7 Best Cross-training Shoes For Women, 100+ Shoes Tested in 2023

Cross-training shoes have become more and more appealing to women, especially those who want to cut back on their expenses. Because of their versatility, these shoes can be used for different types of workouts: from running to weightlifting and even HIIT.
Of course, brands like Nike and Adidas will claim that their cross-training shoes for women are the best. However, what they promise may not be what you will actually experience on the field.
Hence, we at RunRepeat took it upon ourselves to test more than 300 cross-training shoes for women so that we can come up with our top picks for ACTUAL performance. Never mind the marketing spiels, it’s always the experience that counts here.
How we test training shoes
Our top picks would only make sense to you if we are fair and reasonable in our assessments. In order to ensure fairness, we do the following:
- Buy ladies’ cross-training shoes using our own money. This eliminates sponsorship bias, which may cause us to be extra kind to the brands who gave us freebies.
- Use the shoes in actual rotational workouts. Of course, we won’t appreciate the full potential of cross-training shoes if we limit their usage to one type of workout. All our top picks here went through workout circuits conducted by our experts.
To give you a more holistic picture of how each cross-training shoe works, we also come up with a Corescore. This numerical rating is practically the weighted average of the scores given by experts and regular fitness enthusiasts from in and out of RunRepeat.
Best cross-training shoes overall for women
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all training shoes.
- Top 18% in training shoes
- Top 13% in Nike training shoes
- Top 2% most popular training shoes
Pros
- True to size
- Stable
- Awesome grip
- Very comfy
- No break-in period
- Lightweight
- Very breathable
- Amazing durability
Cons
- Not for wide feet
- A bit pricey
Verdict
Newer releases in a series are like younger siblings: they are always compared to the ones before them, so they better be really good. Well, comparison-loving lasses surely found their match with the Metcon 7. This model is just outstanding, both in its own right and when compared to previous Metcons.
The most notable feature of this shoe is perhaps Nike React. This cushioning technology came from Nike Running, and having it here made this shoe really a lot more “runnable” than the previous releases. Every step gets sufficiently energized, and the midsole also delivers enough impact protection.
React and other relevant features also made this shoe more suitable for exercises such as burpees and double-enders. What more could we ask for?
Those ladies who love working out with ropes will surely love this one. This shoe was equipped with a rope guard on the medial side, giving it the right traction needed when rope climbing. Just this little thoughtfulness from Nike already won us over.
Indeed, the Nike Metcon 7 is a dependable all-round shoe. It’s a dependable partner whatever workout program you want to follow.
Best women's cross-training shoes for HIIT
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all training shoes.
This shoe has a 7% penalty on its expert reviews because it has fewer than 5 reviews. This is to avoid that shoes with few reviews unjustly receives high scores.
Learn more- Top 14% most popular training shoes
Pros
- Great for HIIT
- Excellent side support
- Clicks with the rowing machine
- Good breathability
- Attractive design and colors
- Comfortable step-in feel
- Well-crafted
Cons
- Not for wide feet
- Lacks grip on wet floors
Verdict
HIIT is effective in toning the body and ridding it of excess fat. Yet, it’s super tiring to do. It’s not called “high-intensity” for nothing. Hence, you need the Nike ZoomX SuperRep Surge as a partner for your HIIT sessions.
The midsole tooling is just so comfortable and soft. It’s bouncy so there was no need to exert so much effort just to get things done. It was also so comfortable that we felt like we were walking on clouds and/or air. We certainly could go on gigs or even work while wearing this amazing Nike shoe.
Speaking of using this shoe beyond workouts, we just love how the SuperRep Surge looks! The color choices aren’t so bright, but they are definitely OK enough to make this shoe look pretty upbeat.
We were also in awe of how supportive this shoe was. Our feet felt so locked in without ever feeling restricted or choked. There was pressure, but it was just enough to make you feel confident that your feet were safe as you do more intense routines.
The Nike ZoomX SuperRep Surge just made things so much easier that we actually thought we could work out longer. Can you believe it?!
Best women's cross-training shoes for agility
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all training shoes.
- Top 19% most popular training shoes
Pros
- Excellent for agility workouts
- Lighter than other Metcons
- Cushioned for jumps and short runs
- Stable for moderate lifting
- Secure lockdown
- Breathable
- Appealing design
Cons
- Horrible for rope climbs
- Not for heavy lifting
- Narrow for wide feet
Verdict
Our girl friends out there who are into aerobic exercises and agility workouts will surely love the Nike React Metcon Turbo. This offering from Nike delivered the goodness of Metcon, but with a twist. It’s way more cushioned so the experience of comfort is truly maximized.
How maximized, you ask? Well, for one, we didn’t really notice that we had already done a lot of jumping and skipping. Usually, these highly demanding routines are the ones that easily wear the feet out. This is simply amazing.
Aside from the awesome cushioning system, the breathable upper also added to the experience of comfort. We never really experienced the annoying constricted and wet feeling of more rigid and non-well ventilated shoes.
In addition to comfort, this version of the Metcon felt significantly lighter than many of the previous releases. This is noteworthy because the previous Metcons were already on the lighter side. Now that Metcon Turbo went even lighter, the barely there feel is just insane!
When it comes to support and lockdown, the Nike React Metcon Turbo was a beast. We never had to worry about slips even if we were executing exercises such as burpees, squats, and speed ladders.
Given all those, there is really nothing more that we could ask for.
Best Nike cross-training shoes for women
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all training shoes.
- Top 3% most popular training shoes
Pros
- Perfect for HIIT
- Light on the foot
- Bouncy cushioning
- Great flexibility
- Stable side support
- Snug, locked-down fit
- Breathable
Cons
- Not for wide feet
- Arc catches debris outdoors
Verdict
Best women's cross-training shoes for all-day wear
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all training shoes.
- Top 12% in training shoes
- Top 9% in Nike training shoes
- Top 2% most popular training shoes
Pros
- Comfortable in-shoe feel
- Unbelievably flexible
- Solid platform
- Grippy outsole
- Highly breathable
- Durable
- Unique design
Cons
- Not for wide feet
- Not suitable for running
- Expensive
Verdict
When will Nike give us a break from praising it and its products? Probably never because the Swoosh is at it again with the Free Metcon 4. This workout shoe is pretty much the best of ALL worlds. This is practically an effective partner for anything in your workout program.
Lifting is not a problem because the upper is flexible enough to expand to accommodate foot flexions, and it definitely was sturdy enough not to break under reasonable pressure. The outsole was also quite grippy, so it definitely could give the stability that you’d need.
Speaking of the outsole, it was uniquely designed to flex with your foot. It practically was a series of segments with deep grooves in between, which also served as its flexion points. This configuration made it easy for us to do burpees and similar exercises.
The cushioning was also something that we could not stop raving out. It was just so plush and comfortable. Jogging or even sprinting were definitely not enough to give us pain because of how protective from impact the midsole tooling was. Hey, it’s not even a problem if you want to wear the Nike Free Metcon 4 the whole day!
Best value cross-training shoes for women
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all training shoes.
This shoe has a 7% penalty on its expert reviews because it has fewer than 5 reviews. This is to avoid that shoes with few reviews unjustly receives high scores.
Learn more- Top 9% most popular training shoes
Pros
- Unbelievably lightweight
- Surprisingly low price
- Glove-like fit
- Wide option available
- Sleek style and variety of colorways
- Easy to put on and take off
- Highly breathable
- Very flexible
- Good grip
Cons
- Not for long periods of wear
- Not for hardcore cross-training
- Tight for high arches
Verdict
Even with its low price, the New Balance FuelCore NERGIZE has been able to meet the high expectation of its wearers. We appreciated its lightness and breathability, which made it such a comfortable companion not only during workouts but also during light strolls around the neighborhood.
Besides comfort, the fit is also laudable. During workouts, we didn’t really have to worry that the shoe would just come off. The materials that make up the upper offer a one-to-one fit. As if that’s not enough, there’s the tongue and laces that really held the foot in place quite securely.
Speaking of fit, it’s good news to many of our colleagues that this New Balance model is also offered in wide variants. Perhaps NB is really serious in reaching out to as many sectors of the market as possible.
The fashionistas in us were also quite happy that there were a lot of options. Who says that we should look haggard and unkempt during training? We will forever beg to differ, because we love working out in style and the New Balance FuelCore NERGIZE is a good and stylish partner for that.
The New Balance FuelCore NERGIZE ticks all the right boxes. There’s absolutely no reason for you not to enjoy it.
Most popular cross-training shoes for women
CoreScore
The Corescore is a score from 0-100 that summarizes opinions from users and experts. Below shows the distribution of scores for all training shoes.
This shoe has a 7% penalty on its expert reviews because it has fewer than 5 reviews. This is to avoid that shoes with few reviews unjustly receives high scores.
Learn more- Top 10% most popular training shoes
Pros
- Very plush
- Good solid foundation
- Grippy
- Lightweight
- Durable
- Budget-friendly
Cons
- Narrow
- Not extremely flexible
- Poor ventilation