The 10 Best Shoes for CrossFit (2025): Expert-Tested for All WODs

Fave WODs to Do In Them

• WODs With a Lower Body Focus
• WODs With A Lot of Jumping (good ground feedback)
• WODs Performed When Traveling (good all-in-one option)

Sizing Thoughts

• Width: Medium/Wide(ish)
• Narrower Feet Sizing: True to Size
• Wider Feet Sizing: Go up a half-size (it’s the new meta).
• Flatter Feet Sizing: These have a tapered and low-volume midfoot.
• Relative Sizing: Go the same size as Nike, Adidas, and Reebok.

My Full Review and Fave Alternative

• For More Info: Read My Review
• Good Alternative: Born Primitive Savage 1
• STRIKE MVMNT’s Return Policy: Learn more here.

Why I Chose Them

I love the STR/KE MVMNT Haze Trainer along with most of the guys in my community who have tried this model. For CrossFit, the Haze Trainer delivers a super versatile performance so I don’t think you’ll have many issues with this model.

The Haze Trainer has done a good job with my heavier lifting, and I credit this to its Cush50 midsole. My top deadlift in these shoes to date is 530 lbs, and my max squat set includes 420 for 4 reps. On both occasions, stability was never a concern for me.

The minimalist feel that you get with the Haze Trainer is what really won me over with this shoe. I love rating between barefoot shoes and training shoes and the Haze Trainer feels like a “bridge” between these two footwear styles.

If you’re similar and love having more ground feel in your workouts and CrossFit WODs, then you’ll resonate with the Haze Trainer. Outside of its minimalist feel, I also like the jacquard knit upper and how it hugs the foot and promotes overall security.

To add a final note on this shoe’s versatility, if I’m traveling I’ll usually bring my Haze Trainers. They look casual which is an added bonus outside of their performance in various WODs and they’re comfortable for all-day wear.

The Bottom Line: When the Haze Trainer works for athletes…it WORKS. This model delivers an awesome, simplistic feel for the athlete who loves a flexible and stable shoe for CrossFit.

What to Buy for Women: Inov8 F-Lite Max

When it comes to building dynamite CrossFit shoes, Inov8 has been crushing it. The F-Lite Max has been one of those shoes that constantly gets high regard from the women I interview. These, along with the RAD ONE V2 and normal F-Lite are usually top dogs.

Fave WODs to Do In Them

• WODs With A Lot of Lifting
• WODs With Rope Climbing
• Workouts Where You Like a Bit More Arch Support

• Removable Insole: Yes
• Width: Wide
• Narrower Feet Sizing: True to Size, D-width feet, go up a half-size.
• Wider Feet Sizing: Go up a half size.
• Flatter Feet Sizing: These have a bit of taper to them. Flat feet may want to pass.
• Relative Sizing: Go up a half-size compared to your Nike and Adidas shoes

My Full Review and Fave Alternative

• For More Info: Read My Review
• Good Alternative: Reebok Nano X5
• Inov8’s Return Policy: Learn more here.

Why These Made the List

Yes, I’ll admit that I’m that guy who goes up to strangers in the gym to ask them about their footwear, especially in CrossFit boxes and niche gyms. In my experience, the F-Lite Max has received their positive reviews from the ladies I’ve asked for three reasons.

First, their toe box tends to get a lot of love. These have a wider toe box like the F-Lite. Its toe box width and upper volume can work exceptionally well for feet widths up to 3E widths. The ladies I’ve spoken with specifically mention that they like the narrower heel for promoting a good lockdown despite having a wider fit.

Second, the stability tends to get a lot of love. This shoe features Inov8’s PowerFlow Max midsole and has a built-in TPU stabilizer. The big points mentioned is that the TPU doesn’t feel as offputting as models like the Metcon 9, which is a shoe some women noted that transitioned away from.

While I am NOT trying to speak for women here (lol), I can also attest to this shoe’s stability. I’ve deadlifted 495 lbs in this model with no issues nad have used them for heavy power cleans and single-leg work with no issues whatsoever. Whether you want these exclusively for CrossFit or CrossFit with some lifting, you should be plenty fine with their stability.

Third and lastly, the F-Lite Max’s durability was also mentioned a lot. This shoe tends to be one of those models that you don’t have to really think about when it comes to breaking down too fast. For $150, I’d hope this is the case. Most athletes I’ve talked to haven’t had issues with the Max, and this stands true for me in my own testing.

The Bottom Line: If you’ve trained in shoes like the Metcon 9 and loved them for their TPU heel and stability, but found them to lack versatility and a little snug, consider the F-Lite Max. It has a similar stability and a wider toe box.

What to Buy for WODs With Running: Inov8 F-Fly

The Inov8 F-Fly has been an awesome hybrid-focused training shoe that I think is slept-on. In Inov8’s current training shoe lineup, this model is the most running-friendly and is built to accommodate workouts with some lifting, jumping, and interval runs.

Fave WODs to Do In Them

• WODs With Lifting/Short Runs
• Workouts With a Full Body Focus
• WODs With A lot of Transitions

Sizing Thoughts

• Removable Insole: Yes
• Width: Wide
• Narrower Feet Sizing: True to Size, D-width feet, go up a half-size.
• Wider Feet Sizing: Go up a half size.
• Flatter Feet Sizing: These have a bit of taper to them. Flat feet may want to pass.
• Relative Sizing: Go up a half-size compared to your Nike and Adidas shoes

My Full Review and Fave Alternative

• For More Info: Read My Review
• Good Alternative: Reebok Nano X5
• Inov8’s Return Policy: Learn more here.

Why I Chose Them

The Inov8 F-Fly is one of those shoes that are just a solid option to keep in your lineup, even if they’re not your main training shoes. I always language this shoe as a “never bad to have” type of shoe. My advice, if you know your gym programs a lot of runs in WODs, then invest in a pair and keep them in your gym bag.

To shed some context on when I like to use my F-Flys, it’s during workouts where I know I’ll be doing things like walking lunges, dumbbell snatches, box jumps, and short runs. Their POWERFLOW PRO midsole has a nice bounce to it and I never feel like my feet get fatigued when wearing these when training.

The lightweight and breathable mesh upper is also a perk of this shoe. If your feet run hot, then you’ll love how this model breathes — and if you want a similar upper but more stability, then the Inov8 F-Lite can be an awesome option here for this ask, too. Despite the upper running on the lighter side, I don’t really struggle with security issues when wearing these.

If you have wider feet, I think you’ll enjoy the wider forefoot in this shoe. They tend to accommodate a wide range of foot anatomies well based on my community’s feedback on this shoe in addition to my own observations. There is a midfoot taper, so for my flat and blocky-footed folks, you’ll want to keep that in mind.

The flexibility of the sole strikes a nice cord for minimalist lovers, too. This model moves well with the foot, so despite having a higher stack height, this shoe should work well with your feet and they break in fast.

The Bottom Line: The F-Fly is a sneaky, strong, hybrid-focused CrossFit shoe. This model ticks the box really well for anyone whose box programs a lot of runs.

What to Buy for Arch Support: TYR CXT-2

The TYR CXT-2 Trainer feels like a completely different shoe compared to the CXT-1 in a great way, which arguably was a decent shoe for CrossFit to begin with. This shoe has been super solid for all of my CrossFit tests. Consider it the big bro in this equation.

Fave WODs to Do In Them

• WODs With Heavy Lifting
• WODs With A lot of Rope Climbs (good grip/durability)
• Workouts With Multi-Directional Work/Lots of Transitions

Sizing Thoughts

• Width: Medium/Slightly Wide
• Narrower Feet Sizing: True to Size
• Wider Feet Sizing: True to size up to E/EE. 3E+ pass on these.
• Flatter Feet Sizing: These have some arch to them.
• Relative Sizing: Go with your normal Nike, Reebok, and RAD sizes.

My Full Review and Fave Alternative

• For More Info: Read My Review
• Good Alternative: Reebok Nano X4
• TYR’s Return Policy: Learn more here.

Why I Chose Them

When is comes to CrossFit, the CXT-2 Trainer has yet to let me down. I appreciate that it seems like a lot of the changes made in this shoe were spurred by the community feedback and what went “wrong” in the CXT-1 Trainer.

For example, this model has a reworked midfoot and heel, which now features a TPU and extended outsole wrap. I’ve loved this change because it’s nipped the rope climbing durability issue that I had in these completely in the bud.

Outside of reworked midsole protection, this shoe’s heel-to-toe drop was brought down from 9mm to 7mm. I found this to give this shoe a better and more “all-encompassing” feel for training. You don’t feel as pitched forward in this shoe as you could at times in the CXT-1.

This shoe has also been widened compared to its predecessor. The CXT-2 features a width increase of 4mm, which is appreciated by myself and many others. Now, that said, this model is still not crazy “wide” for 3E+ width feet, so please check my sizing advice above before buying.

At the end of the day, the CXT-2 has been solid for CrossFit. It feels leveled up in almost every way possible, and whether it’s been for 500 lb deadlifts, tackling rope climbs, or hitting a versatile WOD this shoe has been solid.

The Bottom Line: If you want a denser shoe that tends to do well for long-term durability, the CXT-2 can be a good option. These also work great for arch lovers, and they have a wide option.

What to Buy for Flat Feet: Born Primitive Savage 1

It’s no secret that finding flat, foot-friendly CrossFit shoes can be a pain. The Savage 1 is making my list once again for its ability to work for flatter feet. Pro-tip, take the insole out of this shoe and they’ll work better for flat feet.

Fave WODs to Do In Them

• WODs With Deadlifts and RDLs
• Workouts With a Lower Body Focus (flexible for single-leg stuff)
• WODs With Cleans and Jumping

Sizing Thoughts

• Width: Medium/Wide(ish)
• Narrower Feet Sizing: True to Size
• Wider Feet Sizing: True to Size
• Flatter Feet Sizing: These have a flatter midfoot.
• Relative Sizing: Go with the same size as Nike and Reebok in these.
• In-Between Sizes: Narrower feet, go down. Wide feet, size up.

My Full Review and Fave Alternative

• For More Info: Read My Review
• Good Alternative: Reebok Nano 2.0
• Born Primitive’s Return Policy: Learn more here.

Why I Chose Them

The Savage 1’s last (mold/shape) is one of my favorite things about this shoe. I know I discussed it above in my width section, but this shoe’s ability to work for a wide range of anatomies is always why I tend to recommend them for those “stuck” on what to get for specific sizing asks.

It’s surprising how much more spacious this shoe can feel for flat feet when you take its insole out. You can also swap its insole for a thinner one and then you’ll get the nice balance of this shoe being great for flat feet while still getting a little cushion. It’s a win-win move to try.

The lower stack height also helps contribute to this shoe’s flat, foot-friendly nature. There’s not an aggressive arch so when you’re training and your foot is collapsing and flexing, there’s never an uncomfortable feeling of something pressing in to the midfoot.

If you do invest in the Savage 1, keep in mind that these shoes will have more of a stability-bias to them, like the VIKTOS Core Gym which was the shoe that had this spot previously. For the record, I swapped them out due to availability, the Savage 1 continually growing on me, and community feedback.

The Bottom Line: If you do decide to try the Savage 1 and you’re nervous on sizing, go through That Fit Friend Shop and I’ll cover your returns for you! Just let me know how I can help.

What to Buy for Barefoot Shoe Lovers: Vivobarefoot Motus Strength

I feel like we’re finally hitting that point of critical mass where we’re FINALLY starting to get some barefoot shoes that can excel for CrossFit WODs. The Motus Strength is one of the stronger options out there for performance and long-term durability, securing it my top spot.

Fave WODs to Do In Them

• WODs With A Lot of Deadlifts
• Workouts With Single-Leg Work
• WODs With a Full Body Focus

Sizing Thoughts

• Width: Wide
• Narrower Feet Sizing: Size down.
• Wider Feet Sizing: True to size. Higher insteps may not love the volume of these.
• Flatter Feet Sizing: These tend to work for flat feet.
• Relative Sizing: Size down from your normal Nike, Xero Shoes, and Reebok.

My Full Review and Fave Alternative

• For More Info: Read My Review
• Good Alternative: Xero Shoes 360
• Vivobarefoot’s Return Policy: Learn more here.

Why I Chose Them

The Vivobarefoot Motus Strength has honestly surprised me in all of my CrossFit workouts. I’ve thrown some gnarly WODs at this shoe and it’s still standing strong with little to no sign of breakdown — which is great because it’s expensive AF.

This shoe is one of the first barefoot shoe options I’ve used that can hold its own across all WODs, and this means WODs with rope climbs, short runs, and handstand push-ups.

I think I’ve been so impressed with this shoe because the Motus Strength is primarily intended for lifting and versatile training. However, with its reinforced upper you can use them for CrossFit without a ton of worry about them breaking down quickly from rope climbs and other abrasion movements.

This shoe’s outsole wraps over the toe box and up the lateral and medial sides so it helps with giving this shoe a “locked-down” feeling. I’ve liked the more aggressive tread on this shoe for grip when catching clean & jerks, snatches, and doing squats.

Outside of its more rugged grip, I’ve also liked the upper of this shoe and how its translated to my CrossFit workouts. The sock-like feel is fantastic for preventing sliding and slipping when moving dynamically in your workouts.

The Bottom Line: There aren’t a ton of barefoot shoes that can withstand the demands of CrossFit as well as the Motus Strength does. They’re worth the price and should need less replacing than going with a cheap option. The Inov8 Bare XF can also work great.

What to Buy for Rope Climbing: Inov8 F-Lite

For the record, a lot of the shoes on this work exceptionally well for rope climbing. The F Lite is taking my pick here because its ROPE-TEC midfoot gives you a nice bite and grip when climbing while protecting the shoe from general durability issues.

Fave WODs to Do In Them

• WODs With a Lot of Rope Climbs
• Workouts With a Full Body Focus
• WODs With Short Runs

Sizing Thoughts

• Width: Wide
• Narrower Feet Sizing: True to size. D-width feet, size up a half-size.
• Wider Feet Sizing: Size up a half-size.
• Flatter Feet Sizing: These have a little arch, but it’s not crazy offputting, IMO. If you buy through That Fit Friend Shop, I’ll cover your returns if you need one and they don’t work for you.
• Relative Sizing: Go up a half-size compared to Nike and Adidas.

My Full Review and Fave Alternative

• For More Info: Read My Review
• Good Alternative: TYR CXT-2
• Inov8’s Return Policy: Learn more here.

Why I Chose Them

In the current Inov8 training shoe landscape, the F-Fly is built to be more hybrid and the F-Lite MAX is built with a lifting and stability bias. The F-Lite sits right between these shoes as a middle ground-style shoe that blends stability well with versatility.

Outside of its rope climbing performance, there are three reasons why I included the F-Lite in my list. First, I love the shape of this shoe and how it fits. They’re built wider, and the upper construction is fairly spacious. This makes them solid for a wide range of foot anatomies and asks.

Second, the POWERFLOW PRO midsole works great for pretty much every WOD you can throw at these. I’ve deadlifted well over 400 lbs in these and have squatted north of 300 lbs with no glaring stability issues. The full rubber outsole also gives these a nice grip for general strength and hypertrophy workouts outside of the lens of CrossFit, too.

The midfoot cage and upper materials are also strong assets to this shoe. The forefoot mesh breathes well while doing a good job with durability and security, and the midfoot cage locks the foot down well and gives you additional protection when training and climbing ropes.

Honestly, I feel like the F-Lite is going to be one of the CrossFit shoes that flies under the radar and is sneaky strong. They do everything pretty well, and they offer a wide fit and that’s been an ask from many in the CrossFit scene. When in doubt, I’d try the F-Lite if you’re feeling a little lost and have a wide foot.

The Bottom Line: The Inov8 F-Lite is 2025’s dark horse for CrossFit. It’s consistent, wide, and delivers well across the board. The F-Lite Max can also work great for rope climbing and has a bit more stability if you’re after that.

What to Buy When On a Budget: Reebok Nanoflex V2

Outside of the Nanoflex TR 2, I’d highly suggest looking at older iterations if you’re budget-shopping for CrossFit shoes. Oftentimes, you don’t have to go for a “budget-friendly” option if you find older models. That said, if you can’t find any, the Nanoflex TR 2 work great.

Fave WODs to Do In Them

• WODs With A Lot of Lifting
• Workouts With Sled Work
• WODs With Full Body Work

Sizing Thoughts

• Width: Medium
• Narrower Feet Sizing: True to size.
• Wider Feet Sizing: True to size. 3E+, pass on these.
• Flatter Feet Sizing: These have an arch to them.
• Relative Sizing: Go with the same size as Nike, Adidas, and Inov8.

My Full Review and Fave Alternative

• For More Info: Read My Review
• Good Alternative: TYR CXT-1 (marked down now)
• Reebok’s Return Policy: Learn more here.

Why I Chose Them

The Reebok Nanoflex V2 is an awesome budget option for CrossFit. This training shoe is attractive because the original Reebok Nanoflex TR wasn’t my favorite CrossFit shoe by any means. However, the V2 has some key updates for CrossFit settings.

For example, the Reebok Nanoflex V2’s RopePro feature is pretty good. It surprised me by giving me plenty of bite when rope climbing. I could see this model being best for beginners who rope climb here and there, but it doesn’t make up the brunt of their training.

I would even take the RopePro in the Nanoflex V2 and its performance over its more premium peers, such as the Reebok Nano X2 and Nano X1. The midsole in this model also provides a nice blend of stability and versatility for different types of WODs.

I’ve lifted well over 400 lbs in this model, and they’ve done an exceptional job for their price point. The midsole of this shoe should provide plenty of stability for most CrossFit beginners.

I also enjoy the outsole tread on this model and the durability it provides. This model has an extended outsole wrap that covers the toe box which is great for burpess durability. Additionally, this outsole provides a nice level of tread for jump rope, multi-directional exercises, and short runs.

The Bottom Line: While the Nanoflex V2 can work great on a budget, I’d also HIGHLY suggest looking into older models for the premium shoes. For example, the Nano X4, TriBase Reign 5, and TYR CXT-1, could all work on a budget if you find deals!

My Favorite Buying Tips

When looking into CrossFit shoes, I’d suggest leading with four construction features. Believe it or not, I’m a total nerd with a spreadsheet that documents these four features of the shoes I buy and use.

I Track Things Like…

1. Assess a shoe’s midsole density.
2. Pay attention to whether the shoe uses a full rubber outsole for traction.
3. Review the shoe’s upper and ensure it’s not problematic due to durability issues from abrasion.
4. Make a note of how a shoe fits and sizes based on other’s feedback.

Peep the example below.

	Dropset 2	Reign 6
Midsole	~500+ lifts	~455 lbs
Outsole	Full rubber	Full rubber
Upper	Light & breathable	Heavier
Sizing	TTS,	Med/Wide(r) Fit

Most premium CrossFit shoes cost $130-$150, which can be steep for some athletes and beginners who are getting into this sport. If you don’t want to pay full price for your shoes, look into older models.

Often, companies will mark down older CrossFit shoes as they release new models fairly often. Older shoes can help you save money and will typically perform strongly.

How Should Your Shoes Fit for CrossFit?

Answer: Generally, I recommend having roughly .2″-.6″ of space in the toe box of your shoe that you plan to use for CrossFit

If you like having a snugger fit, then aim for the lower end of that range, and if you like having a bit more room or if you have a wider foot, then you may want to size accordingly to the larger side of the range.

When Testing, Here’s What I Look For

I’ve been testing training shoes for over seven years and have been a trainer for over a decade. When testing shoes for CrossFit, I perform a battery of tests, which I’ve discussed on my YouTube channel. For testing CrossFit shoes, I’m focused on four key features.

• Stability: This entails assessing a shoe’s midsole and its limits for promoting stability when training heavy. I squat, clean & jerk, and deadlift heavy in every CrossFit shoe and use those to assess a shoe’s stability.
• Versatility: This revolves around testing a shoe’s responsiveness, comfort, and breathability. I pay attention to how reactive the midsole feels and how the sole articulates during box jumps, double-unders, and short runs.

• Durability: To assess durability, I’m purposely trying to beat the heck out of a shoe’s upper and midsole. Whether it’s with burpees or rope climbs, I’m trying to find at what threshold you can expect a shoe to break down.
• Value: Inflation is a very real thing we’re all navigating today. As CF shoe prices increase, so does the importance of getting your money’s worth. This entails tying a shoe’s price to its long-term durability and value.

At this point in my career, I have tested hundreds of shoes, so recognizing the context between different CrossFit shoes is helpful. I have personally tested every shoe featured in this article.

At the End of the Day…

There are a ton of different shoes on the market that work great for a diversity of WODs, and each model excels in different areas of performance for various reasons.

My best piece of advice when searching for new shoes is to focus on what exactly you personally need most from your shoes with your CrossFit workouts — think: anatomical asks, preferences, and comfort needs — then consider how you like your shoes to fit.

If you have any questions about the shoes featured in this article, drop a comment below or contact me personally via Instagram (@that_fit_friend or @jake_boly).