Lane Eight Gives Sustainable Upgrade to Trainer AD 1 Cross Trainer

While some brands are in the collective arms race to create newer, fancier gear and gadgets, others have their heads down, forging ahead to make their hallmark pieces more sustainable and earth-friendly. Today we’re highlighting Lane Eight, who just launched a new version of their popular cross training shoe, the Trainer AD 1.

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This collection introduces three new colorways—cloud white, electric neon, and lunar grey—and incorporates sustainable and recycled materials. That means they nixed the natural suede paneling on previous iterations, opting instead for microfiber. It still provides resistance against scuffs and abrasions with the upside of being lighter and vegan-friendly.

Lane Eight took a creative reuse approach for the upper by upcycling plastic water bottles (11 bottles per shoe) into polyester yarn. It maintains its soft yet supportive sock-like fit, locking your feet in enough for quick lateral movements during HIIT workouts while lending plenty of breathability.

What’s more, they have a new BLOOM midsole sourced from harmful algae blooms that threaten the well-being of marine ecosystems. It’s still plush as ever for all-day comfort on your feet. For every pair of sneakers produced, 31.5 liters of fresh water is returned to the environment and 64 cubic meters of carbon is removed from the atmosphere, according to Lane Eight.

What’s the same: The cross-lacing system is still identical. It extends farther down your foot laterally than traditional midline lacing systems for more security. The TPU sidewalls for added stability and a rubber outsole for added traction have remained untouched as well. Comparing the old and new Trainer AD 1 side by side, they’re identical; you’re not sacrificing style for sustainability. The performance isn’t compromised either, and the price stays below $100. That’s a win in our book.

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This is still one of the best do-everything shoes you can have in your closet for at-home HIIT workouts, garage WODs, and, when the time comes, full-gym sessions.

[$98; laneeight.com]