10 Best Sports Shoes Reviewed
JenU
Sarah Roth
In a Hurry? The test winner after 20 hrs of research
Lightweight
Micro-Web lacing for a locked-in fit
Tri-zone mesh upper
Quite an affordable shoe
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Reebok Yourflex Train 8.0 L MT -
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New Balance MX40V1 -
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No Bull Black Ivy Trainer -
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Nike Free Tr & Ampp Cross-Training -
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Nike Metcon 3 -
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Adidas Aleki X Training -
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Puma Tazon 6 Mesh DOTD Cross-Trainer -
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Under Armour Ultimate Speed -
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Asics Conviction Cross-Trainer -
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361 Bio-Speed Training Shoe
- Criteria Used for Evaluation
- Other Factors to Consider
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Sources
Our Top 10 Best Sports Shoes
1. Reebok Yourflex Train 8.0 L MT
Lightweight
Micro-Web lacing for a locked-in fit
Tri-zone mesh upper
Quite an affordable shoe
Sizing issues
Some colors may appear different than actual
A customized fit with an integrated lacing system and high heel drop for added cushion combined with a high tech outsole means your every stride will feel stronger and your performance will be at its all-time best. The Yourflex Train 8.0 MT training shoe supports hardcore workouts in style and with all-encompassing, stellar technology.
Read moreComfort and Style
Support your athletics in style and with advanced technologies that will enhance your performance and strength. The Yourflex Train is incredibly on-trend. We love the side-detailing and choice of dual tones like reflective orange with black. The contrasts are each stylish and sleek. With the patented Reebok Memory tech sock liner and IMEVA 48d foam midsole, feel great no matter how hard you train.
Technologies
The foot feels one with this sports shoe thanks to the remarkable Memory tech sock liner. Meet muscles and tendons you never knew with a shoe that both supports your own natural ability and introduces you to new body strength and capability. At a mere 7.2 ounces, this lightweight phenomena is packed-full of engineering to enhance your ride - or any other athletic pursuit. The Micro-Web lacing system is an integrated design meant to lock in the fit and security of your foot. A Tri-zone mesh upper creates substantial breathability with its remarkable ventilation system and with a 10mm drop, the foot feels cushioned and comfortable. Add targeted carbon rubber outsole and take this shoe (and the rest of you) anywhere, on any terrain, and in any condition!
Cost and Value
This shoe is considered to have a medium price point but you get higher-end features and style. In the end, you get exactly what you ask for in a quality sports shoe.
2. New Balance MX40V1
Lightweight
Flexible
Breathable
Versatile
Slightly expensive
Outsole durability issues
This option, which is also known as the Minimus, is a lightweight and flexible shoe that does a good job of balancing those factors with sturdiness and stability. This allows users to switch between running, weightlifting, and other training activities without having to worry about their footwear.
Read moreFit and Durability
Users found this option was comfortable for all sorts of different activities from running to weightlifting, but that it did run about a half size larger than their normal shoe size so we recommend checking the sizing chart carefully before ordering and consider sizing up. It also runs a bit narrow. For the most part it holds up well to repeated long-term use but there were a few mentions of the outsole rubber starting to come off quicker than it should. This is often the trade-off we make with lightweight shoes like this.
Flexibility and Comfort
It's designed to be very pliable and users confirmed this. This product feels really good to wear, and even extremely large and heavy users were satisfied with how it felt on their feet.
Breathability
The synthetic fibers and mesh upper allow moisture to escape fairly easily, but it's not the most ventilated shoe out there.
3. No Bull Black Ivy Trainer
Flat and stable
Comfortable
Wide toe box
Sleek design
Breathable
Lightweight
SuperFabric Guard plates
SuperFabric
Outside lug patterns make them great for indoor and outdoor use
So durable they are pretty much indestructible
High Carbon medial and lateral guards
Expensive
Only one color option
These No Bull trainers are excellent for intense workouts and lifting. They are not the best for long distance running but they are fine for sprints and short runs that are incorporated in your workouts.
Read moreComfort and Style
These shoes are flat and stable and provide adequate comfort and stability for your workouts. They have a wide toe box for athletes with wider feet, as well as to provide room for those intense workouts that end up causing your feet to swell a bit. Their excellent arch support makes these shoe a great option for athletes with flat feet. Unfortunately, these shoes are only available in black, but their sleek design makes them aesthetically pleasing and allows them to look great with all of your outfits.
Technologies
These lightweight and breathable shoes use SuperFabric for optimal durability. This material makes these shoes abrasion resistant and allows them to withstand a lot more than traditional shoes. This, combined with the SuperFabric Guard plates, make these shoes virtually indestructible.
Cost and Value
These shoes are rather expensive but well worth their price. The outside lug pattern on these shoes makes them perfectly adaptable to both indoor and outdoor environments, while their high carbon medial and lateral guards further increase their durability.
4. Nike Free Tr & Ampp Cross-Training
Comfortable
Several color options
Lightweight
Breathable
Injected midsole
Removable insoles
Flex grooves and free foam sole for optimal flexibility
Flywire cables for a secure fit
Durable
Expensive
Sizing runs small
The Nike Free Tr 7 cross training shoes are one of the best cross trainers available for women. They come in several color options and provide adequate comfort, stability, and support during all workouts. If you are constantly switching it up or are looking for a "do it all" shoe--and don't mind splurging--then this is an excellent option!
Read moreComfort and Style
These shoes are extraordinary lightweight, breathable, and comfortable. They have an injected midsole, for optimal comfort during your training sessions. Their removable insoles let you choose your cushioning levels and their flex groove, combined with their free foam sole, allow the shoe to have maximum flexibility--which lets them adjust to your activities. This is one of the few sports shoes that also make decent running shoes. Typically they are never too functional for longer distances, but--depending on your foot--these may be comfortable enough to do that as well!
Technologies
These shoes utilize Nike's trademarked Flywire cables, for the best-secured fit during your workouts. Their bootie construction, mesh upper, and lightly padded collar make these shoes a durable shoe with a sleek design.
Cost and Value
These shoes are pricey, but if you don't mind splurging they are a great investment and will prove to work for all of your workouts.
5. Nike Metcon 3
Stable
Durable
Supportive
Comfortable
Flexible
Multi-functional
Easily transitions between activities
Flywire technology for a great fit
Lace-up closure
Dual-density foam midsole
Zero drag heel
Several color options
Expensive
Sizes run small
The Nike Metcon 3 cross training shoes are a great option for athletes who partake in a variety of activities. While they are not the best for long-distance running, they are comfortable, stable, and flexible enough for all workouts and easily transition from activity to activity.
Read moreComfort and Style
The Metcon 3 shoes a stable, supportive, and comfortable shoe that works great with all activities. They are durable and stable enough for lifting and intense workouts, yet flexible and comfortable enough for light running, sprinting, and trails. They are also available in a variety of colors, so you have a wide selection to choose from if you decide to go with these shoes.
Technologies
This shoe uses Flywire technology to ensure you get a glove-like fit when wearing them. They also dual-density foam midsole for additional cushioning, comfort, and support during your workouts. Nike also incorporated the zero drag heel when designing them, to increase their durability and overall longevity.
Cost and Value
These shoes are on the expensive side, but they are well worth the investment. You have several colors to choose from, and their sleek design will not go out of style. They are highly durable, comfortable, and versatile so their benefits far outweigh their high cost.
6. Adidas Aleki X Training
Lightweight
Breathable
Comfortable
Several color options
Rubber sole
Ghillie lacing for a more secure fit
Cushioned underfoot
Narrow fit
Expensive
The Adidas Aleki X Training shoes are an excellent option for athletes who participate in a variety of athletic activities and want a shoe they can comfortably use for all of their workouts. These shoes provide the proper amount of comfort, stability, and durability for all activities.
Read moreComfort and Style
These lightweight and breathable shoes are a comfortable option for cross-training athletes. They offer a secure and glove-like fit that prevents your foot from moving around within the shoe. Their cushioned underfoot also provides you with additional support and comfort throughout your workout.
These shoes also come in a variety of colors. This, combined with their unique design, makes them aesthetically pleasing and gives you a lot of options to choose from.
Technologies
Elements within the Tesla Lightweight runner include an artificial skin suede for increased durability and a flex groove sole with patented Hydro-Grip outsole for major traction no matter what the terrain. We love how the unique mesh system not only creates a barefoot, natural feel, but also works to increase the foot’s strength by working tendons and muscles.
Cost and Value
These shoes are considered to be of an extremely good price point for the technology. Feel a better range of motion, and the power of your own foot within this well-crafted design meant to increase the best that your body has to provide!
7. Puma Tazon 6 Mesh DOTD Cross-Trainer
EcoOrthoLite sockliner for comfort and fit
EVA cushioning for absorption
2 layer mesh
TPU shank for extra security
Runs small
A favorite on-trend, stylish sports shoe, the Puma Tazon 6 boasts a sleek design made up of synthetic leather upper with EVA cushion in the heel for maximum absorption and comfort. This great looking shoe duals as your go-to athletic and everyday sneaker.
Read moreComfort and Style
The Puma Tazon 6 has a midfoot saddle that adds a secure fit to a great looking shoe. A 2 layer mesh upper creates optimum ventilation and breathability for a cooler more comfortable work out. The dual-toned color combinations are as striking as the shoe’s silhouette, offered in asphalt and silver, black and asphalt, black and white, and asphalt with high-risk red - each, of course with Puma No. 1 logo on the tongue and Puma Cat logo on the medial side.
Technologies
At 13 ounces, this urban-styled shoe makes a great, lighter weight sports shoe. Engineered with hardcore training in mind, the seasonal 2 layer mesh means more ventilation. A rubber sole provides excellent traction while patented EVA foam creates a dense cushion for shock. An excellent feature is the trademark EcoOrthoLite sockliner for perfect fit and better function. The T-toe construction, TPU shank for enhanced security and the lace closure each mean higher performance.
Cost and Value
The pair is considered to have a medium priced rating. The appearance is hip, casual and athletic since you can transition from workout to whatever in absolute style.
8. Under Armour Ultimate Speed
Lightweight
Affordable
Comfortable
Breathable
May have durability issues
This is a good pick for all-around performance and they aren't too expensive either. User's loved the comfort and stability, although a few experienced some durability issues.
Read moreFit and Durability
These hug the user's feet nicely and seem to run true to size, although one user suggested ordering a 1/2 size larger than normal. As always we recommend consulting the sizing chart carefully before ordering online, and if they carry them in a retail store near you trying on a pair before you buy. These are lightweight so there is a trade-off to be made with longevity. Most users were satisfied however and it didn't seem to be a major issue.
Flexibility and Comfort
These are about average in terms of pliability for this type of shoe, which are all designed to be pretty malleable as it is. They have good cushioning and keeping your feet happy is one of their best qualities.
Breathability
The synthetic mesh uppers are designed for good ventilation and users confirmed they did a good job of letting moisture escape.
9. Asics Conviction Cross-Trainer
RhynoSkin for increased durability
Low drop
Breathable
Flexible
Comfortable
Perforated sock liner
Sleek design
Several color options
Price
Sizes run small
Narrow toe box
The Asics Conviction Cross-training shoes are the perfect multi-functional shoe that will let you jump from activity to activity without having to sacrifice comfort, flexibility, or stability during your workouts.
Read moreComfort and Style
These cross training shoes are highly breathable, flexible and comfortable. They come equipped with a perforated sock liner, which improves the breathability of the shoe as well as improves its moisture drainage. They also have a low drop, which also makes them a pretty good lifting shoe.
Technologies
These shoes have an upper that is composed of synthetic RhynoSkin and mesh. This increases their durability and further protects the shoe from tears, abrasions, and other elements that can damage the shoe over time.
Cost and Value
These shoes are considered to be highly priced. However, they are one of the best sports shoes and their durability is a plus since you end up saving on your money
10. 361 Bio-Speed Training Shoe
Comfortable
Versatile
Sleek Design
Lots of color options
QUICKFOAM platform
Great shock dispersion
Rubber outsole and QU!K Spine carbon fiber plate to increase the shoe’s durability
Breathable
High price point
Sizes run a little small
These shoes are comfortable, versatile, and great looking. You can use them for all of your athletic endeavors--and look good no matter what you are doing.
Read moreComfort and Style
These shoes are designed to provide optimal comfort levels in all athletic activities. They have a QUICKFOAM platform, which is on the firmer side, to improve shove dispersion during your workouts and help you perform to the best of your ability--no matter what you are doing. They also come in a variety of colors to choose from, making them aesthetically pleasing as well.
Technologies
Their QUICKFOAM platform helps you improve your overall performance, without sacrificing any comfort. They also incorporated the use of a sticky rubber outsole, which increases the shoe's durability and allows it to provide optimal traction. The QU!K Spine carbon fiber plate also increases the shoe's durability, allowing it to withstand more intense workouts as well as outdoor athletic endeavors. Lastly, the shoe's upper is composed of an open weave air mesh, allowing the shoe to be highly breathable.
Cost and Value
These shoes are pricey but well worth the price given how durable and versatile they are.
Criteria Used for Evaluation
Fit Obviously fit is a very important factor to this about before buying a pair of shoes. When buying shoes that are just for running, especially if you're regularly going distances of 10 miles or more, it can be a good idea to get a size that's a little bit larger than your normal one. This will allow you to maintain a good fit as your feet swell due to the blood accumulating there over many miles and causing some swelling. For multi-sport shoes however you may want to think about getting something truer to your actual size because while wearing these shoes you may be doing activities that require a lot of lateral movement and you don't want your feet sliding around. At best this can be uncomfortable, at worst it may lead to injury.
Durability Talk of no-brainer. This one goes through every runner’s mind, no one would want to go to the store and purchase a shoe that has a short lifespan, what is the use if you need to waste money having the same results? We all want something that can last the test of time, I bet we all have that in mind while visiting the store and at this point, we do not concentrate on the price much but on the quality. We tend to look for a material that will not disappoint and can serve us well. You will consider leather upper for support and durability in most cases.
Flexibility When picking out a shoe for multiple different sporting activities this is an important factor to think about. You want something flexible that will allow your feet to move as move in different directions around the gym or training field. If a shoe isn't flexible your feet will be uncomfortable and your freedom of movement limited. There is a trade-off here however, and flexibility often comes at the cost of support and stability. Also, flexible shoes are often very lightweight, which can be a good thing, but also result in them not being as durable because materials that are light in weight are typically less inherently durable. Nevertheless, it's important for this type of footwear to be flexible, and we chose shoes for our list that are flexible while still maintaining at least a decent amount of durability.
Comfort Whether it's at the gym, running, or just when going around town or wearing them around the house, we all want to be comfortable in our shoes. Obviously this is no exception when it comes to shoes for cross-training and multiple sports, so we took this into consideration when choosing products for this list. Cushioning is a big factor here, but too much cushioning isn't necessarily a good thing since a highly cushioned shoe will be heavier and less responsive than is ideal for this type of use. As always it's about finding the right balance between cushioning and performance, comfort and stability. All of the shoes on our list have been rated as being comfortable by real-life users, but some more so than others. Take a look at the individual comfort score in each product review for help finding the pair of sports shoes that are best for you.
Breathability You know how uncomfortable sweaty palms feel like, now imagine yourself having sweaty legs and to make matters worse you have them in a shoe that does not provide a breathable space or mesh to help keep them dry and cool, that is the reason as to why you need to consider having a well-ventilated running shoe when buying sport shoes.
You will need a shoe that has a grid under layer for enhanced breathability and a full length ventilated mesh lining to create an unparalleled cool, dry condition.
Expert Interviews & Opinions
Fit Durability Flexibility Comfort Breathability 
You can assess your own foot at home by getting your soles wet and making normal walking prints. This will give you an idea of your arch height.
Look at your old shoes and where you wore them down. That will give you an idea of how you're striking the ground and the type of shoes that can help mitigate those habits.
Other Factors to Consider
Heel You do not want a high raised shoe for running. You’ll want to find something lower profile, with a “closer to the ground” design. This will allow better and more natural balance when running and climbing, which adventure runners do often. Super thick and high profile soles are something that you will probably want to stay away from. Aside from making it more difficult to find balance in them, it can also result in injuries that would have been avoided in the first place, the lower the heel the more stability it offers.
Outsole It is important to look at the type of your running terrain then compare it with the outsole of your running shoes. Do they fit perfectly? Many runners are not aware of the fact that not all outsole is built the same, in fact, they are designed with consideration to the runner’s feet and the type of running surface in mind. consider the type of surface you run on and the compatibility of the outsole. Wrong running surface with right running shoe can cause injuries to the feet of the runner so does correct terrain and wrong trainers.
Style Some runners are too concerned with fashion, and we try and push people away from this. Many times when they get a shoe that is stylish they forget about fitting and after a couple of months they come and cry of how the feet don’t fit anymore or it hurts, remember we are not buying style but a number of functions that the shoe can provide.
Frequently Asked Questions
When going to purchase a shoe everyone wants a durable shoe to help manage costs. Having a leather shoe is always good for durability. But can sometimes become dry and crack. To prevent this from happening the best thing to do is to use a leather conditioner regularly. This will keep the leather clean, soft and prevent any cracking or wearing sports. Mesh is predominantly used for your running shoes. Mesh shoes are generally put through a lot and wear quickly so to help prolong the life of your shoes use a water resistant spray to protect it from water as well as dirt.
Well, a comfortable shoe is a consideration. The amount of cushioning is a balance between how much you want to feel the trail and how much protection and softness you want under your foot. Look for a rubber sole it provides excellent traction also look for a patented EVA foam which creates a dense cushion for shock Effective cushioning reduces the impact on the body, but it’s always a great idea to have trail shoes with a variety of cushioning levels, just as we do in training on the road or track.
I can assure you that this is a common challenge anyone buying shoes faces, the advice we would offer here is to try and get a size that is half bigger than the normal shoe size that fits you, this is to allow your feet to move freely in the shoes.
Most people want a clean and spotless shoe, we agree with you but just until that very point. When it comes to cleaning your sports shoe consider the fabric first, not all fabrics are treated the same, we tend to ignore that very basic element and just dip shoes in water take a scrub and wow the shoe is clean. Consider cleaning your shoes by using a soft bristle brush to scrap of dirt first before you embark on having warm water and some detergent to do the trick while using a soft sponge.
This is a commonly asked question among everyone who wants to purchase running shoes, you first need to know which kind of runner you are. You need to check the heel, the instep, the width, the length, feel and flex to avoid common shoe buying mistakes. Having all this in consideration you will be able to pick the right shoe for yourself.
Sources
- , 10 Tips for Choosing Athletic Shoes, Online Health Information,
- , What Is the Best Running Shoe for Your Foot?, Health & Fitness publication, Aug 02, 2016
- , How to Select the Right Athletic Shoes, Orthopaedic Clinical Information,
- , How to Buy Running Shoes: Tips to Treat Your Feet Right, Online Health Information,
- , Find the Perfect Workout Shoe for You, Health & Fitness publication,
- , Finding The Right Running Shoes, Online Informational Publication,
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