CrossFit has gotten insanely popular.
Millions of people are relying upon it as a fast, total body workout. They are plugged into a community that gets them quickly to their workout goals. However, having the right equipment is extremely important for all forms of exercise. In addition to having the right gloves, you’ll also want the best CrossFit shoes available. We tested 23 choices to come up with this list of 9.
This high intensity interval training program works your core, tones your body, and improves your cardio.
Because it is such an intense workout, there is also a much higher risk of injury. This means that your workout wear is incredibly important.
You need to find the best shoe for your needs. If you just buy a pair of sneakers or running shoes, you will be missing critical stability, flexibility, and support and your ankles will suffer.
This article is designed to help you find the best possible shoes. These CrossFit shoes are designed specifically for the intense demands of the CrossFit workout. We will point you to our favorite picks for the CrossFit shoes and explain why we love them so much.
In case you want more variety or to continue shopping around, we also offer a complete buyer’s guide. This will explain all the different features that you will need to have on CrossFit shoes.
From comfort to support, flexibility to design, you will know exactly what features are critical to a CrossFit shoe.
Finally, we will answer some questions about CrossFit shoes that get asked a lot but rarely answered. This can help you understand more about when, why, and how you should wear and take care of your shoes.
Best CrossFit Shoes 2024
Let’s take a look at some of the best possible shoes for your feet.
These have all been tested and worn in action, and we believe they are the best that the market has to offer.
Although we have listed more men’s shoes than women’s, many of these models are available for both genders. Still more are unisex
1. Reebok Men’s CrossFit Nano 8.0 Flexweave Sneaker
These are great shoes for CrossFit. They’ve got a nano-weave in the upper sole and a lower design cut. It offers plenty of flex in the forefoot design and grooves made for gripping.
They have thought about CrossFit in every single aspect of the shoe’s design. These shoes are made by Reebok, which has a reputation for excellent trainers.These shoes are designed specifically for this workout.
This design includes flexible material on top so your feet can breathe. The rubber sole offers plenty of support, and the RopePro technology allows you to keep your traction to easily climb the ropes. They secure your foot with a minimal drop on the outsole, have a wide toe box for powerful movement, and plenty of comfort.
It’s got a 4 mm drop and only weighs 10 ounces. It even has a TPU heel wrap. These work exceptionally well for weightlifting thanks to the stability and small drop. The toe box can be a bit wide at times, but they offer superior support. They are great at squatting and excel at explosive lifts like snatches and climbing up ropes.
Pros
- Designed specifically for CrossFit workouts
- RopePro technology with the heel and toe support make this one of the most flexible and best CrossFit shoes on the market
- Extremely comfortable shoes with plenty of breathability
Cons
- Sizing can run small on your foot
- Sizing also runs large o the ankle
Reebok Men's CROSSFIT Cross Trainer
This Reebok CrossFit Nano training shoe is flexible, cushioned, and responsive. The Aero weave upper is breathable. A multi-surface outsole adds targeted traction and durability. The heel counter provides a locked-in feel.
- 100% Synthetic
- Imported
- Rubber sole
- Shaft measures approximately low-top from arch
- Synthetic
2. No Bull Women’s Training Shoes
These shoes have some great features. Although they don’t look all that fancy, they’re still very well made. They sacrifice visual appear and aesthetics for balance, comfort, and durability.
These make for an extremely versatile shoe. These are designed to allow you to run and lift while offering plenty of traction for climbing up ropes, too.
They’ve been reinforced to handle anything you might need. The super fabric is made from one piece, so it is entirely seamless. It’s got a mesh base for the upper sole, so the shoes are breathable and protected from scratches and tears.
The lateral and medial guards are made from high carbon, so they do a great job protecting your feet and ankles from injuries. The bottom of the shoe even offers grip and flexibility. This allows you to easily handle rapid lateral movements in just about any terrain.
These shoes provide a perforated canvas for the upper cell and plenty of athletic performance for the outsole. The lug pattern on the outside can be worn in nearly any environment. It’s got flexibility while still providing plenty of support.
They make the logo reflective. This means that if you want to work out at night when lighting is dark, you will still be pretty visible. It even offers some great protection on the sidewalls.
Pros
- Scratch and tear resistant
- Flexible while offering fantastic traction
- Outsole lug pattern designed for use in any environment
Cons
- More expensive than other brands
- Sizes run too big or small sometimes, so try them out before usage
NOBULL Women's Training Shoes and Styles - Trainers
Featuring a functional and simple design, these kicks will keep you looking and feeling good during your toughest workouts.
- Reflective NOBULL logo for visibility when you need it most.
- High carbon lateral and medial guards for added protection on sidewalls.
- Medial rope grip.
- A minimalist perforated canvas upper with an athletic performance outsole.
3. Nike Metcon 4 Mens Cross Training Shoes
Nike is very well known for making fantastic athletic shoes. These shoes are a great option for CrossFit training.
These will offer plenty of traction for your exercises and comfort and support for your limbs.These are designed for taking CrossFit workouts to a whole new level.
This high intensity interval training program works your core, tones your body, and improves your cardio.They have breathable mesh uppers to prevent sweat and bacteria from overheating your feet. They’ve got flywire lacing for a tight, locking web that secures your feet during intensity interval training.
The insoles are also extremely comfortable, so your foam is cushioned. The rubber soles on this set of shoes come with a very firm heel, so you can handle the rope climbing, squatting, and burpees along with the cardio. The hard soles will offer balance and help with perfect form and technique.
These mesh shoes have a haptic print for stability and durability during your workout. They will lock to your feet, keeping you stable and protected. The midsole stabilizes you without preventing you from feeling the floor well. The heel and ankle also have mesh, increasing the breathability. Even the heel clip has a low profile, which can help your lateral and medial sides fall into place while you’re doing pushups.
Pros
- Extremely breathable with locking fly wire laces for support
- Excellent grip and traction
- Tongue is padded for extra comfort
Cons
- Can lose their tread quickly on the bottom
4. Whitin Men’s Cross Trainer
These shoes are perfect for speed and agility training. Barefoot shoes offer the maximum possible flexibility when it comes to moving rapidly without losing traction, thanks to the ability to control every muscle and feel the ground beneath your feet to grip it.
These shoes offer no heel to toe drop. Their form is well balanced and they allow your weight to be equally distributed among your entire foot. This allows for an ergonomic posture when you run, using what your body was naturally designed to do without sacrificing protection.
The design of these shoes focuses on durability and extra flexibility. The wider toe box allows your toes to have the freedom of a better grip and plenty of leverage when you run and squat. The form offers comfort and focus on your performance in your workouts. These shoes follow your foot’s natural form and provide a feeling of being barefoot.
This allows you to move faster and feel the ground. These shoes offer a thin sole that will also be thin and firm. It allows for ground feedback and proprioception on your feet. Because the shoe is flat, your feet can rest in a neutral position that keeps your posture healthy and takes the stress away from your joints.
If you want to remain even more barefoot, you can remove the sock liner insole of the shoe.
Pros
- Vegan friendly footwear
- Maximum flexibility and agility
- No drop sole and wide anatomical toe box
Cons
- The minimalist shoe takes a lot of getting used to
- Sizing is a little off, so you may need to order small
WHITIN Men's Cross-Trainer | Barefoot & Minimalist Shoe
This shoes allows for an ergonomic posture when you run, using what your body was naturally designed to do without sacrificing protection.
- Anatomical shape provides natural comfort.
- Adaptive materials and minimalist construction.
- Zero drop from heel to toe for a natural stride.
5. Aleader Men’s Cross Trainer Shoes
These shoes are much more affordable than a lot of other CrossFit shoes without sacrificing too many important features when it comes to flexibility and support. These handle everything you need them to do without a hefty price tag.
The rubber sole is very tough and the mesh fabric on top is breathable. The lining has a great cushion and the lacing system uses 5 claws to protect your feet and lock them into place for stability and support.
The ComfortDry liner offers a lot of cushioning for your joints in the high shock activities, while the breathable mesh fabric partners with the ComfortDry technology to offer a cool and dry environment that won’t breed bacteria. The outsole drains water so even if you work out in wet and slippery conditions, you retain your traction on the ground for your workout and can easily stabilize yourself. The mesh upper sole also helps the shoe stay dry.
These shoes are incredibly lightweight, reducing the stress on your feet over the course of your workout. They’re also very comfortable thanks to the mesh material cradling your foot while still supporting it. They offer a great sole design, too. This lets you keep your traction on awkward terrain while protecting the mesh and sides of your shoe thanks to the expansion beyond the base. They also dry quickly overnight instead of needing days.
Pros
- Great value – price to value ratio is high
- Great entry level CrossFit shoe for beginners
- ComfortDry technology pairs with mesh fabric for a cool, breathable design
Cons
- Not as durable as the more expensive shoes
- Sizing runs very small
ALEADER Men's Mesh Cross
Lightweight shoes provides feelings of walking barefooted for a more natual walk.
- MD/Rubber sole
- Double mesh upper,allow your foot to breathe and enough durable
- 5 claws side design with strong lace up,give your full support for your foot,add extra comfort and protect.
- Cushioned insole with breathable lining
- it is with hydro-grip outsole provide excellent traction and stability for all surfaces and terrains.
Alternative: Adidas Men’s Powerlift 3.1 Cross Trainer
These shoes were created to help weightlifters, but the newer models have adapted them for CrossFit workouts. They share many of the same necessities, so it was an easy change to make to the design.
These offer a lot more support than many of the other CrossFit shoes on this list because they have much thicker material around the ankle. That doesn’t mean that you will sacrifice breathability. The collar, lining, and tongue are all made from air mesh. This means that air continually circulates around your feet, keeping them cool and preventing bacteria and sweat from building up in the shoes.
It does also have a higher sole towards the back of the shoe. This is a nod to the shoe’s origin, and the extra support will offer you plenty of help during the parts of your workout that require lifting. They cost a little more, but that’s because they have extremely advanced technology and know how to make a perfectly balanced shoe.
These shoes can accommodate more than just lifting. You can easily snatch and jump around, even when climbing ropes and making rapid movements. The design is made to be lightweight and durable. It’s got a high density wedge that was die cut so you will retain stability for your midsole, too. They offer plenty of balance and traction and allow you to maintain form while working out.
Pros
- Maximizes support to ankles for those who need the extra help
- Adidas has a very trusted reputation
- Flexible toes
Cons
- Less flexible than other CrossFit shoes
- Somewhat narrow shoe may roll on wider feet
6. Asics Men’s Met-Conviction Cross-Trainer Shoe
These shoes are made by a Japanese company that has been making athletic shoes since the 40s.
They have never stolen the spotlight like Nike or Reebok, but they’ve gained a strong following of athletes who swear by their shoes thanks to the quality.
Once you wear these, you will understand why Asics has been work by wrestlers, gold medal winning Olympians, and basketball players worldwide. These seem pretty basic at first glance, but the aesthetics take a backseat to the features.
These are made from a synthetic body, offering plenty of support. They include a proprietary rubber called AHAR Plus, which increases the durability of the shoe by up to 50% compared to standardized high abrasion rubbers. They also include a Speva midsole, which reduces your shock impact, making sure your joints are protected. They also decrease the likelihood that your midsole is broken down and allow you to bounce back quickly when doing burpees.
The sock liner is ComfortDry, so you are protected even further from impacts. Not only will it cushion your joints, but it also offers anti-microbial properties and allows for a cooler and drier shoe. This won’t overheat your feet during a workout and you can avoid sweat build up and smelly feet. It also features a pocket that can allow you to tuck in your laces, reducing the danger that comes from exposed laces and keeping them cleaner on muddy days.
Pros
- Designed specifically with CrossFit in mind
- Great mid-range trainer
- Proprietary rubber makes these much more durable
Cons
- Shoe may be too narrow for wider feet
- May lose traction on wet ground
7. Reebok Men’s Workout Advance Ultraknit Cross Trainer
These shoes are a pretty awesome choice.
Amazon is one of the few places that continue to stock these shoes, though, because companies are under constant pressure to put out new technology and advancements… even if the shoes they already produce are fantastic.
This means that there are a lot of perfect products that people fall in love with that end up getting discontinued for a model that isn’t quite as good. These shoes are well worth the purchase even though they’re a little older.
These are pretty affordable compared to other Reebok CrossFit shoes. They are also much more aesthetically pleasing. These have thick rubber soles like their classic sneakers instead of the new wrap shoes that are either love or hate.
Once you get closer, you see that it isn’t the same as the older model shoes, though. It borrows the best design from the new styles of shoe, offering a breathable UltraKnit mesh that supports your shoe while also ensuring your feet won’t overheat or grow bacteria due to sweat buildup.
It is also extremely comfortable. These shoes don’t feel like traditional weightlifting shoes but they also don’t feel quite like the cutting edge CrossFit shoes do for those looking for a little more support.
Pros
- Aesthetically cool design that mixes old and new tech
- Tons of support available
- Very breathable design and material
Cons
- May rub against your ankle bone
Reebok Men's Workout Advance Ultraknit Cross Trainer
Extremely comfortable. These shoes don’t feel like traditional weightlifting shoes but they also don’t feel quite like the cutting edge CrossFit shoes do for those looking for a little more support.
- Textile and Synthetic
- Imported
- Rubber sole
- Shaft measures approximately low-top from arch
Alternative: 5.11 Men’s Recon Trainer M
This brand is unlikely to be recognizable to those of you who are used to name brands, but that’s not because they’re a crappy company from out of nowhere.
Their primary market is making clothing for law enforcement and the Armed Forces.
The fact that the military needs flexible and responsive shoes for any situation makes it easy to understand why their CrossFit shoes are so good… It’s what they’ve been doing already! These shoes are incredibly durable and tough. They can be used for just about any activity and in almost any terrain. It’s very comfortable running outdoor trails but can also offer the stability you need for weightlifting in a gym.
The frame is made from leather and synthetic textiles that offer massive amounts of support and the sole has jagged edges, offering additional grip compared to traditional CrossFit shoes.
These shoes also feature a design that can handle climbing rope as if it was just pavement. They will give your feet the traction you need to climb the rope with ease. Despite this, they have an Ortholite insole that is breathable, cool, and supportive of your joints.
These shoes have an 8 mm heel to toe drop. They include a nylon shank and lugs that are created for enhanced traction, especially along the rope ready zone. The mesh is stretchy, so you never lose your airflow while working out.
Pros
- Made by a company that makes military apparel so you can trust their durability and strength.
- Extremely versatile and fit for CrossFit, weightlifting, and trail running.
- Jagged edges offer increased grip and traction
Cons
- Take time to break in fully
- Not built for long runs
Alternative: New Balance Men’s 20v7 Minimus Cross Trainer
New Balance has established a reputation as one of the best in the business for athletic shoes. They’ve been around for over a century now, and recently their designs have become even more innovative.
Their CrossFit shoes are a bit pricier than other models, but they also offer tons of great features and a high standard of quality.
The upper material of the shoe is made from yarn that has been infused with nylon. It’s durable and flexible. The mesh windows ensure that your feet will get plenty of ventilation while you work out, so you can avoid sweat slips.
The rubber sole is very thin and created by Vibram. It manages to offer a lot of support while still allowing you to feel the ground beneath your feet and retain your stability and traction. The Asym collar fits itself to the top of your foot, ensuring that no matter what your shape you will be extremely comfortable.
The upper has no seams, so the yarn can more easily create a barrier of protection and support around your foot. This will protect you when you work out and support you during lateral movement. The collar shape and outsole ensure traction and ground control for strength training exercises.
Pros
- Extremely comfortable to wear
- Aesthetically gorgeous and cool design
Cons
- Too narrow for people with wide feet
A Complete Buying Advice to CrossFit Shoes
When it comes to picking the right shoes, there are a lot of factors to consider.
You probably have a sense of the best shoes now that you’ve been down our list of the best available on the market, but if you’re not quite interested in any of these, there are a few different factors to look at when selecting your own pair of CrossFit shoes.
When it comes to CrossFit, there are some special considerations. Due to the nature of the exercise and the amount of movement you’ll be doing, you need shoes that can protect your feet from the strain on your heels and muscles. They’ll need to be able to handle weightlifting, running, and bodyweight exercises while reducing the shock your feet take.
CrossFit shoes can be pretty hard to find, too. They are largely based on your personal needs and goals. Your body composition, shoe size, and other things also factor into the decision. Here are some important things to look at when deciding upon the right pair of shoes.
Versatile and Durable
CrossFit involves a variety of different activities. They need to handle multiple different types of exercise, offering stability and flexibility.
Unlike other sneakers, that are designed for one specific purpose, CrossFit shoes need to handle all of them.
Make sure that your shoe is flexible enough to support you when you’re moving both vertically and laterally. CrossFit involves climbing, jumping, weight training, and more.
This means your shoes need to be able to handle all of them easily. The rubber needs to stand tall without shredding, skidding or causing too much impact on your joints.
The shoes also need to be quite durable. These will be put through their paces on hard workouts and need to handle it without shredding. It’s one reason that it’s worth spending a little more for longer lasting shoes that won’t need to be replaced frequently.
CrossFit involves a lot of burpees and jumps, and you also climb quite a few ropes. You’re going to need a pair of shoes that can take it without succumbing to the friction. Finding the shoe that balances the durability against the versatility can be a very difficult task.
When you need to find a durable shoe, ask about the cage (sometimes known as ducage). This layer is usually made from Kevlar or rubber and surrounds the toes and middle of the shoe. It’s what keeps the shoe lightweight while also offering protection and traction, helping with rope climbing and other similar exercises.
Breathability
CrossFit workouts are very intense. They happen at a very rapid pace and push you to the extreme. This means that your feet will be sweating pretty hard. Make sure that you have a shoe that can handle it.
If your shoe is really comfortable but can’t breathe, then your workout will not be fun. When your feet get overheated, you lose stability and you start slipping around in your own sweat.
A breathable shoe prevents that humidity from gathering in your shoes and offers a way for air to vent into your feet, keeping them cool.
You also need to avoid sweat buildup because this creates a moist and hot environment where bacteria can breed and thrive. This makes your shoes and feet stink and also contributes to itchy feet and fungus.
Look for a shoe that can breathe. It should have plenty of ventilation and stay light so that when you’re powering through your workout you have somewhere to offset the heat on your feet. This will keep your shoe cool and stable while you work on your fitness training.
Heel to Toe Drop
When you’re buying CrossFit shoes, you need to find some that do not have a heel to toe drop. This means that when your shoe is flat on the ground, you should not have a massive difference between the height of your heel and the height of your toes and forefoot.
This is important for CrossFit workouts because you need stability for squats and lunges. Your ankle, legs, and feet will all need help. The heel and ball of your foot will need to be level with each other for deadlifting.
These shoes keep your feet stable and allow you to land in the middle of your foot. This keeps you stable and lets you work from a place of strength without having as hard of an impact on your joints. It will decrease the likelihood that you injure your back, feet, and ankles.
These can also spread your weight more evenly across your entire foot, offering natural positions instead of the running shoes that are meant to move your motion from feet to heel.
Weight
Your shoes should be very lightweight. When it comes to exercise, you want the weights to be on the machines, or from your body, not from your shoes.
Having weighty shoes may seem like great stability, but in the end, what happens is that you end up losing your range of motion and efficiency. The support and durability should never come at the expense of added weight. You will need mobility and durability more than you will need anything else.
Most of a CrossFit workout involves moving rapidly and intensely. You will need to be jumping or moving constantly, and 90% of exercises in a regular CrossFit workout require quick motion.
The last thing you will want on your feet is a weight holding you down. It’d be like doing jumping jacks with concrete blocks on your feet.
Soles
You need a shoe with some hard soles. Heavy weightlifting needs stability and you will want to feel the floor while you work.
You don’t need to have any heel compression for this. Having the right soles will keep your feet grounded and allow them to remain stable.
Comfort
This is extremely important. No 2 feet are ever the same, and this means that the right shoe for one person is the wrong shoe for another.
When it comes to working out, if you don’t like your shoes your entire workout will be miserable. No matter how “good” the shoes are, you won’t use them if you feel miserable wearing them.
The best way to check for comfort is to test them out, but you can narrow down your tests by looking for a few features. If a shoe is breathable, you will likely find it more comfortable. If you have the right shape for your foot, it will work better, too. After all, some people have flat feet and others have high arches. Each type requires different design and support features.
Style
There are 2 types of styles when it comes to shoes. First, the design elements of color and artwork. These are important to you enjoying your shoes, but they’re less important than the other type of style.
The style also depends on comfort and fit. You need to find the right style of CrossFit shoe for your foot. The curves and shapes of different interior designs affect the outward appearance of the shoe on your foot.
Flexibility
Your CrossFit shoes need to be very flexible. You will need to be able to move easily inside the shoes without friction.
This offers your feet maximum grip strength and stability. The top sole of your shoes needs to be flexible, too, so that your natural movement isn’t hindered. This usually means having room in the forefoot and a wide toe box.
Support
Sometimes, you will need structure and support in the shoes you wear for training. Other times, you want minimal support and maximum lightweight. This depends on which CrossFit areas you will use to focus your workouts.
Without the right amount of support, you run the risk of injuring yourself. Make sure that your shoes will support your ankles when you’re moving laterally.
If the heel of the shoe is hard and solid, it will offer up a safe and firm platform for lifting. It should also offer some shock absorption when you have to jump and land.
Protection
You also need a shoe that protects your body as much as possible. CrossFit workouts are very intense and can really hurt your body if you aren’t careful.
You need to make sure that your shoes do their primary job well – namely, protecting your feet from the workout strain.
Make sure that you look for a shoe with a tough outer lining. You also need it to have a high enough back to keep your Achilles tendon safe and protected. Also, look for a cage around the middle of the foot. These can keep you safe during rope climbs and box jumps.
Body Awareness
When you are working out, you need to be able to fully utilize your entire body. This means you’ll need to know where every muscle is and be able to flex it and use it.
The way to do that is by feeling the ground under your feet rather than feeling just your shoe.
For CrossFit shoes, you want to find one that offers awareness of your body and sensitivity to the ground beneath your feet. You should be able to feel it through your shoes.
This is important for heavy lifting and responsiveness to changes in direction.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are a lot of questions when it comes to CrossFit.
Let’s see if we can help answer some questions you might have about CrossFit shoes.
Do I need special shoes to do CrossFit?
It is very highly recommended that you get special shoes. Running shoes are designed to move your foot from the toe to the heel. This reduces the impact your foot takes when it comes down on the ground.
With CrossFit, you need less stability under your foot and far less rolling. You want to have your foot stay on the ground, so you can feel it. The workouts are extremely intense, needing a shoe that can offer both stability and flexibility.
This means that you will want to be wearing a shoe that is designed specifically for the purpose of CrossFit.
What are CrossFit shoes?
These shoes are designed for CrossFit. It’s a workout that covers your entire body’s fitness. It is an extreme workout with no single type of exercise, so shoes need to be able to withstand a variety of different parts of the body.
CrossFit shoes are the type of shoes made to support your body no matter what different exercise it is being put through in a workout.
They can handle intense workouts both inside and outside while protecting your feet. These shoes are built to balance stability and balance. They will be breathable, lightweight, and flat.
Why do I need CrossFit shoes?
You need special shoes because they’re the only ones that can put up with everything a CrossFit workout requires while properly protecting your feet.
Other shoes are not designed to handle lifting and lateral movements, especially when they happen rapidly. They are the only type of shoe that is specifically designed to handle rope climbing, burpees and jumps all at once.
How do I clean CrossFit shoes?
CrossFit sessions take place outdoors more often than not. This will get your shoes pretty dirty, and you will need to clean them pretty well.
This will keep your feet clean and extend your shoe lifespan. Most CrossFit shoes are made from synthetic materials and some are made from leather and fabric. Refer to the guide your shoes came with for care for the best way to clean your shoes.
The inner part of your shoe will have instructions. Many of them can be tossed in the washer, but some can’t.
How should the shoe fit my foot?
Your CrossFit shoe needs a wide toe box. This allows you to remain stable. That should be the only open part, though. You do not want a loose fit on your shoes.
These will slide around too much when you jump. You need to ensure that your feet are comfortable. Usually, when someone’s uncomfortable in a shoe, it’s because it doesn’t fit properly.
Conclusion
Hopefully, this offers you a great look at the best available CrossFit shoes.
You should know the features to look for and have answers to common questions by now. We have also recommended quite a few of the best possible options for your workout, so you have a variety of forms to choose from.
When you are shopping for shoes, remember to keep the fit in mind. You need shoes that can offer you comfort and stability while protecting you as you work out each day.
This will allow you to have the best workout and avoid any injuries. Happy training!
Our team at The Fitness Tribe often collaborates together to produce content. Many times the content is not written by a single author, instead it is usually a team effort.
Last update on 2023-02-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API