Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 Review | Good for Athletic-Style Training?

The Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 is the latest Nike cross-training shoe to debut from Nike. This model is a follow-up to the fairly popular Nike React Metcon Turbo and features a lot of key construction updates.

Two major updates in the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 include a Zoom Air packet built in to the Nike React foam insole and a reworked upper. For athletic-style training, I like the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 and it feels similar to the React Metcon Turbo.

If you like training shoes that feel minimalist in nature, then I think you’ll enjoy the Zoom Metcon Turbo 2. Despite liking this model for the most part, there are a few cons to note with this shoe which I’ll discuss in-depth below.

In this Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 review, I’m going to cover a variety of topics to help you decide if this shoe is a good fit for your training needs and wants.

Who Should Invest In the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2?

I think the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 will work best for the lifter and athlete that plans to primarily do athletic-style training and cross-training in this model. This shoe feels athletic in nature and reminds me of how my cleats used to fit.

The dissociated outsole delivers a maneuverable feel and provides you with enough stability to train heavy. Whether you’re doing agility work or hitting heavy compounds, this shoe feels good on the feet.

The Nike React Foam insole with the Zoom Air addition also provides this shoe with a responsive fit and feel. If you’re used to training with Nike Zoom Air in your shoes, then I think you’ll resonate with this model a lot.

As an all-in-one style training shoe, the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 is a pretty strong model. My main drawbacks with this model are that I don’t think the Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 is the best shoe for CrossFit and I do have some long-term durability concerns with these.

Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 Pros

Like the Nike React Metcon Turbo, I enjoy the athletic-style fit and feel of the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 in the gym. There are multiple things to like about this model.

1. The Sole Is Highly Mobile and the Insole Is Responsive
2. Pretty Good for Athletic-Style Training and Cross-Training
3. Fits and Feels Like the Nike Metcon 4

The first thing to like about the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 is the flexibility that the sole delivers for training. This model features a dissociated outsole construction which essentially splits the forefoot from the heel with a separate midfoot material and construction.

This gives this shoe a highly mobile and maneuverable fit and feel. When doing explosive training, lifting, and sprinting, I really like how this shoe fits and feels. In this context, it reminds me of my old soccer cleats in regard to their lightweight and mobile feel.

The Nike React Foam insole provides a nice level of responsiveness and comfort while the Zoom Air packet gives this shoe a heightened level of bounce when exploding through the forefoot. It’s a good blend of stability and versatility for different styles of training.

To add to this, my second thing to like about this model is that it’s a pretty good shoe for cross-training and athletic-style workouts. The fit and feel of this shoe make it feel minimalist in nature and if you like this style of footwear then this model should resonate with you.

When deadlifting 500 lbs, this model provided plenty of stability and when doing power cleans and accessory movements, this shoe provided a nice blend of versatility with its stability.

I think if you’re an athlete and you plan to use these for workouts that blend a little bit of everything together, then you’ll really enjoy how this shoe performs and feels for your training. I honestly wish I had shoes like these back in high school when I was running track and training for hockey.

The final aspect to like about this model is that its fit gives me Nike Mecon 4 vibes. My favorite Nike Metcon 4 to date is the Nike Metcon 4, so if you also liked how that shoe fit in regard to its width and upper volume, then you’ll enjoy the Zoom Metcon Turbo 2.

It also fits similar to the Nike React Metcon Turbo 2, but the upper does feel slightly tighter through the forefoot which makes the Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 feel slightly narrower and I think narrow and neutral width feet athletes will enjoy this fit aspect.

Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 Cons

While I like the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 and its athletic-style fit and feel, there are a few cons that come along with this shoe’s performance and construction.

1. Mesh Upper Could Be More Durable
2. Zoom Air Feature May Not Be for Everyone
3. Still Not Great for Rope Climbs
4. Some May Experience Rub Around Malleolus

The first drawback to the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 is that the mesh around the forefoot could be more durable. In the Nike React Metcon Turbo, there were reinforced layers around the medial side of the forefoot which helped prevent friction and stress rips.

In the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2, the toe box is composed of a full mesh and there’s a smaller internal toe guard built into this shoe. The combination of these two features doesn’t do this model’s toe box durability justice, in my opinion, and leaves this model more prone to durability issues.

It’s unfortunate, and I’m hoping what I experienced is just a one-off case, but when doing a plyometric-focused workout with broad jumps, box jumps, and lateral side hops, I noticed two small stress rips in the toe box of my left shoe. I’m going to update this review as I keep testing this shoe to see when exactly this happens during training.

The second potential drawback to this model is the Zoom Air packet in the forefoot of the Nike React Foam insole. I like it for explosive work in the gym and it gives you a nice “pop”, but you do notice it if you’re doing longer workouts where you’re primarily on the forefeet.

I noticed this most during a track workout when I used this model for my warm-up pre-sprints and when playing pickleball. It wasn’t necessarily a bad thing and it didn’t feel blocky per se, however, you do notice it which I could see bothering some lifters and athletes.

Another drawback to the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2, and this was also a knock on the Nike React Metcon Turbo, is that this model is still not the best for rope climbing. They reworked the midfoot’s structure, but it still doesn’t bite the rope very well.

I think if you’re going to be using this model for CrossFit, then they’ll work pretty well for everything sans rope climbs. They’re stable, responsive, and lightweight so they have a nice athletic fit and feel for this style of training.

The last drawback to this shoe is that I think some may experience rub around their malleolus when breaking this model in. The more rigid sidewalls around the boot caused some rub on my ankles and I think this will be more problematic for lifters and athletes with a pronation bias.

If you decide to grab a pair of these or often run into this issue with new shoes, then I’d suggest wearing long socks when breaking these in. I don’t normally run into this issue with training shoes so it caught me off-guard when breaking them in.

Performance

When discussing the performance of the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2, I’m going to discuss how this performs in a variety of training settings. This way you can contextualize if this model is a good fit for your training needs.

I tested the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 for lifting, CrossFit, versatile training, and short runs. Since this shoe is designed for a little bit of everything, I tried to cover as many bases as I could with my testing process.

Testing the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 for Lifting and CrossFit

I like how the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 performed in the gym. This model has a minimalist feel which I personally love for my heavier compound movements and for leg days and deadlift days, I like how the Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 performed.

In the context of stability, this shoe was stable when pulling 500 lbs and 455 lbs for reps and for power cleans the responsive forefoot feel was a nice addition to the more stable heel that comes with this shoe.

For CrossFit, this shoe is better across the board than the React Metcon Turbo, but it’s still not my go-to for this style of training. The reason I say it’s not my go-to is that it will work for most exercises and WODs, but I’m not convinced that this model’s long-term durability will stand the test of time.

Performance-wise, this shoe does better for things like rope climbs. It’s not as grippy as the Nike Metcon 7, but the rope wrap in this model does give you a nice bite when climbing with a j-wrap rope climbing style.

I tested this model with both j-wrap and s-wrap rope climbing styles and I noticed that when s-wrapping I started getting some fraying with the stitching around the midfoot cage right by the eyelets.

I think if you primarily j-wrap your rope climbs, then you’ll enjoy this model much more than the React Metcon Turbo, however, I’m not sold on this shoe’s performance for athletes that s-wrap their climbs.

I think if you go into this model knowing and understanding its limitations, then you’ll enjoy this model for CrossFit. The heel clip is solid for handstand push-ups and the Nike React Foam insole gives this shoe a nice pop for things like double-unders and box jumps.

Testing the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 for Versatile Training

For versatile training sessions including HIIT, class-style workouts and exercises, and plyometrics, I like this shoe for the most part. The big things to note with this shoe and this style of training is its fit and feel and its long-term durability.

I like the lightweight nature of this shoe for HIIT sessions and plyometrics and the Nike React Foam and Zoom Air insole in this model help this shoe perform well for this style of workout. They’re stable enough for balance support but also responsive enough to not feel overly uncomfortable.

My only gripe with this shoe for this style of training is that the mesh may be problematic for others when it comes to long-term durability. The upper on one of my shoes showed signs of stress rips due to my toes jamming into the front of the shoes during broad jumps.

While I don’t necessarily think this will impact everyone the same, it is something to think about and consider. If you’re doing a lot of forward explosive work where the toes are hitting the end of the toe box, then you may want to keep an eye on this.

Testing the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 for Short Runs and Daily Wear

For short runs under one mile and for sprints, the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 performs really well. I could see this being a good shoe for anyone that regularly tackles track workouts with things like agility exercises, sprints, and some lifting blended into one session.

If you’re planning to add a mile here and there pre and post-workout I also think this model will work fine. It’s not my go-to for longer runs, however, if you like a more minimalist and firm shoe for running, then you might actually like this shoe for longer runs.

For daily wear, I like how this shoe looks, but it’s not my favorite for all-day wear and this is similar to how I felt about the Nike React Metcon Turbo. The limited volume in the upper and the narrower forefoot can make this shoe somewhat uncomfortable for longer duration wear, however, some may resonate with this athletic fitting model.

Plus, after some time on the feet, I think most will start to notice the Zoom Air packet in the Nike React Foam insole. This isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but it’s worth noting since it’s unique to this model compared to other shoes.

Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 Vs Nike React Metcon Turbo

The Nike React Metcon Turbo and Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 are both shoes that can be very hit or miss for athletes and lifters.

I personally like how both of these models fit and perform and if you’re on the fence between these models, then check out some of their key differences and similarities below.

In regard to similarities, both models feel the dissociated outsole construction with harder rubber on the heel and sticky rubber covering the forefoot. This is probably the biggest similarity between these models because pretty much everything else has been reworked slightly.

Both models feature a similar rope wrap around the forefoot with the Zoom Metcon Turbo 2’s rope wrap being slightly grippier, but not enough to where it feels super great for rope climbs still. It works better than the React Metcon Turbo but pales in comparison to something like a Nike Metcon 7.

Another major difference between these models is the addition of the Zoom Air packet in the Zoom Metcon Turbo 2’s insole. The Nike React foam thickness and build are similar between the React Metcon Turbo and Zoom Metcon Turbo 2, but the air packet does give the Zoom model a different feeling.

The upper constructions have also been heavily reworked on both models. The React Metcon Turbo had an upper than blended mesh and synthetic layers and knit through the forefoot and midfoot.

In the Zoom Metcon Turbo 2, the upper is primarily mesh and features a more breathable midfoot cage. Personally, I like the upper more on the React Metcon Turbo and that’s due to the durability issues that I’ve run into with my Zoom Metcon Turbo 2.

On top of the upper being reworked, the boot on the Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 has reinforced materials that are a bit more rigid on the medial and lateral side which does make the break-in process a little tougher in the Zoom Metcon Turbo 2.

I think if you have a pronation bias, then you may run into some rub under the malleolus. I don’t have a heavy pronation bias and I noticed this when wearing these with no-show socks. I never had this issue with the React Metcon Turbo’s softer boot construction.

Winner: I think both models will work and perform similarly to one another. I do think you get a little more durability in the React Metcon Turbo whereas the Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 does provide a slightly more stable feeling through the midfoot.

Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 Sizing

For the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2, most lifters and athletes should be safe going true to size. This model’s length fits true and I’d describe its width as being more narrow and neutral.

I think if you have a wider foot, then it would be worth going up a half size in this model. Do note though that there isn’t an eyelet for lace-locking, so you could run into heel slip issues if these run too long for you.

• Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 Sizing Thoughts: True to size for narrow and neutral width feet. If you have wide feet, go up a half size.

If you have additional sizing and fit questions with the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 or how their fit compares to other cross-training shoes, drop a comment below.

Price Breakdown

For the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2, you can expect to pay $150 USD. This price point is similar to the Nike React Metcon Turbo and it can be hit or miss for this shoe depending on what you’re looking for.

If you want a minimalist-style cross-training shoe that excels for athletic-style training, then I think the price point could be justified. However, I do have some long-term durability concerns with this model which is a knock on this higher price point.

Construction Details

If you’re interested in the construction of the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2, below I’ve provided some of the key construction details that influence this shoe’s performance and durability.

• Heel-to-Toe Drop: “Likely 4mm” (Per Nike’s support team)
• Weight: 12.50 oz (for my size 10 model)
• Removable Insole: Yes (However, the insole is what provides this shoe with its fit and feel. So I’d suggest not removing it for most).
• Nike React Foam Insole
• Zoom Air Packet Built-In to the Insole’s Forefoot
• Mesh Upper
• Reinforced and Breathable Midfoot Cage
• Dual-Rubber Outsole (Firmer rubber on heel, sticky rubber on forefoot)
• Midfoot Rope Wrap
• Plastic Heel Clip

If you have additional questions on the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2’s construction, drop a comment below and I can try to help you out accordingly.

Takeaway Thoughts

Overall, I enjoy the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 for training and there are multiple performance features to like about this model. The flexibility of the sole is awesome and this shoe delivers a nice blend of stability and versatility.

I do have a few concerns and drawbacks with this model which include its durability and performance for rope climbs.

If you have additional questions about this model, drop a comment below or reach out to me personally via Instagram (@jake_boly or @that_fit_friend)!