If you need a durable and sleek pair of boxing shoes with superior outsoles and supportive bodies for your feet, the Hayabusa Strike Boxing Shoes are for you.
Keep reading for our review of the Hayabusa Strike Boxing Shoes!
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Our Experience with the Hayabusa Strike Boxing Shoes
- Material Quality: 5.0 / 5.0
- Weight: 4.5 / 5.0
- Ankle Support and Stability: 4.5 / 5.0
- Price: 3.0 / 5.0
If you need a durable and sleek pair of boxing shoes with superior outsoles and supportive bodies for your feet, the Hayabusa Strike Boxing Shoes are for you.
While we’re big fans of both the Hayabusa Pro Boxing Shoes and the Hayabusa Talon Boxing Shoes, we consider this pair a worthy alternative to either pair.
In our review, one way we tested these shoes was wearing the Strike on one foot and wearing the Pro or Talon on the other during a workout, and then comparing.
Other times we tested the Strikes with one size up and one size down.
Our initial impression was that the Strikes look much bulky than either the Talons or the Pros due to the added tension strap and extra outer design.
Despite its design, the Strikes are just as lightweight and responsive as their cousins, the Talons.
Like the Talons, the Strikes improve vastly on the outsole of the Pros; the unique outsole design provides the right amount of grip and feedback in the ring.
We were glad to find that there was a minimal break-in period with these shoes; once we got the fit right, these shoes performed well in both training and sparring.
One of the main differences between the Strikes and the Talons or Pros is the tension strap on the front of the foot.
However, when we laced these up properly, we didn’t see a noticeable difference in performance.
In all, we think that with both the Strikes and the Talons, Hayabusa has created a worthy successor to the wildly popular Pros.
However, we consider this shoe only a minimal upgrade from the Talons, so if you want to save a bit of money, go with those.
Pros and Cons
| PROS | CONS |
|---|---|
| ✅Supportive mid-top structure ✅Improved bespoke outsole ✅Durable, multi-layered body | ❌Expensive for beginners ❌Minimal upgrade from Talons |
Material Quality
The Hayabusa Strikes offer an upgrade in material quality compared to the Pros, especially with the outsole and the body.
Like the Talons, the Strikes remind us at first look of basketball shoes or street sneakers rather than boxing shoes, especially when looking at the unique design of the outsole grip.
However, we knew from the first use that these shoes shine in the ring, not on the court.
Even though there’s more material and external design compared to the Talons, we always felt cool and comfortable with the Strikes and their breathable mesh outlay.
Like the Talons, we noted the improved outsole grip on the Strikes. Their unique tread kept our pivots always sharp with the right amount of grip.
One of the main differences in functional design compared to the Pros and Talons is the tension strap around the face of the foot.
We found that this made little difference in our performance when laced properly with a good fit.
When we tested size down, the Strikes gripped our feet in all the right places and formed themselves to our feet’s shape.
So far, there are no cosmetic issues or glaring quality issues.
We’ve only had these shoes for a couple of months, so we’ll check in again and give an update on how these shoes held up after a few more.
Weight
The Hayabusa Strikes offer optimal weight performance for a mid-top shoe with an added tension strap in front.
We tested each workout out while wearing the Strike on one foot and wearing a Pro or Talon on the other, and then comparing.
These are comparable in weight with both the Talons and the Pros, even though there’s more going on with the design.
Take away the tension strap and the added visual elements, and you’ll see that Hayabusa has stayed true to the heart of the mid-top design you see in both the Talons and the Pros.
The Strikes’ weight in combination with their sharp grip lets you stay anchored and lightweight in the ring at the same time.
Ankle Support and Stability
The Hayabusa Strikes offer proper support and stability with just their laces and bodies.
This is something we’ve found that Hayabusa does really well. Their shoes don’t need extra straps to be secure.
In our review, we tested each workout while wearing the Strike on one foot and wearing our Talon or Pro on the other foot, and then comparing.
Compared to the Pros and Talons, we didn’t find any significant difference in ankle stability and support.
For maximum support, we tied our Strikes up to the top and finished with a knot around our ankles.
We found that we only got maximum security only when the fit was correct.
To the boxers who complain that the shoes don’t hug their feet well, we recommend exchanging for a size down.
When we tested them with the half-size up, we needed to use thick athletic socks to make them hug our feet.
We also found that the tension strap around the face of the foot does little in terms of the whole foot support if we laced them up tight.
We’ve only had these shoes for a couple of months, so we’ll check in again and give an update how the ankle support holds up after a few more.
Price
You’ll have to pay a premium for the Hayabusa Strikes if you want to enjoy their quality and foot support.
These are definitely an upgrade compared to the Hayabusa Pros and worth the extra price.
However, we can’t say the same when these are compared with the Talons.
Considering that these more expensive than Talons, but only marginally better, we’d choose the Talons over these.
If you’re a beginner looking to save as much money as possible on gear, with these you’ll still be getting comparable performance with the cheaper Talons.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I Wear Boxing Shoes Outside?
We don’t recommend wearing your boxing shoes outside of the gym.
The tread of the soles are designed specifically for the ring, and not for rough surfaces like pavement. Using your shoes on outside surfaces will make your soles wear down faster than usual.
Do I Need Boxing Shoes?
If you want to improve and dial in your footwork in the ring, boxing shoes make a big difference. They allow you to stay light on your feet and rooted to the canvas at the same time.
Are High-Top or Low-Top Boxing Shoes Better?
While this is a question of personal preference, keep in mind that you’re making a trade-off between ankle protection and weight.
High-top shoes will provide more ankle protection with more weight, while low-top shoes will offer less ankle protection with less weight.
How We Rate Boxing Shoes
- Material Quality
- Weight
- Ankle Support and Stability
- Price
After countless hours of testing boxing shoes, we determined that these are the four most important factors in our review of the Hayabusa Strike Boxing Shoes. Read the article below to get an in-depth breakdown of how we rated them.
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