Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4 Review | Budget Trainer for Athletic Training?

Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4 Pros

Over the course of my testing and reviewing of the Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4, I’ve found multiple pros to like with this training shoe.

1. Solid Budget Shoe for Athletic-Style Training
2. Renew Foam Midsole Is Responsive
3. Good Training Shoe for Narrower Feet

The first aspect to like about the Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4 is its performance for athletic-style training. If you regularly like to do things like lift, jump, and do conditioning in a singular workout, then I think you’ll enjoy this shoe’s performance.

Its fit reminds me of a sport cleat and it works well for light to moderate strength work and is responsive and springy for plyometrics, HIIT workouts, and various cross-training contexts.

I also think this could be a good job option for this style of training for beginners and intermediates, especially those that don’t want to drop a ton of money on their training shoes.

For $80 USD, I feel like the Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4 shoe performs pretty well for general gym sessions. The Nike Renew foam midsole is also a perk of this when it comes to training.

This midsole is lightweight and it provides a nice level of bounce for different types of workouts. It’s not as good as something like the Nike React foam in the Nike Metcon 8 and Metcon 7, but it performs pretty well for its price.

The last aspect to like about the Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4 is its performance and fit for narrower feet. This shoe will definitely resonate best for lifters and athletes with narrow and neutral-width feet.

On top of these widths, I also think lifters and athletes with lower or normal arches will enjoy this shoe. The midfoot strap will work best for these foot anatomies regarding its security.

Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4 Cons

The Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4 does a fairly good job in the gym for most training settings. However, there are a few cons to note about this model.

1. Not a Great Pick for Wide Feet and High Arches
2. Long-Term Durability May Lack
3. Has Limitations for Heavier Lifting

The first drawback with the Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4 is its sizing and fit for particular foot anatomies. More specifically, I don’t think these will be great shoes for wide feet.

This shoe has a narrow-to-neutral width and has what I describe as the stereotypical Nike athletic shoe toe box. I think if you need width in the midfoot and forefoot, you’ll want to pass on this shoe because it’s going to feel limiting.

Outside of wide feet, lifters with high arches may also want to pass on this shoe. The velcro midfoot strap can dig into the top of the foot at times and since there’s a limited surface area with this feature, I think high arches may find this detail uncomfortable and limiting.

Another drawback with this shoe is that its long-term durability may not be the best for two reasons. Firstly, this shoe has exposed foam throughout its sole so it won’t be the best for outdoor training and daily wear.

For indoor training, this won’t be the biggest deal, but it does know this shoe’s long-term sole durability. Secondly, this shoe’s midfoot strap lacks adequate surface for its velcro, so I over time this strap will lose security due to normal velcro breakdown since there’s not a lot of wiggle room with the material.

The last drawback with the Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4 is that it’s not going to be your best shoe for heavier lifting. This shoe’s toe spring and midsole stability will lack for heavy barbell work and they’ll fall short for heavy squats, deadlifts, and cleans.

On top of heavier lifting, I don’t think this will be a great training shoe for tackling CrossFit-style workouts and sessions. This shoe’s durability will lack in this training context and it won’t deliver the best performance, in my opinion.

Performance

To discuss the performance of the Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4, I’m going to cover how this shoe performs in various training contexts. I’ll talk about how this shoe performs for lifting, versatile training, short runs, and daily wear.

This way, if you’re considering the Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4, you can cross-reference this shoe’s performance with your specific training needs and wants.

Testing Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4 for Lifting

For lifting, the Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4 does an okay job, and I think they’ll be best for beginners and intermediates who aren’t pushing a ton of weight yet for strength workouts. 

For example, I started to notice this shoe compressing a bit under squats heavier than 275 lbs and deadlifts over 365 lbs. If you’re lifting below those weight thresholds, then you should be plenty fine with the Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4’s stability.

Outside of barbell exercises, if you’re wanting this shoe for accessory work like dumbbell lunges, kettlebell circuits, or machine work, they should also perform pretty well. Again, though, with machine work mind the stability when loading for leg presses and hack squats.

When it comes to power-focused exercises such as power cleans, I thought this shoe performed okay, but it wasn’t my favorite. The toe spring in this model isn’t the best and I could see that being a limiter in this shoe’s performance.

All that being said, for general strength workouts that aren’t crazy heavy, the Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4 will work well. For heavier strength work and for CrossFit workouts, I’d pass on this shoe.

Testing the Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4 for Versatile Training

For versatile training and cross-training, I liked the performance of the Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4 for the most part. This shoe has a very athletic fit and it’s responsive for explosive exercises, which I often tie into my training sessions.

For things like box jumps, lateral jumps/skater strides, and skips, I thought the Nike Renew foam held its own and provided a nice level of “pop” and spring for these activities. I also think most beginners and intermediates will find this midsole to be plenty responsive.

I also love/hate the midfoot strap for certain training contexts. I found it supportive for lateral explosive exercises, but it can get a little restrictive for things like sled pushes as the foot stresses and flexes into it more.

I think if Nike increased the surface area of the velcro for this strap, then it would perform better for a wider range of training contexts and foot anatomies. That being said, I do like it, but for high arches, I don’t think you’ll enjoy its feel, especially for versatile training.

The outsole also does a good job with traction on different surfaces. I think if you’re training indoors, then you should be fine with these shoes for tackling most workouts on rubber gym mats and wooden floors.

Testing the Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4 for Short Runs and Daily Wear

For short runs, I liked the overall performance of the Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4 for distances that range from 1-3 miles. I think if you want this model for a light warm-up or cooldown run on a treadmill, then they should fit the bill well.

For outdoor running, I’d suggest passing on this shoe because the exposed foam can be prone to breaking down more quickly. When it comes to mileage above 3+ miles, I’d also pass on this shoe due to general comfort reasons.

In the context of daily wear, this shoe is just okay and it’s not my favorite model for all-day wear or for travel. I think the lack of a full rubber outsole will limit this shoe’s long-term durability for daily wear.

For example, if you wear these out in the rain or mud, then you may find that the soft foam midsole breaks down faster due to those elements breaking down the material’s structure.

Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4 Sizing

If you have a narrow or neutral-width foot, then you should be safe going true to size in the Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4. This model’s length runs true and its width has the stereotypical Nike “athletic” fit.

I have neutral-width feet and I liked the fit of this model when I was wearing them barefoot or in super thin no-show socks. When I wear thicker socks these shoes feel a little too snug, which is also why I think wider feet will feel limited in these shoes.

Outside of this shoe not working well for wide feet, I think high arches will also want to pass on this model. The midfoot strap has a limited surface area for velcro security and I worry that high arches won’t find them secure enough or they’ll find that they dig into the top of the foot.

• Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4 Sizing Thoughts: Narrow and neutral-width feet, go true to size. Wide feet and high arches, pass on this shoe.

If you have additional sizing and fit questions on the Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4 or how they compare to other cross-training shoes, drop a comment below and I can try to out accordingly.

Price Breakdown

For the Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4, you can expect to pay around $80 USD. Compared to other budget-friendly training shoes, I’d put this model right in the middle of the pack.

It’s an okay option and it does a good job for athletic-style training, especially for narrower feet so I could see them working really well for that type of athlete and lifter. Plus, if you can find them on sale, then that makes this model even better.

 That being said, this shoe doesn’t really wow me for $80 USD and if you want a budget-friendly option that’s more well-rounded, then you may want to explore the Nike MC Trainer 2 or Reebok Nanoflex TR 2.

Construction Details

There are a few key construction updates that come along with the Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4 compared to its predecessor. Below are some of the most important construction details to know about this shoe.

• Heel-to-Toe Drop: 4mm
• Weight: 10.1 oz (for my size 10 model)
• Removable Insole: No
• Renew Foam Midsole
• Rubber Outsole Tread
• Midfoot Arc For Support
• Midfoot Strap for Security
• Mesh Upper/Tongue
• 5 Core Eyelets

If you have additional construction questions about the Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4, drop a comment below.

Takeaway Thoughts

The Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4 is an interesting training shoe and I can see it being a good option for beginners and intermediates wanting a shoe for lighter strength work and athletic-style training.

This shoe should fit narrow and neutral-width feet really well and they do come with more midfoot support than their predecessor. I also like the springiness of their Renew foam midsole.

For advanced lifters, lifters with wide feet, and high arches, I don’t think the Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4 will be the training shoe for you, and I’d suggest passing on them.

If you have additional questions about the Nike Renew Retaliation TR 4, drop a comment below or reach out to me personally via Instagram (@jake_boly or @that_fit_friend).