Recently I put my hands on 14 different composite toe work shoes, including these Reebok Sublite Composite Toe Shoes. After evaluating those 14 shoes based on weight, comfort, flexibility, and purpose, I wrote my article about the best composite toe work shoes and declared these Reebok Sublite Composite Toe Work Shoes as my favorite overall. Not only did they weigh the least, I also thought they provided the most under-foot comfort.
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These were my conclusions after trying those 14 composite toe shoes:
- *My Favorite* – Reebok Men’s Sublite Cushion Comp Toe Athletic Work Shoe (click here to view)
- Best for Construction – Caterpillar Men’s Streamline Comp Toe Work Shoe (click here to view)
- Best Indoor – Reebok Men’s Sublite Cushion Comp Toe Athletic Work Shoe (click here to view)
- Best Outdoor – KEEN Utility Flint 2 Low Top Composite Toe Shoes (click here to view)
- Best Lightweight – Reebok Men’s Sublite Cushion Comp Toe Athletic Work Shoe (click here to view)
- Best Waterproof – Kodiak Men’s Quest Bound Low Comp Toe Hiker Shoe (click here to view)
- Best Insole for Standing – Reebok Men’s Sublite Cushion Comp Toe Shoes (click here to view)
- Most Padding Around Collar – Timberland PRO Drivetrain Comp Toe Shoe (click here to view)
- Best for Wide Feet – Skechers Greetah Comp Toe Work Shoe (click here to view)
- Best Business Casual – Rockport Men’s Truflex Composite Toe Work Sneaker (click here to view)
- Best Breathable – Reebok Men’s Fusion Flexweave Athletic Work Shoe (click here to view)
- Best Leather – Caterpillar Argon Comp Toe Leather Work Shoe (click here to view)
- Women’s Indoor – Reebok Sublite Cushion Comp Toe Athletic Work Shoes (click here to view)
- Women’s Outdoor – Caterpillar Women’s Streamline Comp Toe Work Shoe (click here to view)
In this article I want to focus specifically on reviewing the Reebok Sublite work shoes to discuss both the advantages and disadvantages of this shoe (yes, there are some disadvantages). I will use the real photos of my shoes and give you my honest opinion on what applications I think best fit this shoe.
This is the current price of these Reebok Sublite composite toe work shoes available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). Here’s a look at me wearing these Reebok Sublite Cushion Composite Toe Work Shoes:
Disclaimer: Please understand that we reviewed these shoes to get an accurate understanding of weight, comfort, and features. We did not test the crush resistance of these Reebok Sublite shoes. Because we do not know your job, we cannot guarantee that these shoes will meet the safety demands of your job. Not all composite toes are the same. Always verify the shoe meets the safety requirements of your job prior to purchase.
Advantages of the Reebok Sublite Composite Toe Work Shoe
Weight
These Reebok Sublite work shoes weighed 0.94 pounds per shoe for my size 12 men’s. This made them tied for the most lightweight shoe out of the 14 composite toe shoes that I tried. Here I am weighing my shoe:
Here’s how the weight of this Reebok Sublite Comp Toe Shoe compared to the other shoes I tried:
| Shoe Name | Weight (lbs) | Photos |
| Reebok Sublite Cushion | 0.94 | view my photos |
| Rockport Truflex | 0.94 | view my photos |
| Reebok Astroride Strike | 0.99 | view my photos |
| Reebok Fusion Flexweave | 1.01 | view my photos |
| Timberland PRO Drivetrain | 1.03 | view my photos |
| Danner Run Time | 1.15 | view my photos |
| Kodiak Ramble | 1.25 | view my photos |
| Caterpillar Streamline | 1.26 | view my photos |
| Carhartt Force Nano | 1.28 | view my photos |
| New Balance 589 | 1.32 | view my photos |
| KEEN Utility Flint 2 Low | 1.38 | view my photos |
| Skechers Greetah | 1.60 | view my photos |
| Caterpillar Argon | 1.62 | view my photos |
| Kodiak Quest Low | 1.69 | view my photos |
Flexibility
Overall, this Reebok Sublite work shoe proved to be one of the most flexible shoes (flexible composite toe shoes). It is made with textile uppers and a lightweight foam midsole that not only helps keep the overall weight of the shoe down, it also makes the shoe very flexible. Here I am bending my shoe:
These shoes feel a lot like running shoes when you wear them (my favorite composite toe running shoes). They bend and respond well, and will be very good for those of you who need to react quickly on the job and don’t want a shoe that is stiff and feels like a brick on your foot.
Insole
This is perhaps my favorite part of this shoe and ultimately why it was my favorite overall option out of the 14 composite toe shoes that I tried. These shoes used Reebok’s memory foam insole that they call “MemoryTech Massage”.
Not only do these memory foam insoles feel extremely comfortable under all parts of my foot, but they have these groove pods that stick up slightly and help relieve stress off the bottom of my foot. In the video below, I tried to do my best to capture how soft these insoles are on these soft safety shoes:
Overall, this is a great shoe for those of you who spend long days on your feet. The memory foam provides a nice cushion under both the heel and the toe pad. This insole is removable and Reebok does sell replacement “MemoryTech Massage” insoles so you can swap these out at a later date.
Breathability
These shoes are very breathable and will be a nice option for hot weather. Actually, I found the Reebok Fusion Flexweave composite toe shoes to be the most breathable out of all the composite toe shoes I tried.
When I held the Reebok Fusion Flexweave shoes up to light, I could see through the shoes. If you are interested in those shoes, you can read more by visiting my article about the best breathable composite toe shoes. But these Reebok Sublite composite toe shoes are also very breathable and will be just fine for hot weather.
Disadvantages of the Reebok Sublite Composite Toe Work Shoe
Durability
Let me just start by saying this: durability is an issue with all types of lightweight athletic-style work shoes. Most athletic-style work shoes, Reebok included, are made with textile uppers glued to foam midsoles. This isn’t a premium leather work boot stitched to a rubber midsole.
Don’t expect these shoes, or any lightweight athletic work shoe, to hold up like a pair of leather work boots. But even though durability may not be a strength of this shoe, there are still a few things to like.
For example, these Reebok Sublite work shoes do have a toe overlay which helps shield those textile uppers to provide some abrasion resistance on the job. Here is a look at the toe and heel overlays on my shoe:
All things considered, despite the fact that athletic work shoes can’t take a beating like boots, I thought the toe overlay on these shoes was better than the toe overlay on most athletic-style work shoes.
But the main takeaway here is these shoes are best used for light-duty work. They aren’t built to take on a rugged work environment. These would be great for a factory floor or light-duty outdoor work in a dry climate on a smooth surface. If you need something a little more durable, I’d recommend low-top Keen work shoes.
Construction Jobs
Yes, there are certain construction jobs that might find these shoes very helpful. But I just want to take the time to point out the outsole of these shoes. Here’s a look at mine:
I found the slip-resistance of these shoes to be just fine, but to be clear, I didn’t put the slip-resistance through scientific testing. But on my foot, they provided the traction I needed.
As you can see, they are grooved in a way that helps reduce the overall weight of the shoe. Unfortunately, for construction jobs these outsole grooves may prove to track in mud.
Another thing I want to point out specifically is the fact that these shoes do not have a raised, squared heel. A raised heel can be quite important for those who spend much of their work day going up and down ladders. If your job involves a ladder, I’d probably recommend the Caterpillar Streamline Composite Toe Work Shoes that have a low-profile raised heel (those shoes are linked at the top of this page).
For those of you who work indoors or on smooth surfaces, I found the outsole on these Reebok Sublite composite toe work shoes to provide both the comfort and traction that I needed. But if you’re climbing ladders, there are probably better, safer options.
Weather Protection
This shoe is not waterproof. It is best for indoor use, or outdoor use in a dry climate. It does however have a gusseted tongue.
Here’s my awful attempt at capturing the gusseted tongue on these Reebok Sublite shoes:
A gusseted tongue is a tongue that is attached to the shoe not only at the base of the tongue, but also on the side of the tongue. This helps prevent debris from slipping through the laces down into the work shoe.
How Reebok Sublite Composite Toe Work Shoes Fit
I have found Reebok Sublite Composite Toe Work Shoes to fit true to size. I ordered my normal sizing and they fit just like other shoes fit on my foot.
To be clear, I do not have wide feet. Like many types of athletic shoes, these shoes have a narrow design. But they are available in wide sizing for those of you who need it.
My Conclusion for these Reebok Sublite Composite Toe Work Shoes
The main takeaway from this Reebok Sublite Work Shoe Review is lightweight comfort. These shoes weigh in at 0.94 pounds per shoe for a size 12 M, which makes them the lightest (tied) out of all the lightweight composite toe shoes that I tried. I think this shoe also provides the most underfoot comfort. If you are looking for maximum comfort that won’t weigh your feet down, these are your best option.
These shoes would be great for those of you who spend long days standing on a factory floor, and also might make sense for light-duty work outdoors on smooth terrain. They use memory foam insoles that are grooved in a way that relieves stress off the bottom of my foot. The shoe has a flexible design that feels like a running shoe on my foot.
Although this shoe has a toe overlay for abrasion resistance and a gusseted tongue to help hold out debris, the punched eyelets and mesh uppers won’t hold out water, and the outsole does not have a raised heel. These won’t make sense for wet climates, or for those climbing ladders all day.
But for those of you who prioritize lightweight comfort, I have not found a better composite toe option. The shoe is very lightweight and flexible like an athletic shoe, and has memory foam insoles that provide comfort under all parts of my foot.
Click here to buy these Reebok Sublite composite toe shoes available at Amazon (affiliate link takes you to Amazon.com). To read more about all the different types of Reebok shoes that I tried for work, visit my article about the best Reebok Composite Toe Shoes.