Let’s remember the first few months when Asics series were on the market (the 2010s). These wrestling shoes made a huge impact on wrestling training and many of them were worn during college and professional tournaments after they were on the market just a few months as it provides amazing training performance, stability on mats.
So there is no surprise there and Aggressor 4 should definitely be considered as it has really good qualities like comfort and it is the latest model of a trustworthy brand.
I also made an extensive research about older models, which are Aggressor 1,2,3, and made a comparison between them and Aggressor 4 below.
Asics Aggressor 4 Wrestling Shoes Review
Durability: 9.4 / 10.0
Wrestlers Feedback: 9.8 / 10.0
Cost Efficiency: 9.5 / 10.0
Check It Out: Asics Aggressor 4
Features
- Lasts 2+ years
- Good comfort
- Sturdy materials
- I like the cost efficiency
- Many wrestlers prefer it (quite popular!)
Quick Navigation
- The Longevity
- Training Performance
- The Comfort
- The Cons
- Differences Between Aggressor 4 and 1, 2, 3
- Quality Vs Price
- Experiences
- Looks
- Final Thoughts about Asics Aggressor
The Longevity
Let’s start with durability. This shoe is made of fabric and suede which is elastic enough while a wrestler does attacks and defensive movements so the sides and the upper parts of the shoe actually can flex a bit so the shoe will not lose its look after 2 years even if you have big feet.
As a side note, if you have big feet you may have a hard time to wear it, especially at the beginning.
The traction also stays the same over 2 years so one can think that the deformation at the outsole is minimal as you can experience that many wrestling shoes’ grip gets less and less over time (especially after one year). When I factor everything, Aggressor 4 gets A- for the durability.
I want to talk about the upper part a little bit as it is made with incredible material which is called “Ecsaine” and I really think that it will be used for many top-grade wrestling shoes in the future as well. This material is 3-dimensional microfiber fabric. This is perfect for shoes which need to stretch a lot and still provide some resistance for shoes to stay in shape.
This is definitely one of the most important factors for this shoe to last for years.
Training Performance
There are a couple of reasons why duo soles get more popular. It is flexible and a wrestler can move better, faster. When this is the case, the injuries will be less likely to occur during the matches. It is also light.
With that being said, the whole shoe is made of relatively heavier material which is suede. But the sole compensates that a bit. Even though this is minus, keep in mind that suede makes this wrestling shoe quite sturdy.
The grip is quite a lot as you can see the rubber covers the entire sole. So as you might read it in other model’s reviews, it is a lot.
The ankle part has extra padding but apparently, it is not much as I have not read a single complaint about the discomfort. People, who have weak ankles and experience ankle injuries from time to time, should consider this shoe.
The Comfort
As you can see this shoe has air channels at the top part and there are a lot of them. These can provide a decent amount of airflow during the workouts from the upper side and these also allow sweat to escape. Considering that the training time varies it can help wrestlers who spend a lot of time on mats as it will not get heavy much during a session.
The insole is molded and it provides good comfort while wearing it. Even after a rigorous workout, it is the best bet to wear this shoe for your soles to have less pain.
The Cons
The shoe is light but it is a bit far from the being the lightest one as it is made of suede and Ecsaine. I expected this wrestling training shoe to be lighter, to be honest.
Differences between Aggressor 4 and 1, 2, 3
Alright, this wrestling shoe has some changes over the years. There are many Aggressor models. Even though I am not following the wrestling shoe industry closely recently some readers made me aware that there are different Aggressor models. So I made extensive research on forums and read at least a hundred personal reviews.
The difference is that the outsole is different and thanks to duo sole the shoe is a bit lighter. It is more flexible as well. So you have some training performance advantages. Also, there are more air channels to increase airflow.
Quality Vs. Price
Considering what you get, I think this shoe has a good price tag. I have not seen anyone who is either in professional or amateur wrestling, don’t like the price. The durability is over 2 years and training performance (standing up on mats) is way above average. So when you check out the price I am sure that you will also be pleased.
Experiences
Alright, I have never worn this shoe. With that being said, an acquaintance, who wears Asics Aggressor 4, trained with Century VS.2 in my favorite MMA gym in Thailand. Well, he hadn’t complained about the shoe’s comfort and I remember that he did it with another wrestling shoe’s breathability. He also looked quite comfortable while standing down and the shoes were going strong after 17 months. With that being said, he is not a regular in this gym. I know it is not much info but hey it is better than nothing and it is definitely better than a lot of non-martial arts website reviews on search engines!
This shoe is manmade and this one’s fitting is better than the other shoes which are made with standard methods.
How long do shoes stay tight? (Break-in): According to forums this period lasts only a couple of sessions and many amateur wrestlers also said that it was “normal” just after 3-4 matches. So the shoe will feel stiff only a week or so. Considering that it is manmade and it is made of suede this period is short.
How do Asics Wrestling Shoes Fit? : Like almost any other Asics wrestling shoes the fit is great and snug fit. The side of the shoes are quite tight without causing discomfort and many reviews say that you need to get half size smaller than your sports shoes (training, weightlifting shoes). With that being said, this shoe gets good fitting rates anywhere I look. I checked out 40 reviews about fitting and 36 of them are quite satisfied with it.
How to wash Asics Wrestling Shoes: After purchasing and training with this shoe you can clean them with these simple ways.
Looks
The shape is kind of bulky and you have really vibrant color selections including red and green which many wrestling shoes lack. The shoe’s upper part is less tapered than the other wrestling shoes and the foam makes the upper part looks bulkier than it actually is. However, it is only a bit and in my opinion, this style is not bad at all. Also, it adds support to the ankle part. More support with only a bit lightweight is actually pretty awesome for wrestlers.
Final Thoughts about Asics Aggressor 4
In my opinion, even though this pair of wrestling shoe is sold a lot it is still underrated. And it seems like new wrestlers don’t appreciate the advantages of Aggressor series including Aggressor 4 according to forum posts. They take these qualities as granted.
Anyway, some of the qualities are amazing grip so they can stay balanced on wrestling mats better during drills and matches whether they are standing up or down. Also, let’s not forget that according to many wrestlers from all around the world Asics Aggressor 4 lasts a couple of years without any significant deformation on the outsole. So it can withstand these while doing takedowns…
If you are interested, definitely check Asics Aggressor 4 on here.
Guys, do you have any questions about Asics Aggressor 4 review? Or if you tried this shoe or other Aggressor 1,2,3 wrestling shoes definitely share your experiences below!
Update: I updated this wrestling shoe article lately. This is why it seems a little different.
