Going to the gym can be challenging enough.
Without the right equipment, the chance of injury is high and your body has to work harder to achieve the results you want.
Why not ease the struggle by choosing the correct footwear?
In this guide, I’m going to take a look at the best CrossFit shoes for men available online.
From champions of value, to heavy lifters in stability, this list has you covered.
As a CrossFitter myself, I can honestly say I will never bring back those cushiony running shoes to the box. It’s just not worth it.
The difference is noticeable when your maxing out on your squats or lifting heavy on your thrusters.
And that’s not even mentioning the support and protection you receive! So take a look below at our concise list of the five best men’s cross training shoes below.
Men's CrossFit Shoes Comparison Table
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5 Best CrossFit Shoes for Men
We tried to add a little variety to our list by providing a few different brands to choose from as each person has a preference towards style and fit.
But without a doubt, and with good reason, Nike and Reebok dominated the group. They have some of the best cross training shoes men can buy.
Just as in athletic performance, they, along with Adidas, seem to be the heavyweights in the CrossFit industry.
Below you will find a concise summary explaining the benefits and features of each pair as well as potential drawbacks (if any). We even gave some good CrossFit shoe options for those guys, like myself, on a budget.
Sometimes it’s worth it to give up buying the latest style and design when you want to keep the cost low.
We hope you like our list of the absolute best cross trainer shoes for men!
Nike Men's Metcon 2 Synthetic Trainers
The Nike Metcon 2 Trainers are the Swiss Army knife of CrossFit and for that reason they have secured their spot as my number one shoe on this impressive list.
With a mesh upper and sturdy rubber sole, the Metcon 2 is breathable and stable. This balance of flexibility and grip makes it a perfect choice for both speed training and heavy lifting.
The Flywire mid-foot technology uses supportive filaments within the shoe that functions like cables on a suspension bridge.
The zero-drag heel also limits the likelihood of slippage when lifting and therefore, reduces the risk of injury.
Nike Free Trainer 5.0 NRG
For those dudes on budget, we selected the Nike Free Trainer 5.0 as our pick for "Best Value" Men’s cross training shoes.
These shoes have a narrower fit and no tongue, so CrossFitters with broader feet might struggle with the limited space and adjustability.
Other than that, the Nike Free Trainer 5.0 NRG is a solid shoe with great stability and support.
Despite its lower cost, it doesn’t sacrifice flexibility for sturdiness and should proveto be a very comfortable shoe so long as care is taken when ordering your size.
Adidas Performance Adipower Weightlifting Trainer
This shoe is the workhorse of my list and was made for the powerlifter in you.
The Adipower Weightlifting Trainer Shoe is a well-structured model with a heel to toe ratio that will improve form when squatting and assist with deadlifts.
Unlike other weightlifting shoes, the toe box opens up with wear, meaning more comfort and breathability.
The considerable stability does mean the Adipower Weightlifting Trainer perhaps isn’t the best choice for running or sprinting and you might want to consider a more flexible shoe for speed workouts.
But for heavy weightlifting and Olympic lifts like the snatch and clean, we most definitely recommend these excellent CrossFit sneakers.
If we were to pick a shoe based purely on weightlifting and the heavy lifting components of a WOD, this beast would more than likely be our pick.
Reebok CrossFit Nano 6.0
Reebok’s Nanos have been named amongst the best cross training shoes for men time and time again, and for good reason.
These shoes were formed to handle all different facets of a CrossFit WOD, both the heavy lifting and the fast twitch lateral movements and runs.
The 6.0 is as stable and flexible as its predecessors, but has an updated anatomical design which offers greater locked-in stability.
Super light and with a generous toe box, the Nano 6.0 is perfect for speed workouts, while the sturdy rubber sole provides the grip needed for weightlifting.
The sleek and lightweight design make it our choice for the best all-around shoe. We believe the Nano 6.0 is a nice upgrade over the 5.0 for those that have been satisfied with the Nano line and fit.
Reebok CrossFit Nano 5
Given the Nano’s success as one of the best CrossFit shoes for men, it’s unsurprising a second model has made my list.
With a Kevlar infused upper, the Nano 5 is incredibly durable which means that this shoe isn’t just a great value for your dollars, it also provides much needed protection and support.
Since these shoes are geared towards the CrossFitter, we don’t recommend using these on long runs as the flat sole is not ideal for long distance.
However, for the regular CrossFit runs and sprints, and lateral movements like the box jump, we found these shoes to more than fit the bill.
Honorable Mention
ASICS Men’s Gel-Intensity 3
With so much to choose from, it’s understandably tricky to find the best fit for your CrossFit workouts.
And just to muddy the waters more, I couldn’t round off my list without giving an honorable mention to the ASICS Gel-Intensity 3.
We love ASICS running shoes and users have found them to be very comfortable over the years.
We think this is a great cross training shoe option and well worth a mention here.
Time to Choose Your Shoes
With so many options out there, all it takes is a little research for any aspiring or experienced CrossFitter to find the right shoe.
Whether you need a lighter shoe for speed, a sturdier shoe for heavy lifting, or a do-all model that won’t have you changing shoes in the middle of a WOD, I hope my list has provided some promising options.
Just remember to first consider what you need for your personal workout style and choose the model that’s going to help you get those all-important results.
Personally, we recommend the Nike Metcon 2 shoes as we believe they have all the features and excels in all facets of a CrossFit workout.
But for those that want to stick with CrossFits top brand and enjoy the prestigious Nano line, we think the latest upgrade, Nano 6.0 is more than worth the purchase.
We believe you will notice a difference in your next WOD with these shoes and I can honestly say I have!
Gone are the days of trying to push through heavy lifts on my old fluffy foldables.
Now the only thing missing is the motivation.
Want to see how we determined the best CrossFit shoes of 2016? We put together a Detailed Guide Here. We put together everything you need to know about CrossFit and picking the right shoes.
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