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Coming in a close second is the Pendlay 2010 Do-Win Shoe. I DO like these shoes, but let me first cover some of the bad and set straight a few misconceptions about the shoes.
Like most mass-produced shoes, all Do-Wins are made in China, so quality control is a bit relaxed. This was apparent on the review pair we received that had a uneven heel and a mis-aligned rubber sole. I was also disappointed that the shoes were not real leather, but instead a “pleather” material. This does make breaking the shoes in much easier but it also makes them very shiny and “attention” getting. If that’s you thing, then these may well be for you.
Beyond those complaints the shoes feel great from the first time you put them on. Although these are Do Wins, the 2010 year model does not seem as wide as previous years’ so the fit is more like a regular athletic shoe. The mesh side allow the shoes to breathe pretty well so foot sweating is minimal.
The heel has been lowered for the 2010 models with a heel height coming in at 0.75″. Some people may prefer this, but a traditional Olympic lifting shoe has a higher heel for a reason, to allow more ankle flexibility and a lower descent under the bar. People, such as Mark Ripptoe, may argue that a lower heel will allow you to place more emphasis on your hamstrings during a lift but this can also be achieved by just pointing your toes outward more. Furthermore the heel height of the shoe should really be proportional to the height of the person wearing it.
Overall the Pendlays function as you would expect any weightlifting shoe and are great for everyone including those serious about weight training, crossfit athletes, or your average recreational lifter. I still think they are a bit over priced for what they are, being slightly more expensive than a few of your alternatives; however, they aren’t as expensive as models such as the Adistar or Ironwork yet they come with more options. Go figure!
Features:
- Synthetic leather, wood heel
- Available in a variety of colors
- Fit like an average athletic shoe, easy to break in
- Average heel height at 0.75″ ( 3/4 of an inch )
- Pendlay has awesome customer service
Problems:
- Quality control is relaxed, not all shoes are A+ quality
- Not real leather, colored models are very “flashy”
- A bit overpriced
Ratings (0-5):
- Quality – 3
- Comfort – 4
- Style – 5
- Price – 3
- Functionality – 3
Note: All 2010 Do-Wins run one half size smaller than a typical running shoes and one half size larger than a pair of Chuck Taylors. So if a size 10 athletic shoe (nike, adidas, etc) fits you nice and tight, then a size 9.5 Do-Win should fit. If you wear a size 9 Chuck, then a size 9.5 Do-Win should fit. Keep in mind the “shape” of your foot may have some bearing on how the shoe fits; wider or narrower feet may fit a little different. All the companies we work with have good exchange policies, so if you get a pair that doesn’t fit, simply call them up and exchange them.
So Pretty!
I doubt one strap is going to matter, since the laces are like a regular shoe and these are solid leather which means less "give" than suede types.
Would these fit someone with wide feet?
Unless you have feet like a duck then yes, these should feet wide feet as well.
Bummer, see I am a duck.
Then go with Ristos, they are nice and wide.
Why Risto’s aren’t listed in this selection.
Because Ristos are not a do-win shoe.
I wear a 9 in chucks…what size do you suggest for me?
Compared to my normal shoe’s sole, I’m somewhere between a 9 and and 9.5. That’s according to the sole measurements in inches listed on muscledriverusa.com. I’m definitely nowhere near a half-size smaller. Can anyone share their sizing experience with this shoe?
I have 3 pair coming in for review so I can let you know (and post videos) in a few days.
Thanks for your quick reply. This whole website has been extremely helpful.
I just bought a pair of the gray shoes, and they are badass! I love these things. My squat and deadlift have both seemed to feel more stable. They are very comfortable. This is my first pair of weightlifting shoes. I didn’t think it would make a huge difference. Boy, was I wrong.
How did the sizing work out for you? There are still a lot of questions about what size to buy for what type of feet. What is your normal shoes size and what size Pendlay did you get?
so whats the verdict on shoe size? should i get a half size smaller or not?
If you have normal feet, get a half size small. If you have slightly wider feet, get your actual shoe size.
I usually wear a 9. I got a pair of Pendlays in 8.5 and they’re just a touch too big. Definitely wearable, but with a tiny bit of space in the heel.
I wear a 11.5 in chucks. So should I get a 12?
Ya, but I’m finding out that some Chuck’s are sized weird so that might not be a good indicator. But from my plain ole black and white all-stars, a half-size up in do-wins fit perfect.
I’m a bit torn here. I wear a 9.5 Nike sneaker but I’ve been wearing the same pair of Adidas weightlifting shoes for 15 years. When I first got them they fit loose and I could wear thick socks with them. Now I’ve gained 50 lbs so I can only wear them with very thin socks, which is all I wear nowadays anyway. They’re leather so I’m sure they’ve stretched a good bit also. I’m thinking I only still fit these because I’ve had them so long. I think a 9.5 Do-Win would be better?
Forgot – the Adidas are a size 9.
Are we talking guy sizes here or girl sizes?
I am a chick and I wear 8.5 in women for running shoes. What size is suggested for me with these shoes?
I just bought size 9. I wear 9.5 in running shoes. These are JUST BARELY the right size. I bought white so I’m counting on them stretching a little bit. The quality is definitely off. The right shoe strap is way out of place. Otherwise they feel pretty good.
loDiz, I’d go size 8.
I mean whatever the male equivalent of women’s 8 is. These are definitely men sizing.
This is a nice website, so I thought I’d contribute. I’ve had these shoes for 2 months now. They are quite durable, and also good looking. The lateral stability of the shoe is amazing. The leather is sturdy, and they are a good fit. They breathe decently for long workouts.
However, I’ve stopped wearing them and gone back to my old Do-Wins for a couple reasons.
1) Heel uneven – As the website described above, the heels on my shoes are not totally flat against the ground. Whether this is by design or production flaw, I don’t know. However, I think the soles on lifting shoes should be totally flat against the ground, even with no weight. If you place my shoes on a table, you will see that there is about a quarter-inch of space between the back of the heel and the table. Seems strange.
2) Heel height – I know the lower heel is all the rage right now, but I’m not sure I understand why. The lower heel on these shoes really strains the limits of my ankle flexibility in a deep clean or snatch. I’m sure my ankle flexibility could be better, but that doesn’t change the fact that I sometimes end up on my toes in a deep snatch.
Also, I have to think that the heel height should vary with size, right? What I mean is… perhaps a .75" heel is just right for size 8 or 9. However, for a size 11 or 12 shoe, the heel should be higher, right? To make the angle about the same?
I agree, the heel unevenness is nothing short of poor manufacturing, something that appears to be getting even worse with the Chinese made shoes. I’m not sure, but I think Risto is the only company that makes their heel’s height in direct relation to the shoe size.
Great site and Good information above. Another sizing question… So the Penlay website gives a conversion chart for shoe size to comparable shoe sole length (cm). I know people’s opinions and ‘feels’ vary so can any one say how accurate this conversion chart is? I have the (cm) shoe length of my three best fitting athletic shoes and was hoping to base my Do-Win size off of that.
For those curious, I wear between a 9.5 and 10 in athletic shoes (various brands) with cm lengths ranging from 27.5 to 28.0. I was going to try the size 9.5 with a length of 28.2 cm.
Thanks
Where did you find a sizing chart for the Pendlays?
It’s right on their website http://www.pendlay.com. Click on weightlifting shoes on the left hand side then click on one of the shoes. But I just discovered something, the chart didn’t come up with every link. I got it when I clicked on the gray 2010’s, black suedes, and the two old pairs (silver/black and white/red/black) on blowout. Check that.
Feedback…
So I ended up buying both a 9 and a 9.5 with the intention of returning the ill-fitting pair. I tried the 9.5 first and they were good. (Didn’t even bother with the 9’s and just returned them… customer service was very good about this as well.) I have a very high arch and instep so maybe this contributed to my fit, also my left foot is almost a full 1/4 larger than my right so actually the left DoWin is snug and the right fits perfectly… but honestly I don’t know how a person with average feet could fit into a pair of these shoes that are a 1/2 size smaller than their regular sneaker size. If you are not a fan of a snug fit I would just get your regular sneaker size or, if possible, get the closest DoWin size in cm that matches your best fitting sneaker cm size.
The quality seems ok so far and the heel is just the right height (I can see however if you were a size 11 or 12 that this may be a bit small.)
I bought a pair of these shoes close to 1 year ago and haven’t been happy with them. They fit fine and the sizing was good, but the quality of the sole is pretty shotty.
The sole has broken away from the toe on my left shoe 4 times now, and now it’s tearing. It’s also broken away on the heels of both shoes.
I’ve glued them myself, taken them to a shoemaker to secure the sole and it’s keeps tearing away.
Terrible quality. I won’t buy another pair of these.