When you're doing Crossfit, you may think the best Crossfit shoes don't exist. There are so many activities from cardio to weights to gymnastics that you may think you should just throw on any old sneakers.
Before you do that, you should know that there are shoes made just for Crossfit out there, and they try to find a balance just like Crossfit itself does!
The best Crossfit shoes do two things. They support your strengths, and they minimize your weaknesses.
So before throwing on the first pair of sneakers you can find, think about what you need from your workout. Where do you excel, and where do you want to improve? When you know these things, then you can pick the best Crossfit shoes for you.
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Why You Need Specific Shoes for Crossfit
It doesn't matter what sport you're in, you need shoes tailored to your activity. The problem with Crossfit is, you're doing so many different workouts all packed into one.
If you got started on Crossfit on a whim, you may not even know if there are shoes made for the sport. The good news is, there are!
These shoes combine stability, cushioning, protection, and breathability. With all four of these aspects packed together, no two styles of Crossfit shoes are alike. They balance each of these aspects differently, so which shoes you buy depends on your ideal workout.
Every Crossfit shoe has different strengths and weaknesses. So how do you choose the best Crossfit shoes for your workout?
Picking the best Crossfit Shoes
So, what exactly makes the best Crossfit shoes stand out among the rest? Well, there are a few key aspects.
First of all, you probably know that Crossfit combines weight lifting, cardio, and gymnastics. The shoes that companies make for Crossfit athletes usually start out with a focus on one of these areas.
They might make weight lifting shoes that have added cushioning for running. Or, Crossfit shoes may be running shoes with more stability. If you're more interested in the gymnastics side of things, there are lightweight shoes that give you better protection.
So, the first thing you should do is take a look at what kind of workout you prefer in Crossfit. That will help you pick the shoes that best fit your style, and that round out your performance.
If weight lifting is your forte, good weight lifting shoes that give you stability should be balanced out. They'll make sure your weaker points, like cardio, get the assistance that they need.
Additional consideration should be put towards your own personal history and abilities. Your age, experience, and injury history should not be ignored.
Two people doing the same exercise with different levels of experience are going to need different types of shoes. Make sure you find a Crossfit shoe that supports your workout, and your body.
The best CrossFit shoes have a flat sole and a negative or neutral heel drop to help you push weight through your heels and feel grounded during heavy lifts.
The first things we considered when it came to picking the best Crossfit shoes were professional reviews. Professionals tend to take a more comprehensive approach to reviews. Since they have the budget and time to buy and test multiple sets of shoes, they can say definitively which shoe is better than the other.
While customers may only be able to try one pair of shoes at a time, pros can run shoes through a gauntlet. They test based on some of the most common activities and can directly compare each selection.
Because of this, pro reviews are great for narrowing down a huge selection to a handful of great choices. Of course, how do you know which shoes among those are the best for you? You ask the people wearing them.
Our second line of selection for the best Crossfit shoes is customer reviews. While professionals are limited to at most a few reviewers in a team, customers can give you the opinion of thousands of users.
On top of literally thousands of reviews, customers have another advantage over professionals. They put serious wear and tear on their shoes. Some customers wear these shoes every single day, for workouts or otherwise.
They may not be able to stack them up against every other Crossfit shoe on the market, but they can tell you how well a certain pair holds up under, in some cases, extreme stress.
So, to make sure your shoes are vetted by pros and novices alike, all of our choices for the best Crossfit shoes have to get at least 4 stars out of 5 on Amazon or another customer review site.
Our Choice for the Best Crossfit Shoes
The best Crossfit shoes you can buy occupy a range of different styles and strengths. We've listed them here so you can decide which are best for you..
Reebok Crossfit Nano 8.0 Flexweave Sneaker
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Reebok's Crossfit Nano 8.0 Flexweave Sneaker is a simple but well-designed training sneaker that Reebok made specifically for Crossfit. Reebok made this sneaker with breathability, stability, and durability in mind. That way, you'll never have to worry that your sneaker isn't up to the task.
This shoe's namesake, Flexweave, is a reference to the design pattern of the upper. The figure-8 shaped weave creates a strong and flexible shoe that will hold up no matter your workout. Flex grooves in the sole give you added flexibility, and its low-cut design means you won't be held down during your workout.
In addition to flexibility and low weight, this shoe has added durability in the toe area. When your workouts are intense, you won't have to worry about any injury slowing you down.
Reebok's Women's Crossfit Nano 8.0 earned a rating of 4.6 stars out of 5 from 1,118 customers on the Reebok website. You can purchase the Reebok Crossfit Nano 8.0 Flexwave Sneaker in both men's and women's styles. They are available from the Reebok website as well as on Amazon.
Reebok Men's Lifter PR Cross-Trainer Shoe
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As the name suggests, Reebok's Men's Lifter PR Cross-Trainer Shoe is all about lifting. It focuses on stability, locking down your foot when you're moving the big weights.
This shoe's low-cut design lets your ankle move freely. While this is key for weight lifting, it's also essential to any Crossfit exercise.
The upper has a leather toe, but this is coupled with a mesh tongue that gives you additional breathability. Your feet won't feel suffocated when you crank out your daily workout.
The Men's Lifter PR Cross-Trainer definitely leans most heavily towards the lifting aspect of Crossfit training. A solid plate in the sole of the shoe and a strap across the top keep you locked into the shoe. But you won't feel too held down when you're running.
The Lifter PR Cross-Trainer from Reebok earned a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 from 297 customers on Amazon. You can purchase it on Amazon and the Reebok website.
RYKA's Cross Training Shoes
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RYKA's cross training shoe is a vibrant and colorful addition to your shoe rack. It's sure to make you pop at the Crossfit gym! But it's more than just a pretty lace.
The Women's Influence Cross Training Shoe focuses on all-around fitness, and it has synthetic and mesh in every component.
One of its main features is the N-Gage EVA dual density foam. Placed in the midsole, this foam gives you energy return. It bounces back, giving you the strength and energy for more reps.
RYKA's Influence shoe has a traction outsole with Pivot Points. These will keep you moving easily across the gym floor without slipping. You can power through your sprints and make split-second turns with confidence.
The RYKA Women's Influence Cross Training Shoe earned a rating of 4.2 stars rating out of 5 from 2,146 Amazon customers. This shoe can be found on Amazon and the RYKA website.
Nike Metcon 4 Cross Training Shoes
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RYKA Women's Influence Cross Training Shoe
Nike advertises their Metcon 4 Cross Training Shoes as stable, flexible, and durable. You may notice that these three features are the top aspects that make a good Crossfit shoe.
It's no surprise that Nike has engineered one of the most specialized Crossfit shoes around. But it also probably won't surprise you that the price tag is especially high.
Everything in the Metcon 4 does double duty during your workout. The adaptable cushioning in the midsole combines stability with flexibility. So, it helps you whether you're sprinting or lifting.
The platform of the Metcon 4 is also flat and stable. It gives you a solid grip on the floor, so you won't slip during a high-intensity workout.
Lightweight fabric and Flywire cables lock your foot down as well. No matter what your workout is, you won't have any trouble with slipping or instability.
The Nike Metcon 4 Cross Training Shoes are available in men's and women's designs. The men's version earned a rating of 4.3 stars out of 5 from 176 Amazon customers. You can purchase these shoes on Amazon and the Nike website.
Reebok Women's Speed Her TR Trainer
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The Reebok Women's Speed Her TR Trainer focuses on versatility and training. With a woven upper and a low-profile rubber outsole, this shoe works for short distance runs and weight lifting workouts. You can easily stay grounded for whatever your Crossfit gym demands.
Reebok tells us that this shoe is best for versatile training workouts. And it is, really, a jack of all trades even more than other Crossfit sneakers we've taken a look at. It offers a unique pattern on its outsole for added traction. It has grooves in the front of the outsole for additional flexibility.
Plus, the ankle has a soft and low collar for ankle comfort and mobility. You'll be able to twist and turn in any way you need to get your daily workout done.
Reebok's Women's Speed Her TR Trainer earned 4.3 stars out of 5 from 437 reviews on Reebok. This shoe can be purchased on Reebok and Amazon.
Merrell Men's Trail Glove 4 Runner
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Merrell's Trail Glove 4 Runner might not sound like the most well-rounded Crossfit shoe. But, its minimalist, running-focused design leans more towards gymnastics and cardio than weight lifting.
These trail running shoes are lightweight and breathable. More than any other Crossfit training shoe, this shoe won't weigh you down. They are barefoot-style shoes, giving you maximum control and feeling through your feet. These shoes don't look like typical barefoot shoes and give you traction on gym floors.
Even though these shoes make you feel like you're wearing nothing, they have a lot of benefits that bare feet don't. For one, their Vibram soles give you cushioning even on hard gym floors. Plus, the shoe is snug and you won't leave it behind on a strenuous workout.
The Merrell Men's Trail Glove 4 Runner earned a rating of 4.5 stars out of 5 from 685 customers on Amazon. You can purchase it on Amazon and the Merrell website.
Inov-8 Men's Bare-XF 210 V2 Sneaker
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Inov-8's Bare-XF sneaker sticks to its name by going for as minimal a sneaker as possible. It is the most stripped-down shoe that Inov-8 makes. With a slender sole, this shoe keeps you close to the ground throughout your Crossfit training.
This shoe is rather lightweight. It gives your feet room to spread and breathe even as they keep your feet snug and secure. Its thin, minimal outsole gives you plenty of grip without disconnecting you from the surface you're standing on.
Of course, with such a lightweight shoe, you're going to see some real flexibility as well. Everything about the Inov-8 Men's Bare-XF 210 V2 sneaker is about giving you contact and stability through your natural stance. Even weight lifting will be enhanced by its barefoot style.
The men's Bare-XF earned a rating of 4.3 stars out of 5 from 110 customers on Amazon. This shoe is available from Amazon and the Inov-8 website.
Adidas Women's Crazytrain Elite Cross Trainer
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Adidas's Women's Crazytrain Elite Cross Trainer focus on multidirectional movement. If you prize agility and mobility in your Crossfit training, this is the shoe to look at. A combination of responsive cushioning, support, and a snug fit make this a good shoe for the variety of exercises Crossfit offers.
This shoe first features a lightweight mesh that hugs your foot. It keeps your shoe from sliding around while working out, while still flexing around your foot. Plus, midfoot support gives you additional stability so that you can switch between activities with ease.
The Adidas Women's Crazytrain Elite Cross Trainer earned 4.4 stars out of 5 from 185 customer reviews on the Adidas website. You can purchase this shoe on Amazon and Adidas.
Picking the Best Crossfit Shoes
At the end of the day, there are too many Crossfit shoes, and too many unique types of workout, to pick the best Crossfit shoes for any occasion. Like we mentioned earlier, choosing Crossfit shoes depends a lot on what kind of workout you do and what your physical history is.
Really, there are so many ways to approach Crossfit that it's up to you to decide which shoe is the best.
If you need stability and cushioning, something like the Nike Metcon 4 Cross Training Shoe might be best. This shoe has a lot of engineering behind it, and it will support you through any workout.
If you're more of a minimalist, the Merrell's Men's Trail Glove 4 gives you a chance to strengthen your balance and foot muscles.
What are you looking for in the best Crossfit shoes? What shoes did you pick to boost your workout? Let us know in the comments!
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