7 Best Nike Gym Shoes in 2023

The Nike Free Metcon 5 is a beast when it comes to ankle support, balanced cushioning, and being lightweight. It just so happens that these are the very same benefits that we look for in a gym shoe. Ergo, we consider the Free Metcon 5 as the best gym shoe from Nike.

Keeping the ankle and the whole rearfoot securely locked down was not a problem with this shoe. This Free Metcon 5’s well-padded collar clasped the back of the foot well. The secure hold of this feature on the ankle was further complemented by the fully gusseted tongue, which ensured a snug fit.

Under the heel, the cushion felt really soft. We learned through our HA durometer measurements in the lab that this part has a softness score of 17.4, which is far lower (therefore softer) than the 27.0 average. It’s another story at the forefoot. The HA durometer measured its softness to be 25.9, so its contrast with the heel is quite pronounced. These figures resulted in a balanced midsole that offered softness and impact protection in the heel and firmness and ground feel in the forefoot.

A typical gym shoe is expected to be light. Yet, the Nike Free Metcon 5 still managed to be lighter than the average, 10.5 oz (298g) against 11.2 oz (317g). The lightweight structure of the shoe allowed us to run faster, jump a bit higher, and just to move more freely overall.

We regret to share that there is one thing in this shoe that really needs improvement. The upper is not really the most durable. We saw significant damage after just 12 seconds of Dremel drilling.

The Metcon series is once again making waves with the Nike Metcon 9. This workout shoe is loved by many gym rats, especially CrossFitters and others who love to incorporate a lot of lifting in their programs. This shoe is also functionally and aesthetically versatile enough to be worn in non-workout settings.

The lifters among us were most enamored by the Romaleos 4 out of all Nike gym shoes. Its firm and twist-resistant structure left quite a mark since it helped us focus more on our lifting workouts. The firm midsole and lifting-appropriate drop were also noteworthy qualities that helped smoothen out our lifting experience.

When we bent the Romaleos 4 up to 90 degrees, we found through the readings on our digital gauge that we needed to exert 40.4N of force to do so successfully. This force requirement is much higher than the 26.0 average. The amount of resistance ensured that we were protected from twists and other forms of instability.

Speaking of stability, the firm midsole also helped in getting rid of wobbliness. Our HA durometer pegged this shoe’s midsole softness score at 97.0, which is far higher, therefore firmer, than the 75.0 average. 

The Romaleos 4’s tech specs say that it has a drop of 19.05 mm. At 20.5 mm, the actual drop of this shoe didn’t deviate so much from the specified number. This elevation in the heel helped keep our postures upright, which was quite helpful in keeping our overhead lifts and deadlifts stable and safe.

We wanted to use this shoe for a long time, but it appeared that the durability of the upper just wouldn’t allow us to. After only twelve seconds of high-pressure Dremel drilling, a see-through hole already appeared on the upper. We give this shoe a 2 out of 5 for durability.

We consider Air Zoom SuperRep 3 as the most suitable for HIIT among Nike's gym shoes. This decision is based on three things: (1) the shoe’s amazingly comfortable cushioning system, (2) impressive lateral support capacities, and (3) noteworthy twist protection. 

The SuperRep 3 is one of the few shoes that delivered plushness both on the heel and forefoot. Using our caliper, we measured the heel and forefoot height to be 31.7 mm and 27.5 mm respectively, making the midsole a lot thicker than that of the typical gym shoe (24.6 mm thick at the heel and 18.3 mm at the forefoot). But the midsole is not only thicker, it’s also softer. The HA durometer pegged its softness at 21.0, while the average is 27.0. The shoe was effective in neutralizing impact during sprints and agility exercises.

The foot containment that we got from this shoe was so amazing that it would be a crime to ignore it. The shoe’s wide base contributed a lot to lateral support and stability, which we appreciated so much when we did squats and other similar exercises. When we measured this shoe in the lab, our caliper showed that the heel part is 97.4 mm wide, the forefoot 114.5 mm. These figures dwarf the average numbers by 10.4 mm and 4.9 mm, respectively. 

Finally, we take note of how well-protected we are from torsional twists while wearing this shoe. In the lab, we manually twisted the shoe to the sides to mimic the unfortunate motion of foot twists. We were so impressed with how resistant the shoe was, so we gave it a perfect 5 for torsional firmness. 

It’s just unfortunate that the wide base does not translate to a wide toe box. Ironically, this shoe is actually on the narrower side. Our caliper measured the toe box to be 97.9 mm wide at its widest, while the average is 100.5 mm. Hence, we do not think that this SuperRep 3 is suitable for wide-footers.

As the name suggests, the Nike Zoom Metcon Turbo 2 is a speedy addition to the Metcon family. We found it to be more flexible and agile as well as more cushioned for treadmill runs and high-impact cardio sessions. It is also amazing how the shoe manages to remain stable for lifting! Even though it's not as light as we expected from a shoe of this kind, it certainly didn't feel heavy on our feet.

The Nike Flex Control 4 did more than just contour to the shape of our feet; it was flexible enough to follow the natural feet flexions, no matter how peculiar they are. We also appreciated its lightness and the responsiveness of its midsole. All these benefits come together to form what we now consider the best minimalist gym shoe from Nike.

The moment we put this shoe on, we already felt the flexibility of its heel counter and base. We manually assessed these features in the lab, and both got a 3 out of 5 for rigidity. 

The Nike Flex Control 4 is surely a lightweight shoe. At 9.8 ounces or 277 grams, it is definitely lighter than average, which weighs 11.2 ounces or 317 grams. It is this very lightness that allowed us to throw ourselves higher when we did box jumps and other plyometric exercises.

We also felt the midsole to be quite firm. This observation was confirmed in the lab when our HA durometer pegged the cushion’s softness at 32.0 when the average is only 27.0. Aside from helping with stability, the firm midsole also gave us more leverage when we jumped and sprinted.

It’s just too bad that the Flex Control 4 couldn’t go beyond moderate lifting. We felt our foot being forced forward, causing not only wobbliness but also a bit of discomfort to our toes.

Being light and protective from impact are perhaps the two most important benefits that a good training shoe must give. The Nike Legend Essential 3 excellently delivered these two without adding so much to its price. Hence, we consider it as the best Nike gym shoe we ever had the honor of trying.

This Nike shoe weighs only 8.78 oz or 249g, which is way lower than the 11.18 oz or 317g average. This trainer truly felt so light on foot that we at times forgot that we actually had shoes on. Box jumps, jump ropes, and other vertical exercises benefited so much from this lightness.

The just-enough impact protection that we enjoyed was because of the softness of the midsole. Our HA durometer in the lab measured the midsole to be 26.3 (the average is 27.0). The balanced softness of this setup allowed us to persist in our workouts, even if it involved a lot of jumping.

When it comes to the price, the $65 price tag of the Legend Essential 3 is far lower than the $101 average for Nike gym shoes. This is of course very good news, especially given the benefits that we get.

The low price of this shoe came with a considerable sacrifice. When we manually squeezed the heel counter in the lab, we could only give it a score of 2 out of 5 for firmness. With this rating, we cannot recommend this shoe for gym rats who want to take on more serious weightlifting.