VIKTOS Men's Core 2 Training Shoes - Lightweight Breathable Athletic Shoes for Cross Training | Mid-Volume Forefoot & Heel-to-Toe Drop Design | Perfect for Gym Workouts, Running & Outdoor Activities

I had a high hopes for these shoes but there are a few issues that I couldn't get past...I do CrossFit regularly and was looking for a potential alternative shoe that could hold up to the demands of dynamic movements, along-side mainstream CF shoes like the Reebok Nano, Nike Metcon, etc. These VIKTOS definitely have a visual appeal to them, and it's awesome that they are made by military veterans, but after trying them on they feel like they are lacking in some important functional areas...PROS:- The shoe itself is feels lightweight and breathable- Seems to cradle/lock the foot in nicely when laced in- Presentation is pretty goodCONS:- When bending at the toes, the top of the shoe crease is stiff and digs into the top of the foot- Inside the shoes, there's a weird hard spot by the top of the big toe where the big toe catches on the material when you move your foot certain ways. It almost feels like you could stub or catch your big toe on this (often) during any dynamic movements- In some ways the shoe feels sturdy but I question how it would hold up under heavy use- Also, we do rope climbs sometimes and it seems like the rope would eat this material up fairly quicklyThese could be an all-round great shoe in the future... But as of now, I just don't feel like they are "there" yet. I definitely dig the brand that VIKTOS has created though, so I hope they keep at it and continue improving over time.