Born Primitive Savage 1 vs. GORUCK Ballistic Trainer – Our Review

We seem to have ascended into an era where “tactical shoes” have superseded “functional training shoes” as the preferred footwear for CrossFit and related endeavors. For every “Mat Fraser” or “Rich Froning”-styled Reebok Nano, you have a relatively new apparel and gear company putting out their own training shoe.

GORUCK, while not really all that new at this point (I mean, as of 2024, they are the Official Apparel and Footwear provider of CrossFit) is one of these companies.

Born Primitive, a less well-known face is another.

The first thing that comes to mind when you think about GORUCK is probably a giant (and expensive) bag and probably some other random outdoor gear.

If you’re thinking about Born Primitive, you’re probably thinking about niche clothing items

…but have you ever thought about either company’s footwear offerings? Yet alone their training shoe offerings?

If not, enter the Ballistic Trainer (GORUCK) and the Savage 1 (Born Primitive).

If you’re ready to enter the next phase of CrossFit shoe design and feel, checking out how these bad boys compare with one another should be high on your list of priorities.

Born Primitive Savage 1 vs. GORUCK Ballistic Trainer

GORUCK takes a lot of pride in its Ballistic Trainer. It is the company’s “flagship” shoe, but they really lay it on thick in their description of it:

“Lift heavier. Sprint faster. Ruck harder. And look cool doing it. The new standard in functional fitness footwear with 3X Support™ and 3X Stability for all three (3) of your arches, making them the best workout shoes for men and women ever created.”

Reading that, I feel like I’m listening to Benny get equipped in his P.F. Flyers to take on The Beast…

I would argue that the Savage 1’s description is a little more subtle, although it is just as confident in its abilities…and what it can do for the wearer.

“The Savage 1 Training Shoe is your all-in-one solution for those who seek unrivaled performance and versatility. Designed to handle a wide-range of training intensities, including strength, HIIT and running, the Savage 1 is a cut above our competition, combining durability, comfort, and performance seamlessly.⁠ ⁠

To be honest, there isn’t really that much more in either shoe’s description that really “pops” out or sets apart from the other…other than that little statement the Ballistic Trainer added in early 2024…

“OFFICIAL FOOTWEAR OF CROSSFIT® AND THE CROSSFIT GAMES®“

Let’s just forget about being subtle!

Those intros aside…

CrossFit

I sincerely love both of these shoes for CrossFit and liberally switch between them depending on my mode and, to a degree, depending on the specific workout I have programmed. That being said, this is the kind of situation where I really like both shoes even though they are actually quite different from one another.

Right off the bat, the Ballistic Trainer almost feels like an “odd man out” due to its heel drop. At 8 millimeters, it is by no means “high”, but it is solidly out of the normal range of what most people are used to who have been working out in CrossFit shoes for any length of time. In contrast, the Savage 1’s 4mm drop feels a lot more familiar to the CrossFitter in me.

I don’t want to assign too much emphasis to how this heel drop affects performance, but…it kinda does (although not always in ways you would probably expect). The larger heel drop on the Ballistic Trainers provides a bit more leverage, assisting with Olympic lifts (which we’ll discuss in further detail in the next section) while I much prefer the Savage 1’s lower heel drop for movements such as deadlifts as I feel more “in touch with the ground” or “grounded” in them.

Both shoes boast an EVA-compounded midsole which does provide a bit more impact absorption and cushioning on movements such as box jumps (assuming you’re landing as you’re supposed to!), but I find the Ballistic Trainers win out here, (even if the landing itself is slightly “harder”).

One of the most surprising differences between the two is how unexpectedly good the Savage 1s handle running. I’m not just talking short, 400-meter or shorter runs that are common in CrossFit, either. I’ve worn mine from everything from the aforementioned “sprints” to 3-plus mile conditioning pieces (with biking and rowing intervals thrown in). You’d never confuse these for a running shoe, but…well…the best way I can describe the experience is like you’re running in a comfortable moccasin.

What’s even crazier is that the Ballistic Trainers, who double up the Savage 1s on heel drop, are just on par with other CrossFit shoes in the running department (and that’s not great). If anything, the added hardened heel is actually more of a detriment and these aren’t ever going to be my first choice for something like Murph.

Speaking of overall comfort, this is another area where the shoes’ respective feels really couldn’t be more different.

I really appreciate how stable my feet feel in the Ballistic Trainers. They fit like a glove…if that glove was more like a well-fitting gauntlet. Although they have a decently wide toe box, I find that they aren’t as wide as the Savage 1s’ (which I actually prefer).

In contrast, the Savage 1 doesn’t feel unstable, but it simply fits and feels like a really comfortable shoe…from Day 1. I know that there are a lot of shoes that claim to have “zero break-in period!” or something similar. The Savage 1s are the first shoes I’ve ever owned where this was actually the case. If fresh-out-of-the-box training is important to you, these win out here (and also win out in overall comfort).

The degree of comfort I feel in the Savage 1s extends to how they make gymnastic movements feel. Because they have this lightweight, contour-to-my-foot feeling to them, they’re my preferred shoe (if I’m not going barefoot) for gymnastic movements.

Ballistic Trainers certainly aren’t bad for gymnastics, but their greater overall bulk makes them slightly less appealing to me (although I do prefer their greater impact resistance when I’m dropping down from a particularly high bar or set of rings).

It actually might be necessary to break this category into sub-categories to declare a “winner”:

• Weightlifting: Ballistic Trainer
• Powerlifting: Savage 1
• Running: Savage 1
• Box Jumps: Ballistic Trainer
• Rope Climbs: Ballistic Trainer
• Gymnastic Movements: Savage 1
• Overall Comfort: Savage 1

Well…there you have it. The Savage 1 slightly edges out the Ballistic Trainer in the general CrossFit category!

Winner: Savage 1

Weightlifting

Some might argue that this is too niche of a category to look at for a CrossFit shoes comparison item. However, considering how much Oly lifting we do in CrossFit, as well as the degree to which shoes can really impact how you lift, it seems appropriate to break these two down further.

NOTE: I am assessing these two purely in regard to how well they perform to “CrossFit-style” weightlifting/weightlifting sessions. I think just about everyone realizes that dedicated Oly lifting sessions are usually accompanied by specially-designed and engineered lifting shoes…which neither of these are.

After extensive use, I find my Savage 1s to be perfectly suitable for any and all weightlifting movements, loads, etc. that CrossFit throws at me. There is nothing about them that makes me feel unbalanced and although not ideal, they do a pretty good job of absorbing load/impact, even under heavier full cleans and snatches.

In contrast, the Ballistic Trainers are, in a way, “doubly” better than the Savage 1s for lifting.

The “classic” Ballistic Trainers, the low-top variation that first come to mind when you think of the shoe, have the hard, plastic sole that sits 8 millimeters off the ground. As you might expect, these qualities alone provide more of a technical advantage, creating more ideal leverage and a more stable bottom when landing under heavy lifts.

With that being said, I find the “mid-top” (more of high-tops in my opinion, but whatever) Ballistic Trainers to be superior to all for weightlifting. They possess similar specs to their low-topped cousins, but I find that the thin, but yet still strangely robust ankle material keeps my feet more secure (at least in a placebo-effect type of way) and even more stable.

Over the past few months, I have slowly started to incorporate my mid-top Ballistic Trainers into more and more dedicated Oly lifting sessions. I understand that this may bias my sample size when comparing these shoes, but I can’t help it; I really enjoy lifting in them.

…which makes me feel kinda bad, because both of the other options are up there with my favorite lifting shoes of all time (as far as, ya know, CrossFit weightlifting goes). It’s just that after working with my mid-top Ballistic Trainers for the last few months, they’ve become my all-time favorite (CrossFit) weightlifting shoes.

I’m gonna give the win to the Ballistic Trainers here in an “umbrella” sense. I would suggest checking out our review of the mid-top vs. the “classic” Ballistic Trainers to get a better idea of the more specific differences between the individual shoes.

Winner: Ballistic Trainers

General Training

As you might imagine, I don’t really recommend picking up a pair of “tactical shoes” for a workout routine that mainly involves machine circuit training (to include, of course, the hip adductor and hip abductor machines!), light jogging, and maybe a pick-up game of 3-on-3 or something. You can find less expensive shoes for these purposes.

However, if you plan on supplementing your CrossFit or related training with these activities, it makes sense to know which is going to be better for the job.

If you are planning on wearing your CrossFit shoes during circuit training, I don’t think there is really an advantage or disadvantage to either option. They both provide a stable base to lift off of/from while being unassuming enough to not be distracting while performing less complex lifts.

As previously mentioned, the Savage 1 is truly unmatched when it comes to running. Thinking about dedicated running shoes I have worn in the past, I would probably put my Savage 1s up against ~70 percent of them. Against a shoe like the Ballistic Trainer, there is zero contest. It wins 100 times out of 100.

In contrast, the lateral stability of the Ballistic Trainers isn’t going to trick you into thinking you’re wearing a basketball shoe, but I’d be much less worried about rolling an ankle (or worse) on the court in these than in the Savage 1s.

I don’t want to say that Born Primitive’s offering lacks stability, but its “highly durable molded rubber outsole that features a vertical tread for lateral traction and a horizontal tread for linear traction⁠” seems far more subdued (intentionally?) than the Ballistic Trainers’ outsole does, especially when my foot does catch on something.

When discussing “general training” we like to extend the discussion to “casual wear”, especially since there seems to be quite the push to make these shoes, as my mom used to call them, “wear-around” shoes.

When it comes to these two…I just don’t see it.

For one, neither of the shoes are great at…”deflecting” any signs that you’ve been working out. They scuff pretty easily and while the odd matt or wall mark looks perfectly normal on a gym shoe, I don’t think it goes down as well when you’re trying to pick up chicks.

Also, I personally do not consider either to be a particularly “pretty” or, dare I say “stylish”-looking shoe. Then again, what do I know; apparently, the Savage 1 “pairs well with” these chick magnets

If these are classified as “cool” these days, I guess I should stop giving my opinions about footwear fashion.

Those important points out of the way, we’ll call this one a draw.

Winner: Tie

Construction & Materials

Despite both shoes being marketed (to some degree) as “tactical shoes”, they really are quite different when it comes to their materials and general construction process. In my opinion, the Ballistic Trainers have been designed with more of a “resiliency” focus as well as with a more general population in mind.

The Ballistic Trainers are comprised of (and really feel like they’re comprised of) very resilient materials. The Cordura upper/outer materials is what really sets them apart and makes them unique within the current functional fitness shoe market.

Their solid, “triple compound rubber” is the source of a lot of that stability discussed in the Weightlifting section earlier. It also makes them more resistant to scuffing or scarring during rope climbs (if you know…you know…)

In contrast, the Savage 1s don’t honestly feel like the “toughest” shoes and I don’t really want to test how well they would hold up in a harsher training environment or under regularly bad conditions. However, their design seems to be “smarter” and more “focused/deliberate” than the Ballistic Trainers, appealing to a more niche (but much more appreciative) crowd.

The lightweight knit is what creates a lot of that breathable “moccasin” feel I have mentioned many times before, although the dual density midfoot definitely lends itself more to running than it does to lifting.

Everything you’ve heard or read about the lacing (they really do “stay tied”…I’ve only ever had mine come unintentionally untied once) and cushioning is on point, although I don’t do enough lateral movement (I don’t play basketball in these!) to confirm or deny how they hold up in this area.

Overall, I think both shoes employ pretty high-quality materials. The Ballistic Trainers’ may feel slightly higher, but only because they feel “firmer”; I think the materials themselves are pretty evenly matched, in reality. Additionally, the shoes’ respective construction qualities are similar, even if the intention behind each was probably quite different.

With this one, It’s a personal preference thing…in other words…a tie.

Winner: Tie

Price

Looking directly (and only) at the “sticker” price of both pairs of shoes, the Savage 1 comes out on top. It’s base price is, at the time of this writing, anywhere from $15-20 less than the Ballistic Trainers (which are now retailing for about $140).

Seems like a pretty open-and-shut case and the point goes to Born Primitive…right?

Not necessarily. I’ve mentioned in many of my previous reviews of GORUCK shoes that you’d be pretty hard pressed to find a time when there is not some color/color combination on sale.

That being said, if you really want a pair of Ballistic Trainers and are decently flexible on your color preferences, you can pretty much always beat the “normal” price of the Savage 1s.

It may not be “fair” to declare the Ballistic Trainer as the “winner” based on this price calculation model so we’ll call this one a tie.

Winner: Tie

Overall Winner

According to our metrics…we have a double KO!

Unlike some of our other shoe showdowns where the shoes “tied” because they were just so similar to one another, the Savage 1 and Ballistic Trainer are actually very different shoes…they just each have their own distinct advantages that even out in relation to the other.

Like just about any shoe decision, personal preference when it comes to feel is going to be an important, if not the most important factor. Subjectively, I find the Savage 1 to be more comfortable, but others would disagree.

I don’t think many would disagree with the Savage 1’s superior running ability or that the Ballistic Trainer’s higher heel drop gives it some leverage (literally and figuratively) in the Olympic lifts. If you run more, go with one shoe and if you lift all day, go with the other.

As far as overall CrossFit performance goes (when weightlifting is taken into consideration)…the Savage 1 wins by a hair. However, I think you would find superior utility (particularly in relation to other CrossFit shoes on the market) with either of these shoes for the vast majority of metcons programmed.

Our Testing Process

Over the last 3 months, I would say that I have tackled roughly 90 percent of my workouts wearing my Ballistic Trainers (of these, I wear my mid-tops roughly 70 percent of the time; low-tops 30 percent of the time) or my Savage 1s. This translates to ~70 workouts (a diverse array of CrossFit workouts, at that).

To be honest, as I have figured out which shoes work better (best?) for their respective activities (ex. mid-top Ballistic Trainers for weightlifting; Savage 1s for running) I have begun to utilize the shoes more strategically. However, I am confident that I have developed enough “time in shoe” for each of the tested activities to come to definitive conclusions about each shoe.

Frequently Asked Questions

FAQs about some “Savage” and “Ballistic” shoes? You’re brave for going there!

Two Great New Additions to the World of CrossFit Shoes…

It took me awhile to warm up to the idea of wearing a “rucking shoe” to the gym…but I was quickly very happy that I had done so.

It me even longer (and a bit of prodding from my wife who was already on board) to give a shoe from a brand with a bunch of “bikini models” (my words) a try…but I was glad I did.

Maybe I’ve just been lucky, but it seems like the shoes that a lot of these newer hitters have been putting out is more legit than a lot of what the “old guard” of CrossFit footwear is offering these days. Granted I’ve never been a brand loyalist, but I’d take either of these over any Nano or Metcon I’ve ever tried in the past.

Although both of these shoes are excellent choices, they have distinctively different feels. You may hate to hear it, but you need to try both to decide for sure which one is more “you”…

…or you could be like me, have both in your arsenal and switch them out as needed…

Problem solved!