these shoes are intended for activities requiring bursts of energy and high-impact activities, the most significant benefit they brought to my actions was the ability to hold up on longer hikes and walks and use them over extended periods.
Their Style
I know this shouldn’t be at the forefront of your mind when looking into shoes specifically designed for active use, as function should be prioritized well over form. But with the LANE EIGHT, you get the best of both worlds.
The color schemes offered on the HIITS Trainer and all their other shoes offer bright, flashy, loud options that are easy on the eyes and received more than a few compliments when I was wearing them out and about.
Sure, it’s a minor thing, but wearing cool swag always makes doing what you’d do already a little bit better.
Their Sustainability
Being made with vegan microfiber overlays and other sustainable and ethically-sourced materials, the LANE EIGHT HIIT Trainers are as good for your feet as they are for the environment. In an industry plagued by Greenwashing and carbon-offsetting promises without deliverables, LANE EIGHT goes the extra mile to ensure that their products help the world their shoes help you explore.
What I Wasn’t That Crazy About
They Aren’t For Distance Running
And while there was a lot to love about these shoes, they weren’t perfect. Here are the hesitations I found while using these sneakers extensively over the past few weeks.
Anything that tries to do everything is rarely perfect, which is the same with these shoes. Because they are meant for HIITs, which have you rotating activities that impact different areas of your body rapidly, long-distance running isn’t much of a priority.
If you are looking for a fresh and stylish new pair of running shoes, you will likely find a better answer to your problem in a different brand or shoe. But if you’re looking for a balanced and versatile shoe to handle circuit training, HIITs, or others, then look no further than these kicks.
Final Thoughts On Lane Eight Shoes
At the end of the day, I was seriously impressed by these shoes and had been wearing them almost none stop since they arrived at my door. Sure, they can’t handle the consistent impact of long-distance running, but for any active person looking for an all-purpose shoe that allows them to transition seamlessly from gym to errands to a walk around the neighborhood with their family, these shoes are an easy recommendation.
Will Vance is a professional music producer who has been involved in the industry for the better part of a decade and has been the managing editor at Magnetic Magazine since mid-2022. In that time period, he has published thousands of articles on music production, industry think pieces and educational articles about the music industry. Over the last decade as a professional music producer, Will Vance has also ran multiple successful and highly respected record labels in the industry, including Where The Heart Is Records as well as having launched a new label with a focus on community through Magnetic Magazine. When not running these labels or producing his own music, Vance is likely writing for other top industry sites like Waves or the Hyperbits Masterclass or working on his upcoming book on mindfulness in music production. On the rare chance he's not thinking about music production, he's probably running a game of Dungeons and Dragons with his friends which he has been the dungeon master for for many years.
