The Best CrossFit Shoes of 2024

While it may lack some CrossFit-specific features that bias it toward lifting, the Nano Gym has just enough support, stability, and flexibility to be a serviceable shoe in almost every CrossFit movement. The 8 mm midsole drop may be too high for people who want a more even lifting platform, but those with ankle mobility issues will love the boost during squats. The heel support is much softer than you’ll find on most CrossFit shoes, which means less power in explosive movements, but the TPU heel cradle provides additional stability. 

And while that heel may hamper lifts, it feels amazing on a run. It’s well-known that CrossFit shoes are often terrible for running (the best of them on this list are merely serviceable), but that soft heel and 8 mm drop made this our favorite runners during testing.

One of the WODs that we did with these shoes required a mix of middle-distance runs, dumbbell snatches, and goblet squats. These shoes felt positively speedy on the run, while the lifting portions were more than comfortable (we PR’d that workout by over a minute). 

Is it the best shoe for everything in CrossFit? No. That soft heel might be an unforgivable sin for many athletes. And the lack of midsole rope protection means these shoes will get destroyed if rope climbs are prescribed. 

But for any workout that calls for plyometrics, running, and sub-maximal lifts, the Reebok Nano Gym is amazing for CrossFit. And the fact that it’s the cheapest new shoes you’ll find by $50 or more doesn’t hurt one bit.

The Savage 1 has a super breathable textile upper with a wide toe box and laminate overlays for support and added durability. The wide toebox and structure provided a comfortable fit, and the laminate upper kept the foot right where it belonged throughout our workouts.

The Savage 1 was the one of the first shoes that we tried that truly provided excellent stability during lifts like the clean & jerk and snatch, but was flexible enough to be comfortable during box jumps and burpees. Our feet generally hurt during most WODs, but they never ached in this shoe. That’s a huge win right there.

These shoes also run very well for an all-around training shoe — heads and shoulders above the Metcon 9, Nano X4, or the NOBULL Trainer. They’re not full-on running shoes, so we won’t be running any half-marathons in them, but for runs of a mile or less, they were responsive and provided just enough cushioning. 

We did find the laces a bit short, but the rounded profile prevented them from coming undone at inopportune times, such as during double-unders or sprints to beat the time cap. Also, during rope climbs, they weren’t as grippy as other shoes on this list. 

Are they a full-fledged lifter? Certainly not. Nor are they a bonafide runner. But if you just want one pair of shoes that you can do any workout in, anytime, while looking and feeling good — the Born Primitive Savage 1 is your shoe.

It still has the CXT-2’s textile upper, which has more reinforcement to prevent sidewall blowouts, and the aggressive rope guard and heel protection add to the shoe’s durability. The new version lowers the heel-toe drop from the CXT-2’s 7 mm down to 4 mm, which made the shoe less likely to catch on double-unders, and it also dropped the ankle cushioning, giving the shoe a more streamlined, minimalist feel.

But the big difference here is that the Elite Carbon has a carbon plate inserted between the midsole and the outsole. This plate, which runs from the toes to the arch, is designed to increase power during explosive movements, presumably by adding rebound when you flex your shoe for a jumping movement. 

We’ve heard similar claims before, and often, the actual results were negligible. But we’re pleased to say after a few months of testing that these shoes deliver. During movements like kettlebell swings, squats, and other stationary movements, they felt as great as the CXT-2. During box jumps, burpees, and double-unders, the shoes felt responsive, springy, and just…lively. We felt like we were flying through these movements with minimal effort. 

The flex and rebound of the carbon plate feel similar to wearing 7mm knee sleeves during a back squat — you feel some resistance as you lower into the bottom of the squat, and as you rise, you feel the sleeve pushing up with you, providing extra assistance. That’s how it feels when you jump in these. They’re not bionic or anything (these shoes won’t allow you to hit a 50-inch box jump right out of the box), but that little bit of extra help goes a long way in high-rep or high-speed workouts. 

Are they worth $225? That depends — if you’re already frustrated that most of the CrossFit shoes on this list are around $150, this shoe’s not going to make you feel any better. Plus, they fit small, so you’ll want to go up half a size when purchasing. But if you can afford them and you want a top-level CrossFit shoe, you’re not going to find a more responsive shoe than the TYR CXT-2 Elite Carbon.

Designed specifically for strength training, the shoe is an excellent option for the functional training crowd. It is also a superb deadlift shoe, and barefoot runners will value it for its wide fit, natural feel, and good grip. That being said, the Motus Strength comes with a caveat. If this is your first minimalist shoe, we would highly recommend that you ease into your runs and workouts while wearing them. 

Zero drop and zero padding mean zero support, so it might be a rough transition for folks switching to the minimalist shoe situation. However, this shoe is great if you’re interested in strengthening your feet and ankles or prefer to feel more tuned into your feet when lifting. We especially valued the bio-feedback of this minimal shoe during kettlebell conditioning.

The added protection is a big plus, and makes the Motus Strength stand out amongst other barefoot-style shoes. While the bottom of the outsole remains minimalist and flexible, it wraps up around the heel, midfoot, and toebox to help protect the foot from random weight drops (somewhat) and to provide some lateral stability during heavy lifts.

Sizing can be a little tricky with the Motus Strength — they run a bit big. Vivobarefoot has a helpful guide on its site for choosing your appropriate size, so be sure to check that out before pulling the trigger. Billy, normally an 11, is a 10.5 in the Motus Strength. Otherwise, these shoes are lightweight, breathable, wide, & flexible — making for a great summer training shoe.

If you love deadlifts, these shoes are ideal. The zero heel-toe drop is ideal for maintaining good positioning and minimizing forward lean. As far as squatting and Olympic lifting go, is that there are much better options out there. We’d strongly recommend purchasing a dedicated lifter like the Reebok Legacy Lifter III to give you the positioning and stability you need for big lifts. 

If, however, you are looking for a minimalist cross-trainer to do some running, some functional training, a little kettlebell work, and the occasional deadlift session, we are hard-pressed to find a better option. The Vivobarefoot Motus Strength is an excellent training shoe on its own and a very good minimalist shoe on top of that.

This is because weightlifting shoes are built for two things — stability and stiffness. An extremely stiff sole maximizes power transfer during explosive movements necessary during cleans and snatches, and a wide, stable base keeps ankle and foot movement to a minimum when squatting heavy weight. 

The Legacy Lifter III delivers on all of these parameters. During testing, the extremely firm thermoplastic polyurethane (basically a really hard plastic, also known as TPU) platform under the heel absorbed zero power during our Olympic lifts. We wore these on a three-month Olympic lifting program and managed a 20-pound increase in his squat snatch and a 30-pound increase in his squat clean. Speaking of squats, the exterior TPU heel reinforcement that rises up over the heel prevented any foot movement when dropping into a squat and driving back up.

The main noticeable difference between the Legacy Lifter III and its predecessor, the Legacy Lifter II is the addition of the Pump feature. This feature, which elder millennials may remember fondly from their childhoods, entails a pump button on the tongue that wearers can use to inflate the tongue for a more secure, custom fit.  

That secure fit is bolstered by the shoe’s midsole strap, adding to the Legacy Lifter III’s superlative stability. We’ve gone through countless lifting shoes in our fitness journey, and the Legacy Lifter III is by far the most stable, secure shoe we’ve used.

At $220, these lifters are an investment, but durability isn’t an issue here. We’ve been testing the shoe for nearly a year’s worth of workouts, and it still looks like new. We don’t anticipate any blowouts or degradation throughout our next few years of wear. 

We have a medium-width foot, which perfectly suits the Legacy Lifter III but may not work well with lifters who have narrower feet. If your feet tend to swim in medium-width shoes, we’d recommend something narrower, like the Adidas Adipower 3.

That said, this is not a versatile shoe. While the forefoot is flexible enough for split jerks, you won’t want to do movements like burpees or box jumps in them. They weigh nearly three times as much as some of the shoes on this list, which is not ideal for toes to bar or muscle ups. And God help you if you try to run any distance in these. The bottom line is that if you don’t plan to hoist some heavy weight, these shoes aren’t for you.

If, however, you are looking for a shoe that’s ideal for Olympic movements, heavy back/front/overhead squats, and overhead work, you’re not going to find a more stable platform than the one on the Reebok Legacy Lifter III.

And that one piece is made of SuperFabric, made by applying a layer of protective guard plates to a fabric. These guard plates are basically tiny pieces of hard plastic. The plastic acts as a shield over the fabric, making it abrasion-resistant without sacrificing breathability or flexibility. This also gives the shoes a distinct dot pattern.

The low-profile lugs on the outsole provide both traction and a stable platform, while the firm midsole provides ample support during heavy lifts (though some athletes find them clunky on runs).

And that’s the big downside with the Outwork — if you want soft landings on jumps or any semblance of cushioning on a run, these aren’t the shoes for you.

NOBULL takes pride in being an understated company. Its shoes are solid, stable, and durable, without any of the extra bells and whistles. The Outwork may not be flashy, but it’ll get the job done — and do it for years without showing any wear.

We took the Ballistic Trainer through months of testing, exposing it to weightlifting, high-rep, heavy deadlift sessions, sprints, gymnastic movements, and the dreaded Murph workout — a 1-mile run, 100 pullups, 200 pushups, and 300 air squats, followed by another 1-mile run, all wearing a 20 lb. weight vest.

The midsole provides what all CrossFit shoes offer, but rarely deliver — equal performance across various workouts. The platform felt secure and steady during Olympic lifts, and the elevated heel gave the shoe a lifter feel during heavy back squats. With movements like burpees and box jumps, the forefoot provided more than enough flexibility to enable a full range of motion. 

One of the most noticeable aspects of the Ballistic Trainer is its durability. It looks like a tough shoe, and man, does it perform like one. After tests that included runs, jumps, burpees, and shoe-wrecking rope climbs, a quick wipe-down with a wet rag had our test pair looking like it just came out of the box. 

At almost 11 oz, however, you won’t be mistaking these for running shoes any time soon. Also, the sole is fairly stiff on arrival and requires a short break-in period to really deliver. But if you’re willing to put in the work, the Ballistic Trainer will more than meet you halfway.

Happily, the Nano X4 still retains all of the stability that the Nano line is praised for. These shoes offer heaps of support for lifting-based WODS. The X4 retains the same 7 mm drop as the X3, and the reinforcement on the instep for rope climbs.

As for its running capabilities, we found that the Nano X4 feels significantly clunkier when running came up in a workout. The stable heel that is so helpful in big lifts turned out to be a hindrance when it was time to hit the road. 

While it’s workable on runs of 200-400 m, the stompy feel gets really old, really fast. Unfortunately, that transferred to plyometric movements as well. During broad and box jumps, the shoes felt slappy upon landing. On the plus side, the added stability made landings feel significantly more steady, especially on 30-inch box jumps. 

Stiffness aside, the Nano X4 is a great all-around shoe for any WOD that doesn’t include running outside the gym. For most days, the shoe can take the wobble out of dynamic movements and provide lifter-like stability under heavy weight. 

One of the surprise perks of the Nano X4 is how well it works as an everyday shoe. The varied color options and low-profile styling made it an all-star for traveling (you won’t have to pack an extra pair of workout shoes). Plus, the stable midsole is supportive and comfortable enough to wear to a coffee shop or wandering around a farmer’s market.

While it’s not the best runner and feels stiffer than many of the shoes on this list, the Reebok Nano X4 is a solid option for athletes who want a shoe they can wear both in and out of the gym.

Normally a size 11, Paul literally could not get his foot into the shoe due to its small sizing and extremely narrow toebox. After sizing up to a 12, he was able to slip his foot in with reasonable comfort but still had issues with the width. The fit caused some substantial toe overlap and one of his toenails cut into/rubbed the others even after clipping and rounding off — not ideal. Potential buyers should be sure that they need a narrow shoe before purchasing, and definitely consider sizing up. 

We are generally big fans of zero-drop shoes, especially those with good stability and traction like the Minimus TR. The minimus is an excellent deadlift shoe because of its 0 mm drop and excellent floor contact, but users with limited ankle mobility may notice issues in their squat depth with this shoe — especially if coming from a shoe with more drop. 

One of the cool features about this shoe is the integrated tongue, making the Minimus a good option for wearing without socks. They are also a great functional fitness shoe; we really enjoyed our kettlebell workouts in them.

The Minimus TR makes a decent runner, though it’s worth noting that folks not used to running in zero drop or minimalist shoes should exercise caution and gradually build up to running more than a mile or two at a time. Lightweight and highly breathable, with great traction and excellent style, the Minimus would make an awesome transition shoe for narrow-footed folks interested in a zero-drop or minimalist shoe. Those of you who need a wider CrossFit shoe might be interested in the Vivobarefoot Motus Strength.