The Best CrossFit Shoes of 2024

How We Tested the Best CrossFit Shoes

Our Expert Testers

Authors Billy Brown and Paul Mandell sought out the top footwear for CrossFit endeavors and put each pair of shoes through rigorous testing. Shoes are evaluated over the course of several months via rope climbing, box jumping, pushing sleds, and a variety of lifts.

Paul Mandell is a Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist and coach based in Bishop, California. Currently, he coaches Gen Pop and CrossFit classes out of Bishop CrossFit. Paul has a master’s in Exercise Science and has taught CrossFit and strength and conditioning classes to beginners and seasoned athletes for over five years. Through coaching and his own training, Paul is able to put each shoe through the wringer. Paul also brings his expertise to our treadmills guide.

GearJunkie Affiliate Managing Editor Billy Brown is an CFL2 CrossFit coach, a competitive athlete, a record-holding powerlifter, a USPA-certified powerlifting coach, and a former ultrarunner. His competition training generally consists of five to six days of strength training and conditioning across the powerlifting, Olympic weightlifting, gymnastics, and cardiovascular modalities, which gives him plenty of opportunities to test the newest and best CrossFit shoes on a regular basis.

Our Testing Process

Testing the shoes on this list entailed taking each shoe through weeks of CrossFit workouts, making sure to do all of the major lifts, running through a series of gymnastics movements, and running anywhere from 200 meters to three miles in each shoe. Throughout the testing periods, we considered the shoes’ fit, feel, durability, and general eagerness to lace them up for another workout. We also had other athletes at our gyms try out the shoes so we could get a wider range of opinions on each one’s performance.

Since CrossFit shoes are designed, for the most part, to perform in a variety of situations, we took shoes through training, competition, and daily wear (when applicable — we didn’t wear the lifting shoes around town). Paul and Billy take CrossFit seriously and know that bad shoes can ruin a workout, so we rigorously tested every shoe on this list for comfort, support, and durability. And, since we know that every athlete is different and may have different needs, we tried to find a shoe to suit various needs and tastes.

Each season, we update this guide with new models as they become available to ensure our readers have the best, most up-to-date information.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose a CrossFit Shoe

Cushioning & Heel Drop

Cushioning and heel drop are two of the most important factors in choosing a shoe for CrossFit. It’s also the first thing you notice when you put a pair on.

As far as cushioning goes, there’s a delicate balance to maintain. Too little cushioning can be wildly painful during high-impact movements. Unless you’re used to barefoot shoes like the Vivobarefoot Motus Strength, these movements can give your feet a beating on long runs.

Too much cushioning, however, can lead to a loss of power and responsiveness, especially during weightlifting. Most CrossFit shoes strike a balance between cushion and support, with most leaning towards the support side.

Heel drop refers to how high the heel is off the ground versus how high the toe is. For CrossFit, 4 to 7 millimeters seems to be the sweet spot. It strikes the perfect balance between cushioning on runs and balance on lifts.

Rigid Sole

A rigid sole, particularly in the heel, is ideal for Olympic lifting. A soft sole’s cushioning will absorb the power that an athlete produces in their leg drive during explosive movements.

Reebok’s Legacy LIfter III or Adidas AdiPower have hard plastic or non-compressive TPU sole material for explosive lifts. This is one of the biggest differences between CrossFit Shoes and running shoes.

Many CrossFit shoes, like the Nike Metcon 9, attempt (with varying degrees of success) to blend a rigid sole for weightlifting with enough cushioning for bodyweight movements and running. If you’re looking for an all-around CrossFit shoe with a stiffer sole that’s ideal for weightlifting, the Metcon 9 or Reebok Nano X4 would be solid options.

Wide Toebox

Wide toeboxes are a matter of preference. Athletes with wider feet will appreciate the way that a wider toebox allows the toes to splay out. Shoes like the TYR CXT-1 Trainer and Born Primitive Savage 1 have wider toeboxes for people who prefer a roomier forefoot.

However, athletes with narrow feet can feel like their feet aren’t getting any sidewall support in wider shoes. If you’ve got a narrower foot, consider something like the NOBULL Outwork or Reebok Nano X4. When you buy online, make sure the company has a good return policy. When they arrive, try them on immediately to make sure they’re a good fit.

Lateral Support

Lateral support is especially important for athletes with previous ankle injuries or who tend to roll their ankles. Shoes utilize different designs to combat this.

Nike’s Metcon line and Reebok’s Nano line sport slightly wider outsoles for a wider base. And NOBULL’s mid-top shoe provides additional support for the ankle. For Olympic lifts and heavy squats, where lateral stability can be the difference between a personal record and dropping the weight in shame, the Reebok Legacy Lifter III’s aggressively rigid TPU sidewall and heelsupport is key.

Durability

CrossFit is as hard on the shoes as it is on the athlete (maybe more so). We’ve seen every failure that a shoe can experience, from delaminating materials to a sole literally breaking in half.

One of the most common failures in a CrossFit shoe is a sidewall blowout. From lateral pressure on the sidewalls to abrasion from rope climbs, shoes’ sidewalls take a lot of abuse. Many shoemakers add TPU reinforcement on the sidewalls to shield the foot from this type of wear. We are painfully aware of the frustration of blowing out a sidewall or wearing a groove in an outsole during rope climbs, so any shoe that showed excessive wear did not make it into this list.

Price & Value

There’s no way around it — CrossFit shoes are pricey, and they’re getting pricier. If you’re looking for a new pair of kicks for your box, you can expect to spend somewhere around $150, with a few exceptions for specialty shoes and discounted shoes from previous seasons. Here’s what you get (and don’t get) with the various price ranges.

Budget

If you’re looking to spend as little as possible on a pair of CrossFit shoes, you can often find last year’s models online for anywhere from $60-$100. The only new pair in this price range that we liked was the Reebok Nano Gym ($100), which offers plenty of cushioning and just enough stiffness to perform during lifts. Shoes in this price range can do the job, but you’ll often find features like rope guards and sidewall support missing here.

But if you’re new to CrossFit, searching for a bargain shoe can be a good way to get started and discover what features you need (and don’t need) in your endeavors.

Mid-Tier

Most CrossFit shoes you’ll find are in the $140-$160 range. This category includes mainstays like the Metcon and Nano lines, as well as the excellent TYR CXT-2 ($150) and Born Primitive Savage 1 ($140) trainers. For the added $50, you’ll find features like rope guards and grips, sidewall protection and support, TPU heel slides for handstand pushups, and lace locks to keep your shoes tied during double-unders. Plus, we’ve found that these shoes generally last longer than the shoes in the bargain range.

Premium

Super pricey competition shoes like the TYR CXT-2 Escol Carbon ($225) are new to the field, but its high-end components and excellent performance are ideal for competitors who are looking for an edge. If you’re looking for a specialty shoe, like a barefoot workout shoe like the Vivobarefoot Motus Strength ($200) or a lifting shoe like the Reebok Legacy Lifter III ($220), be prepared to spend $200 or more. These shoes offer specific features that you won’t find in general CrossFit shoes, like zero heel-toe drop or an extremely rigid heel for effective power transfer during lifts. For general CrossFit workouts, these shoes aren’t entirely necessary, but if you’re looking to specialize or optimize your training for competition, they may be worth the investment.

Frequently Asked Questions

The best CrossFit shoes for both men and women will vary by individual. The best cross trainer will be as versatile as the sport of CrossFit itself. The best shoes in the sport will allow you to run, climb, jump, lift, and squat with relative ease.

Well, you can. The best CrossFit shoes are made to accommodate a variety of sports, including running short distances. However, since CrossFit shoes tend to have a firmer heel than most shoes to provide support during lifts, they’re far from the best running shoes you can find. Often, athletes will wear dedicated running shoes for run-heavy workouts.

CrossFit shoes should fit just like a regular shoe; snug enough to provide support without compressing the foot.

You absolutely can. Many athletes use some of the better-looking CrossFit shoes as their everyday walking-around shoes. We know athletes who would buy multiple pairs: one for the gym, and another pair for everyday use.

Nike and Reebok were early adopters of CrossFit with Nike’s Metcon Line and Reebok’s Nanos. Initially, Reebok skewed closer to the lifting side with its harder midsole. This worked well for lifting weights but was less comfortable during gymnastics and run-heavy WODs. Nike made a big splash by erring on the run side being a running shoe with a softer midsole material.

CrossFitters loved this, as well as the wide toebox. Over the years, Nike and Reebok refined both of their lines, striking a better balance between running and lifting.

As CrossFit grew, Nanos and Metcons became more visible in the public eye as the CrossFit games became televised. Now the two brands are synonymous with the sport, with other brands carving their names out in the space.

Yes. Not only will they help prevent blisters, they also keep your shoes from smelling like you stuffed them with roadkill between workouts. We recommend taller socks, as this also protects your shins during bar moves like deadlifts and snatches. It’s also a nice extra layer during rope climbs.

Normally, we’d suggest that you replace your shoes when they wear out or blow out. However, you should expect to get at least a few years out of each pair before they become unusable. And with new styles and designs coming out every year, you’ll be buying shoes before they do.