We wanted a classic deadlift shoe with a high top and had a few things we knew we needed to achieve. 

Our first need was to have a very grippy sole, making it good for sumo lifting. The sole features a wave pattern, providing multi-direction traction. We find the tread pattern works great and you can really twist into the floor to build tension. 

We obviously wanted to keep the sole as thin as possible as well, keeping you near the ground and to provide good foot/floor contact. The sole is very thin and quite flexible, again allowing you to really grab the floor with your feet. 

The last thing we knew we wanted was a strap across the foot, to help really secure the shoe to your foot, so we went with a single strap across the midfoot which helps to really lock your foot in place. 

Now, like our Ascend shoe, this isn’t a wide toe box shoe, it's more of a medium/narrow toe box. However the upper material is flexible and breathable enough to allow a wider foot to fit comfortably.