The main goal of people who practice cross-training is to not only improve their performance in whatever sport they’re practicing but also to boost their fitness levels for a healthier lifestyle. It is therefore understandable that those who practice cross-training always look for the best possible gear and apparel for the job. In this respect, nowadays the market has quite a lot to offer, both in regards to shoes, apparel, and exercising equipment.
Today we will focus on shoes, perhaps the most essential piece of equipment you can own if you live an active lifestyle. Given the sheer variety available, you might find it rather difficult to find a pair that best suits your needs, not unless you have a good understanding of what makes a good pair of cross-training shoes to begin with. To save you the trouble, we put together a list of the ten best cross-training shoes money can buy for you to look at.
Best Cross Training Shoes – Reviews
9Inov-8 Men’s F-LITE
Inov-8 F-Lite is a zero drop model that boasts a great cushioning technology and truly innovative flexibility features for performance comfort and added convenience. This is especially because of its new multi-directional, unique Meta-Flex technology, alongside a quality rubber outsole that offers high traction and durability. The upper, too delivers high support, comfort, style, and a durability that rivals the very best cross-training shoes the market has to offer right now.
8Adidas Performance Ultra Zen
Performance Cloudfoam Ultra Zen by Adidas is synonymous with great performing men in any cross training workout. Featuring a swim slide design, it combines a great slide functionality with an even greater sneaker style to offer full recovery and incredible relaxation in a single package. For proper foot ventilation, the shoe features an air mesh upper while a wide forefoot fit offers toe comfort and free movement. Additional features include a unique Cloudfoam footbed for extra cushioning and an injected EVA rubber outsole for flexibility, stability, and durability.
7New Balance Men’s 20v5 Vibram Minimus
Made by the reputable brand New Balance, the 20v5 Vibram Minimus is a men’s cross-training shoe to count on. Its commendable design offers an easy, convenient lace-up closure, burrito tongue and proprietary asymmetrical collar featuring molded foam padding for extra support and comfort. Premium-grade material uppers deliver flex, support, and breathability, as a Revlite midsole ensures a superb fit and free motion support. Additionally, the shoe has Vibram rubber outsoles for unmistakable stability and reliability.
6PUMA Men’s Cell Surin 2 FM
From the famous PUMA, the Cell Surin 2 FM will work for a man looking for good performance cross training shoe by most metrics. Featuring an improved design, it has this lighter, sleeker modern feel that does not leave behind the enduring heritage of PUMA performance excellence. Top-quality materials and expert structure blend to deliver the very best in performance support and comfort. Such highlights recommend it as one of the top choices in its range; what with it adding a flexible and durable quality rubber outsole for good measure.
5Reebok Men’s Crossfit Nano 6.0
The Reebok’s Crossfit Nano 6.0 could be considered one of the most impressive choices when it comes to reliable men’s cross-training shoes. Thanks to its advanced anatomical design, it offers an even more locked-in stability and comfort, supporting a high performance through uneven terrain or other difficult exercising conditions. Furthermore, a precision-based design incorporates a PRO+ shank to support you in performing CrossFit-specific regimens with even higher confidence, as the Kevlar-integrated upper delivers improved support and durability.
4New Balance Men’s MX857
Another men’s cross-training shoe by New Balance, the MX857 is seen as one of the very best cross-training shoes the market has to offer. This is because it features a great lateral TPU support along with a Rollerbar technology for assisting over-pronation, and advanced N-ERGY + C-CAP anti-shock technologies for added foot comfort and impact protection through the day. Other highlights include a firm, breathable leather-and-mesh upper and an EVA foam midsole for higher comfort and a greater overall value. All this not forgetting the stable, durable non-marking rubber outsole.
3Reebok Men’s Royal Trainer MT
The top-performance Royal Trainer MT by Reebok is a reliable shoe for men designed with a memory foam sock-liner that provides a well-cushioned footbed to ensure a great standard of comfort while its durable quality outsole delivers flexibility and durability both. Furthermore, this shoe boasts forefoot flex grooves beside a low-cut profile for allowing incredible motion ease. This is quite useful when performing exercises that require a great deal of moving, mostly due to the great flexibility the shoe offers in motion.
2Vibram Men’s KSO Evo Cross Training Shoe
The Vibram Men’s KSO Evo Cross Training Shoe has a thick and durable ice-trek quality rubber outsole that guarantees a high standard of flexibility and comfort. Its professional design offers an advanced, intense exercise versatility and a stable lateral motion due to a functional circular lug pattern that offers a lot of control in motion along with a feedback similar to being barefoot. Vibram KSO also has a premium-quality polyester/nylon mesh upper that offers great support and is also quite breathable when compared to other cross-training shoes.
1New Balance Men’s MX623v3
Ranking high among the best cross-training shoes available today, the New Balance MX623v3 delivers prolonged comfort and the high-performance support you require when you work out. It is designed for both versatility and durability with its large absorb capsule, along with a reinforced foam collar and EVA footbed to deliver extra comfort. Furthermore, a high-quality suede upper makes it both flexible and breathable while a non-marking premium-grade rubber outsole ensures its durability and traction. Overall, these might just be the best cross-training shoes the market has to offer right now, both in regards to their flexibility and durability.
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A Guide To Buying Cross Training Shoes
Cross-training shoes have specific characteristics that make them quite useful for just about any athlete. These shoes combine the stability of a tennis shoe, with the forefront cushioning that’s often found on volleyball shoes and then finish it off with the heel cushioning that’s commonly found on the heel. In a general sense, that makes these shoes quite useful, if they’re well constructed. Unfortunately, not all of the shoes marketed as cross-training shoes are well-constructed, so it’s usually up to the consumer to figure out which ones are right for them. To help cut through the marketing hype, and to help our readers find the best cross-training shoes possible, we decided to write this guide on how to buy the best pair possible. We earnestly hope that this guide will answer any questions that our readers may have on the subject.
Step One: Determine Your Foot Shape
One of the first things you should do when searching for a new pair of cross-training shoes is to find out which type of foot you may have. Different people have different foot types and those can have a major impact on not only how the shoes fit but also how they’re worn. So the first step towards purchasing the best cross-training shoes possible is to start with the shape of your foot. Let’s look at some of the more common foot types that people have and what type of shoes they need to wear.
Feet With Overpronation
Overpronation of the foot is often caused by flat feet and causes the foot and/or ankle to roll inward. People with these types of feet need to look for shoes that emphasis stability and provides a lot of lateral support. Shoes suitable for this condition are also usually equipped with orthotic insoles of some type.
Feet With Supination
If a person has high arches, then they usually end up with a foot and/or ankle that rolls outward. People with this type of foot should look for cross-training shoes that provide an ample amount of flexibility, and have a lot of cushioning.
Feet With A Neutral Disposition
Not everyone has feet that are overpronated or that have supination, and in fact, actually, have feet that have a neutral disposition. In those instances, the consumer should look for shoes that don’t have more cushioning than they need and promote a more natural foot motion.
Step Two: Make Sure The Shoe Fits
The next step is to properly measure your feet and right down the measurements. A proper measurement can be taken by stepping down on a sheet of outline paper, tracing the outline of the foot and then measuring from the longest toe to the back of the heel and then measuring the widest part of the foot. This will give the person the accurate measurements that they can then use to figure out their shoe size on a Shoe Size Chart. With that information in hand, consider the following:
- A shoe properly fitted will fit the volume and width of the wearer’s feet.
- They provide adequate support and cushioning.
- They’re flexible enough to allow proper foot movement
- A tighter-fitting upper promotes better foot control.
- Feet should be measured for sizing at the end of the day, not at the beginning.
Step Three: Additional Things To Consider
Now that we’re 2/3rd of the way to buying the best pair of cross-training shoes possible, it’s now time to turn our attention to some of the additional features that most people are going to want to consider before they purchase a new pair of cross-training shoes.
- Buy cross-training shoes that will stretch
- Real leather cross-trainers stretch better than synthetic cross-trainers.
- When sizing shoes, wear the socks you intend on wearing while you measure.
- It may be necessary for you to add second-party orthotics or insoles even to great cross-trainers.
Step Four: Consider The Shoe’s Tread
The last thing you should do before you buy your new cross-trainers is to look at the tread that’s on the bottom of the shoe. The best cross-training shoes have a tread that allows for sufficient surface tension on a variety of surfaces. These treads also provide the wearer with the grip they need to perform lateral movements and to cushion the foot against impacts as well.
In Conclusion
That’s just about everything a person needs to consider when choosing a new pair of cross-trainers, except for the style and the price of the shoes—which we believe the consumer can decide upon themselves. If the above guidelines are followed, and a pair of shoes is selected from our top ten list, then the odds are pretty good that you’re going to find the best shoes possible.
