Reebok Floatride Energy 5 Review: Daily running shoes big on stability

The Floatride Energy 5 are the latest daily running shoes from Reebok. They try to provide a comfortable uptempo speed as well as add more stability from top to bottom. It’s a fine line to thread, but the shoes mostly deliver on those goals while still remaining a solid value for the cost.

The Fit and Form of the Floatride Energy 5 Shoes

Reebok’s Floatride Energy 5 are sleek-looking running shoes with a swooping ankle cutout and high-heel support. The upper, which Reebok calls Speed Shift, has holes for breathability, extra protection around the toe, and a moderately padded tongue that all make for a complete package at first glance.

While the midsole foam looked familiar to my eyes, Reebok advertises that the foam base is actually “wider and taller” for “stability and comfort.” I didn’t feel any extra comfort, however, in my experience during my running miles. Under my feet, especially in the forefoot, the foam felt a little thinner and less padded than in previous models. While out running, the hard sidewalks were constantly present, which didn’t seem quite as noticeable in past Floatride Energy shoes.

There are plenty of new things that happened to the top of the Energy 5, but underneath is where the most interesting change occurred. There is a midfoot plate meant for stability, rather than propulsion. Reebok says it’s for “torsional stability.”

I could feel this plastic piece under my foot immediately after lacing up the shoes. At first, I was unsure of it. But the obvious presence of the small rigid plate under my foot faded as I put more miles on the shoes.

Even though I could feel the firmness in my midfoot as I landed and pushed off, I didn’t notice feeling any more sure-footed. But I also haven’t felt my running shoes twisting wildly or needing to be stabilized in that area. I didn’t personally need more stability from my previous Floatride Energy shoes.

If stability across the middle section of your foot is what you’re looking for your running shoes to provide, these should absolutely do that. Even though I didn’t crave the addition, I also didn’t mind it.

Running Daily in the Reebok Floatride Energy 5

After a couple of weeks and more than 20 miles, I’ve been mostly content with the direction the Floatride Energy line of shoes continues to evolve with this latest version. My feet have felt locked in, both from heel support and from the secure upper. The shoes never felt heavy or got too hot, either.

My primary disappointment with the shoes was the lack of comfort along the forefoot. I’m not sure if the midfoot plate was changing my perception or if the mixture of midsole foam is different in that area.

With the Energy 5, I felt like I was missing out on that mix of firmness and cushioning that made past shoes in this series so easy to put two to four miles on each day so easy. It hasn’t been a huge issue, but it is one area I would love some attention to for the Floatride Energy 6.

Reebok has done a fine job of adding in more stability throughout the entire shoe. Although I appreciated it while running, I never felt like I needed it. I imagine that it has been at least somewhat of a concern among past customers to see the company focus on it across all parts of the shoes.

One area the Floatride Energy line of shoes has always been great in is the outsole traction. These Energy 5 shoes were no exception. The rubber lugs on the bottom were thick enough to traverse any urban environment I ran across, as well as some maintained dirt paths.

The Energy 5 shoes are made with at least 30% recycled or repurposed materials, but unlike the Energy 4, this year’s model has a thicker tongue that is much more comfortable around the top of my foot. I have appreciated Reebok’s efforts to make its shoes more sustainable and was glad to see that initiative seemingly not impacting decisions for the materials it uses around the shoes this year.

Should You Buy the Reebok Floatride Energy 5?

The question of who this running shoe is for can be broken down into two parts: those familiar with the Floatride Energy line and newcomers to Reebok. Runners who have dabbled in Reebok’s shoes before will find these new Floatride Energy 5 a familiar breed that is still making changes to figure itself out.

People who were at least mostly satisfied with various iterations of this line of running shoes in the past should remain satisfied. The feel underfoot was different because of the midfoot plate, but it shouldn’t alienate Reebok fans.

Anyone coming from Nike or another shoe manufacturer for the sole purpose of saving a little bit of cash will want to consider their priorities. People who need some cushioning in the midsole of their daily runners will probably be disappointed here. This applies heavily to forefoot strikers.

New runners with no brand loyalty or who don’t have a feel yet for a specific foam density could find a winner with the Floatride Energy 5. These shoes are highly versatile and can do fast or slow runs with equal grace and will get you started for a reasonable price.