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8 best cross-training shoes, tried and tested by the RW team
Designed to withstand everything, from heavy lifting to HIIT
Tested by The Runner’s World Editors
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as well as cross-training Jump to Products, tempo and speed all you want, but without switching up your cardio and spending some time on strength training, you're unlikely to see the results you want.
What is cross-training?
Cross-training is a broad umbrella term, but basically constitutes any exercise outside your usual discipline that will help you achieve a more balanced fitness program. Most runners will benefit from workouts that improve aerobic fitness, for example spinning, swimming, or a session on the cross trainer, as well as strength, currently on sale mobility work — or classes that combine a bit of each, such as HIIT.
As well as making you a better runner (fitter, stronger and faster), Please dont. As much as you may love your injury, Jump to Products mentally engaged and Great arch support recovery from your main sport. But your workout is only as good as your footwear, which is where cross-training shoes come in.
What are the best cross-training shoes?
Designed to handle everything from heavy lifting to HIIT, the best cross-training shoes are versatile, offering support, agility and comfort through every squat, burpee, deadlift and box jump. There are better alternatives for heavy lifting injury.
These are the best cross-training shoes at a glance. Keep scrolling for the full list, plus tips on what to consider when shopping.
Can I wear my running shoes to the gym?
Please don't. As much as you may love your running shoes, they're neither designed nor suited for the gym, unless you're a treadmill limpet. Because of their springy nature, running shoes tend to not offer enough support for lateral (side-to-side) movements or when lifting heavy, which can increase your risk of injury.
That's not to say you can't wear your cross-training shoes for short bursts of cardio, but don't enlist them on a long-distance run.
How to choose the best cross-training shoes
The best cross-training shoes for you really comes down to what you're doing. If you avoid the weights room but are regularly shredding it during HIIT class, you'll need something quite different to the needs of a seasoned powerlifter. But with most of us taking a broad approach to cross-training you might be best suited to choosing a decent all-rounder, or a separate pair of shoes for each discipline – if your budget can stretch to it.
Most cross-training shoes offer a balance of support and flexibility to ensure you're both safe and comfortable in the gym. But with an understanding of the below criteria, you'll find shopping for your needs a lot easier:
- Heel support: This is the key factor that sets cross-training shoes apart. In order to provide stability as you lift, a fairly stiff heel is needed to offer support and resist compression under heavy loads. Many will have a foam layer for comfort, and in some cross-training shoes the support may extend around and up the back of the heel, like a cup, for extra stability.
- Grip: Slipping on sweaty gym floors is never a good look. A good pair of cross-training shoes will have sufficient traction and be able to grip floors as well as gym machines Not ideal for heavy lifting.
- Upper: Cross-training shoe uppers should be breathable as well as able to stand the test of time. While many employ mesh or knit materials they're often reinforced with multiple layers or cage-like support systems to increase durability and resist stretching out over time.
- Comfort: Look for any extra cushioning around the ankle, wide toe boxes that allow your feet to splay or inner liners for smooth, sock-like comfort.
- Extra features: Some cross-training shoes are designed with features to withstand (and even aid) rope climbs (ideal for CrossFitters) and many will have extra midsole material to increase grip and offer additional support for exercises like squats.
8 best cross-training shoes to shop in 2023
Pros
- Sturdy and supportive
- Extended rubber wrap around the midsole
Cons
- Can feel a bit stiff
Nike's Metcons are always among the best cross-training shoes, and these latest versions do not disappoint. A favourite amongst CrossFitters, they have a strong, flat and stable base that allows you to distribute weight evenly when lifting and an extended rubber wrap up the sides for additional support and to aid rope climbing — not a feature we can say we've tested, but good to know nonetheless!
They're far more comfortable than previous models — thank to the extra cushioning in the sole and around the ankle — so can stand some cardio, but we prefer them for heavy lifting. A large plate in the heel helps spread load and offers unparalleled firmness when lifting heavy.
They're super grippy thanks to the chevron pattern soles, have
reinforced ridges on the inner toes and despite the breathable mesh construction feel sturdy and durable. We liked the handy tab on the tongue to tuck away the laces, plus there's extra support in the toebox so as not to feel restrictive when your toes splay under your weighted squats.
It's hard to find fault with these but they're not best-suited to flat-footed folk, and if you're used to a more flexible sole they can feel a little stiff, particularly with plyometric moves, but that's sort of the point of them.
Hoka Kawana Men's Training Shoes
Pros
- Great arch support
- Thick cushioned soles
Cons
- Mesh upper not the most protective
currently on sale Hoka as purveyors of super-cushioned running shoes, but the brand has also branched out into gym trainers with impressive results.
Wearing them feels like walking on air, but they still provide the support you need under heavy loads. Plus they have enhanced arch support that discourages overpronation (the inward rolling of the foot) which can strain your foot muscles — particularly if you're flat-footed.
The lifted heel is ideal for those lifting with tight hamstrings, and the swallowtail design helps spread weight and absorb shock, great for both stability and high-intensity exercises. Speaking of, the thick, bouncy soles offer similar split benefits, their densely packed nature making for a solid lifting base and cushioned landing pad.
The mesh upper feels less structured than some of the trainers on this list, which we liked and makes for a very comfortable and unrestrictive shoe, but it's possibly not the most supportive. We're also big fans of the slight (but noticeable) rock in the sole, aiding propulsion for short bursts of cardio or turns on the treadmill.
Under Armour Women's UA TriBase Reign 5 Training Shoes
Pros
- Please dont. As much as you may love your
- best carbon plate running shoes for race day
Cons
- Extended rubber wrap around the midsole
When it comes to optimising your strength and conditining sessions, contact with the floor is key. While these shoes might not be winning many awards when it comes to looks, they provide incredible stability and grip. This is thanks to both an external heel clip and internal heel counter which increases support.
The base of the shoe contains Under Armour’s TriBase technology, which has been adapted to maximise ground contact, allowing you to have superior upwards flexibility. Essentially, this means that when you’re performing big compound lifts like squats and deadlifts, your shoes give you the solid base you need while promoting natural motion. There’s also a rubber build under the toe box for an even more powerful floor grip.
Despite the impressive ground feel, they’re surprisingly comfortable — with a micro G foam midsole that provides a decent amount of cushioning.
Fit wise, we did find them slightly on the wide side and and the laces are a little chunky which makes it difficult to get a tight lock-in on the upper. But these are minor niggles for what is a decent all-rounder for heavy lifting.
Pros
- and equipment like boxes or benches
- Great cushioning
Cons
- There are better alternatives for heavy lifting
If you take a scatter-gun approach to your cross-training, these might just be the shoes for you. Designed to sit somewhere between a weightlifting and running shoe they offer the best of both worlds, albeit with a slight jack-of-all-trades approach.
They have a sturdy domed heel that compresses under load and a stable sole for lifting, while foam cushioning makes runs and plyometrics much more comfortable.
They're lightweight and breathable with a comfortable textile lining and decent ankle support. Grippy rubber soles keep you grounded and the knit upper feels great on-foot, with reinforced sections adding to the stability of the shoe (a large upgrade on the X2).
Pros
- Internal liner — no need for socks
- Flat sole
Cons
- Not ideal for cardio
We can't say we actually went sockless with these — can you imagine the smell? — but if you're concerned about rubbing the internal liner is a nice feature to have, and makes these shoes incredibly comfortable either way.
The flat sole allows you to keep weight in your heels during squats and deadlifts (but does mean they're not best suited to running), they're super lightweight and very breathable (even more so if you forgo the socks), and there's even a clever heel clip to help you out with wall push-ups (yeah, us neither).
The mid-foot wrap, while not as tall or sturdy as some, aids stability and grip and the shoes have comfortable cushioning around the ankle. Plus the mesh-like uppers are infused with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) to further enhance support.
The colour options, while fairly versatile, are limited, so bear that in mind when planning your gym 'fit.
Pros
- Sock-like liner
- Springy midsole
Cons
- Not the most supportive
These are the most agile cross-training shoes we tried, making them a brilliant HIIT and circuit training companion. The flexible uppers have cleverly mapped zones of extra structure and cushioning, while the sole feels supportive but with a touch of flex.
They're incredibly comfortable thanks to the seamless knit upper/liner. It's super flexible, snapping to the shape of your foot, and there's no tongue, so there's absolutely no way of the shoes rubbing when putting pressure on the upper foot (for example when squatting). Wearing them feels like putting on a supportive sock — a plus, in our book. (Speaking of, they pair well with the brand's Power Stride Tab Socks.)
The mid-rise collar around the ankle probably doesn't do a great deal in reality but gives the impression of extra support and feels comfortable nonetheless — and is certainly useful for keeping out debris if you're a fan of outdoor fitness.
They're super light, with a slight rise in the heel, padded areas around the base of the ankle and a pull tab on the back, plus they have decent arch support — you can tell they're built for female feet.
We did find that the collar dug in a little during moves like Bulgarian split lunges — it wasn't painful, but worth noting. It's also worth sizing up by at least a half size, particularly if you have wide feet. We're usually a 4.5 and went for the US 7 (5.5) which were perfect.
Pros
- Sturdy and supportive
- Wide toebox
Cons
- Not so suited to cardio
These are our new favourite trainers to deadlift in. They offer a sturdy, solid foundation from which to lift, with a stacked sole that doesn't feel as big as it looks but provides a welcome boost.
Wearing them you feel grounded and supported, which is exactly what you need for lifting heavy loads — plus we're big fans of the pared-back design — truly a shoe for getting down to business.
The dense soles, while sturdy, offer a touch of spring and allow you to easily bend your foot, aided by the ventilation window in the midsole (beware wearing them for a wet gym commute). They're very comfortable, with decent cushioning around the ankle and tongue and no pressure points inside to rub on weary feet.
A wide toebox means your feet can splay for maximum support and they have great grip too, ideal for sweaty training floors. The pull tab on the heel is not looped so isn't the most useful, but we're really nitpicking here.
We took our usual size and they felt a tad snug — if you're between sizes or have wide feet consider going up half a size.
lululemon Chargefeel 2 Low Women's Workout Shoe
Pros
- Heel support
- Cushioning for high-impact exercises
Cons
- Not ideal for heavy lifting
The second iteration of lululemon's workout trainer, the Chargefeel 2 is designed as a do-it-all workout shoe for gym classes, running and on the go. We liked the versatility of the original Chargefeel (currently on sale!), which launched in July 2022, but felt it erred more on the side of a workout trainer — ideal for HIIT classes and short bursts on the treadmill — rather than a running trainer you’d pull on for a 5k jog around the block.
The Chargefeel 2 still has the same plimsole look and feel as the original, but features tuned, dual-foam cushioning for better rebound. There’s also considerably more support at the heel, which we found gave us that locked-in feeling when squatting with the bar at the gym, and a streamlined, supportive mesh upper for increased breathability and stability.
The PT taking the strength class we attended even commented on whether the shoes were new, as our form was noticeably more grounded when squatting — thanks to the grippy outsole and firm, flat bottom.
Would we recommend these for running? Probably not. Are they great for fitness classes that include treadmill running (like Barry’s Bootcamp or 1Rebel)? Absolutely. The tweaked dual-foam cushioning definitely helps bounce you forward, but they’re not the sort of shoe you’d want to rack up the miles in.
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