Top 5 Best gym shoes 2025
Start 2025 right with a new pair of gym shoes
Looking fantastic in the gym isn’t the only reason to choose the best gym sneakers. Regardless of the discipline you choose, wearing the proper gym shoes will improve and enhance your performance. More significantly, it might determine whether you sustain an injury or not.
Your goals and personal preferences will determine which gym shoes are best for you. Importantly, most running shoes—especially those with extra cushioning—are not appropriate for strength and conditioning exercises, so you won’t find any of the best ones here.
Strength training and lifting call for more durable footwear, but yoga, aerobics, and agility exercises may call for a lighter or more flexible shoe. Here are the top gym shoes of 2025, regardless of your budget, based on our extensive testing of all the available models.
Table of Contents
Best overall
1. Nike Free Metcon 5
best for strenght
2. Reebok Nano X5
best budget
3. Under Armour Tribase Reign 4
best for agility
4. Inov-8 F-lite G 300
best versatile
5. Lululemon Chargefeel
1. Nike Free Metcon 5
As an alternative to the classic Metcon series, Nike created the more versatile Nike Free Metcon 5 workout sneaker, which we adore. Thanks to that amazing silhouette, you receive amazing comfort and versatility that goes beyond the norm, along with superb style.
The Free Metcon 5 is ideal for mixed sessions and all-around gym activities since it provides excellent stability when lifting weights and cushioning during your cardio workouts.
They are a great option for almost everything else, but they do not have the upper stability of an extremely heavy weightlifting shoe.
2. Reebok Nano X5
New for 2025, the Reebok Nano X5 is a fantastic improvement on the brand’s already outstanding training sneaker.
For strength and conditioning, the Nano X5 is an incredibly comfortable and sturdy shoe that offers an excellent base for all but the most intense weights and Olympic lifts. Although there is no swaying or give when lifting thanks to the new midsole technology, they are nevertheless flexible enough for stretching or a fast warm-up jog.
Additionally, they look fantastic, particularly in the basic colorway.
More runnability than earlier iterations is provided by the Decoupled Metasplit Outsole, although this shoe isn’t meant for agility training or the treadmill.
3. Under Armour Tribase Reign 4
In addition to providing users with exceptional stability, which is ideal for high-impact exercises like HIIT training, the Under Armour TriBase Reign 4 is a fantastic gym shoe that currently offers good value for money.
They are the perfect all-purpose shoes because they have great traction for lifting weights and just the right amount of cushioning for high-impact exercises like burpees and box jumps without making you feel like you’re sinking or losing your explosiveness. Even while they might not be appropriate for longer aerobic workouts, particularly those that involve a lot of running, they are still an excellent all-around gym shoe at a terrific price.
In addition to providing outstanding stability, which makes it ideal for high-impact exercises like HIIT training, the Under Armour TriBase Reign 4 is a fantastic gym shoe that also symbolizes tremendous value for money.
4. Inov-8 F-lite G 300
With a lightweight, flexible feel that gives users the agility they need to move around in high-impact fitness classes and functional training, the F-LITE G 300, branded as Inov-8’s top fitness shoe, is a versatile yet sturdy footwear offering that offers the support and stability required for weight lifting.
The F-LITE G 300 is perfect for exercises that call for a firm footing, particularly squats, thanks to its reinforced, incredibly durable graphene heel. However, because of the shoe’s flexible, lightweight upper that also acts as a breathable material to keep moisture out, this sturdy base doesn’t stop you from moving quickly—perfect for those particularly humid workouts.
The Inov-8 F-lite G 300 provides an excellent combination between stability and flexibility, though a bit more cushioning would be ideal.
5. Lululemon Chargefeel
The American company’s initial entry into the fitness shoe market is the Lululemon Chargefeel. In addition to being supportive, these springy, cushioned trainers are incredibly flexible, which makes them perfect for a variety of fitness activities. Additionally, whether you’re jogging or lifting big weights in the gym, the supporting yet flexible training is provided by the breathable top and springy midsoles.
An ankle liner supports the foot in the mid-top version of the Chargefeel trainers, which are specifically made for women. Because of this, the shoes have a distinctive yet fashionable appearance that makes them suitable for both gym and non-gym settings.
In addition to being supportive, these springy, cushioned trainers are incredibly flexible, which makes them perfect for a variety of workout activities.
Before delving into the best shoes for each sort of gym-goer or exerciser, let’s go over some top tips for buying shoes (try saying that after a strenuous HIIT class).
Let’s start by emphasizing that, with so many options available, it’s unlikely to be clear which trainers are specifically designed for running and which are more suited for general workouts. The majority of brands also struggle to effectively convey this to their customers, which makes matters more difficult.
The sole’s curvature is one thing to watch out for. Verify that it is flat. If not, it’s most likely a running shoe.Generally speaking, running shoes should feature a small opening at the end to accommodate your feet’s swelling during long runs. For increased support, especially around the ankle when (or if) you’re lifting big weights, your workout shoes should fit a little tighter.
However, for individuals on a tight budget, there are undoubtedly less expensive solutions available. If you fall into the latter category, I would suggest checking out the sales or older versions of well-known brands. Since these companies frequently upgrade their flagship models, previous models, such as the Tribase Reign 4, can be purchased for far less money even if they are almost similar in most cases.