Best All-Around Gym Shoes for CrossFit

Finding a good pair of shoes for CrossFit can get complicated pretty quickly.

You need something stable enough to lift in, flexible enough for box jumps and burpees, comfortable enough for short runs, and durable enough to handle whatever shows up on the whiteboard.

And sometimes all of that happens in the same workout.

We’ve been selling training shoes at Box Basics for a long time and we’re pretty selective about what makes it into our lineup. There are a lot of great shoes on our shelves. But “great” and “best all-around for CrossFit” aren’t necessarily the same thing.

For this guide, we’re looking for the shoes that hit the sweet spot. They don’t need to be the absolute best at any one movement. They need to do everything well.

If you walked into our shop and asked us to recommend one great pair of shoes for CrossFit, these are the ones we’d put in front of you.

What Makes a Great All-Around Shoe for CrossFit?

CrossFit has always asked a lot from footwear.

One day you're squatting heavy. The next you're doing box jumps and double-unders. Then you get a workout with a few 400-meter runs mixed between barbell movements.

That makes choosing footwear a balancing act.

A really stable shoe usually isn't going to be your favorite shoe to run in. Add more cushioning and flexibility, and you may give up some of that confidence under a heavy bar.

For an all-around shoe, we're looking for a good balance of stability, flexibility, comfort, durability and fit.

And after spending a lot of time in these shoes ourselves, talking with customers and watching what people come back to buy again, three options have separated themselves from the pack.

Our Top 3 All-Around Shoes for CrossFit

R.A.D® ONE V2: Dynamic

If you asked us where to start, we'd probably hand you a pair of R.A.D® ONE V2s.

R.A.D® is still a relatively young brand, and there are plenty of people outside of CrossFit who have never heard of them. Inside the CrossFit community it's a different story.

R.A.D® has built a loyal following and the ONE V2 is a big reason why.

What we like most about it is balance. It's stable enough to lift in, comfortable enough for the short runs you'll typically encounter in a workout, and handles box jumps, burpees, double-unders and other dynamic movements really well.

It's also tough. We've sold a lot of ONE V2s and returns have been relatively low. New colorways tend to move quickly and it's become one of those shoes where people who own a pair often want another.

If we had to find a weakness, it isn't the lightest training shoe out there. But that's about as picky as we're going to get.

The ONE V2 doesn't lean too far toward lifting or running. And that's exactly why we like it so much for CrossFit.

Best for: Someone who wants one shoe that can handle a little bit of everything.

Nike Metcon 10: The Standard

It's hard to talk about training shoes without talking about the Nike Metcon.

The Metcon 10 feels like a return to form for the line. It has a wide, stable base, great durability and the kind of planted feel you want when the weight on the bar starts getting heavy.

This is where it separates itself from the Nike Free Metcon 7.

The Free Metcon is softer and more comfortable for everyday wear but if we're squatting heavy, cleaning or deadlifting, we'd rather be in the Metcon 10. Short of changing into a dedicated lifting shoe, it's one of our favorite options for lifting.

That doesn't mean it can't handle the rest of a workout.

Box jumps, burpees, double-unders, rope climbs and sled work are all right in its wheelhouse. Running is probably its weakest area but context matters here. Most of us aren't running a 10K during a CrossFit class. For the 200- to 400-meter intervals that show up regularly in workouts, the Metcon 10 gets the job done just fine.

If your training tends to involve a heavier barbell, this is where we'd look.

Best for: Someone who wants an all-around option with a little more emphasis on stability and lifting.

adidas Dropset 4: Light + Versatile

The Dropset 4 is the shoe that got our attention and brought adidas back into the training shoe lineup.

And after spending months training in it, we're glad it did.

The Dropset 4 feels planted and stable under load, but it has a little more give than the Metcon 10. It's lightweight, breathable and has a wider-than-average toe box that gives your toes room without making the shoe feel sloppy.

The ankle collar is also noticeably plush which makes this a really comfortable shoe to train in.

We've put roughly six months of regular training into a pair and they've held up incredibly well. They still look surprisingly close to new.

If you like the idea of the Metcon 10 but find it a little too rigid or want something lighter, absolutely try the Dropset 4. It gives up very little in stability while feeling lighter and more flexible. We'd also give it a slight edge over the Metcon 10 for running.

There's a reason this one keeps making its way into our top three.

Best for: Someone who wants plenty of stability without giving up flexibility, breathability and comfort.

Three Shoes, Three Different Feels

If we had all three sitting in front of us, we wouldn't spend much time trying to convince you that one is definitively better than the others.

We'd tell you to try them on.

• The R.A.D® ONE V2 feels dynamic and balanced.
• The Nike Metcon 10 feels planted, structured and familiar.
• The adidas Dropset 4 feels a little lighter, more flexible and breathable.

Your feet may make the decision pretty quickly.

That's also why we don't love giving training shoes arbitrary numerical scores. A shoe can be fantastic but not fit your foot perfectly.

More Great Options

Our top three will work for a lot of people, but not everyone wants the same thing from their shoes.

Some athletes want more flexibility. Others want as much stability as possible. And some just want something that feels completely different.

That's where these come in.

Nike Free Metcon 7: Comfort + Conditioning

Here's an interesting one: the Free Metcon 7 is actually one of our best-selling training shoes.

But that doesn't automatically make it one of our top three choices specifically for CrossFit.

The Free Metcon 7 puts more emphasis on comfort, flexibility and everyday versatility. It's great for bodyweight movements, conditioning work, general gym sessions and workouts where you want to stay light on your feet.

It's also the shoe on this list we'd be most likely to keep wearing after leaving the gym.

Where it gives something up is heavy lifting. As the weight on the bar climbs, we'd rather have the firmer platform of the Metcon 10, Dropset 4 or R.A.D® ONE V2 beneath us.

For someone who doesn't lift especially heavy and values comfort though, the Free Metcon 7 is a perfect shoe to recommend.

It's also a great option if your training goes beyond CrossFit into F45, general strength training, walking and everyday fitness.

TYR CXT-3: Maximum Stability

If the Free Metcon 7 pulls toward the flexible side of the spectrum, the CXT-3 goes the other direction.

This thing is solid.

The CXT-3 has a wide platform and a noticeably rigid construction. Pick one up and you'll immediately understand what we mean.

That translates really well to lifting. In fact, we'd put the CXT-3 right up there with and potentially ahead of anything else on this list when we're talking strictly about stability.

The trade-off is flexibility.

It handles box jumps and burpees well enough, but during running and double-unders you can start to feel like you're fighting the shoe a little bit. It's also not the shoe we'd choose for walking around town after training.

Interestingly, we personally preferred some of the softer, more flexible qualities of the previous CXT-2. But if you want a stiff, stable platform and aren't concerned about having a soft or flexible shoe, the CXT-3 delivers.

Strike MVMNT Haze Trainer: Natural + Minimal

The Haze Trainer is almost the opposite of the CXT-3.

It feels more like a sock on your foot than a traditional training shoe.

With a 4mm drop, lightweight construction and flexible feel, the Haze keeps you close to the ground and lets your foot move naturally. It's quick and agile for burpees, box jumps, double-unders and short runs.

And despite its minimalist feel, plenty of athletes have no problem lifting heavy in it.

The biggest thing to know is fit. The Haze has a natural shape through the toe box, but there isn't a ton of volume in the forefoot. It has a closer, slightly compressed feeling that some people love and others simply don't.

That's why we wouldn't call it a shoe for everyone.

But if you already appreciate minimalist footwear and like feeling connected to the ground, the Haze should absolutely be your next shoe.

Strike MVMNT has also built a loyal following around the shoe and we've seen that firsthand with some of the limited and exclusive Haze colorways we've carried. People who love the Haze tend to really love the Haze.

Reebok Nano 2.0: If You Know, You Know

Some shoes earn a place on a list because they're new.

The Nano 2.0 earns one because it has been around.

For a lot of people who were doing CrossFit in the early days, this shoe means something. It was one of the defining training shoes of that era, and for some of us, one of the first pairs we ever bought specifically for this kind of training.

Put one on today and it's easy to remember why people loved it.

It's relatively flat, lightweight and stable, with a roomy toe box and a surprisingly durable construction. It's great for lifting, burpees, box jumps and double-unders, and it can comfortably handle the short runs that commonly show up in workouts.

Does it feel as modern as some of the newer shoes on this list?

Not quite.

Today's midsoles and cushioning systems can feel more dynamic, and you notice some of that difference when you put the Nano 2.0 next to something like a R.A.D® ONE V2 or Dropset 4.

But don't mistake old-school for outdated.

The Nano 2.0 is tried and true. And if you've been doing CrossFit long enough to remember when everyone wanted a pair, you probably don't need us to explain it.

If you know, you know.

Finding Your Sweet Spot

Here's the easiest way we can explain all of this.

Think of training shoes on a spectrum:

On one side, you have something like the Strike MVMNT Haze Trainer. It's light, flexible and close to the ground.

Move toward the middle and you get into shoes like the R.A.D® ONE V2 and adidas Dropset 4, which balance stability with enough flexibility for dynamic movement.

Keep moving toward stability and you'll find the Nike Metcon 10, followed by something even more rigid like the TYR CXT-3.

There's no perfect position on that spectrum.

The trick is figuring out where you want to be.

If you're constantly chasing heavier numbers on your squat, clean or deadlift, moving toward the stable side probably makes sense.

If your favorite workouts involve burpees, double-unders, box jumps and lots of moving around, you may appreciate something lighter and more flexible.

If you do a little bit of everything?

Stay somewhere in the middle.

So, What Would We Buy?

If you walked into Box Basics and told us:

“I do CrossFit four or five days a week. I lift, run, do gymnastics and basically whatever is programmed. I just want one really good pair of shoes.”

We'd probably bring out three boxes:

R.A.D® ONE V2. Nike Metcon 10. adidas Dropset 4.

We'd have you try on all three, walk around, move a little and see what feels right.

Maybe you'd immediately love the dynamic feel of the R.A.D®. Maybe you'd feel more confident on the stable platform of the Metcon 10. Or maybe the lighter, more flexible Dropset 4 would hit the sweet spot.

That's the fun part.

There are a lot of really good training shoes available right now. You don't need the shoe that somebody on the internet gave a 9.7 out of 10.

You just need the one that fits your feet, your training and the way you like to move.

And hopefully, we've made finding it a little easier.