I’ll be honest, until recently I had no idea Monterrain made gym trainers. I’ve always associated the British technical lifestyle brand with outdoor gear, so the Tempo caught me slightly off guard.
It’s designed to sit somewhere between everyday wear and training, so I put the Tempo through its paces during my strength workouts to see how it handled life in the gym.
My first impression was just how lightweight they felt. I tested the Steel Grey and White colourway, which I really liked. It has a fairly understated look, with enough technical detailing to give it some character without going overboard.
The fit was good too. I’m normally a UK 10 and found the Tempo pretty true to size, with a good fit straight out of the box. The padded ankle collar adds a little extra comfort, while the breathable mesh upper is particularly welcome when you’re spending a decent amount of time training.
Built for the gym
I mainly wore the Tempo during strength sessions, where they worked well. The TPU arch clip gives the shoe a bit more support through the foot, while the foam midsole has enough cushioning for general gym work without feeling too soft or spongy under load.
That balance is probably where the Tempo makes the most sense. It isn’t trying to be a hardcore lifting shoe, nor is it a dedicated running trainer. Instead, it sits somewhere in the middle, making it a useful option if your workouts move between weights, functional exercises and a bit of cardio.
There’s also something to be said for being able to wear the same trainers to the gym and then carry on with the rest of your day without feeling like you’re walking around in a pair of obviously technical training shoes.
A versatile option
That crossover is probably one of the things I like most about the Tempo. They still have some of the technical look I associate with Monterrain, but in a trainer that works just as well with gym kit as it does with everyday clothes.
After wearing them through a number of strength sessions, I found them easy to wear and versatile, while the understated design means they don’t look out of place once you leave the gym.
At £90, the Tempo also sits at a fairly reasonable price point for a trainer designed to cover more than one part of your day.
If Monterrain has not been on your radar for gym trainers before, the Tempo is a solid place to start. It will not replace a specialist shoe for every session, but for general strength training, functional work and everyday wear, it is a genuinely useful all-rounder.
