7 Best Nike Hiit Shoes in 2023
If you need shoes that can handle the heat of punishing workouts, the Nike HIIT shoes will definitely fit the bill. The intense nature of this cardiovascular training regimen pushes your body to the limits. That’s why you need the right footwear that’s specifically built for this purpose.
The great benefits of high-intensity interval training are undeniable. But it also requires shoes that can handle the complexity of these high-impact workouts. From Nike Free Metcon models to the ZoomX SuperRep series, you have solid choices to select from that deliver performance, ankle support, and extra comfort.
With so many great options available, picking the ideal shoes that suit you best can be confusing. To help you with that, we bought and tested Nike HIIT shoes in the market. We scrutinized every little detail we could find about the shoes, whether during HIIT exercises or while testing them in the lab. Check out our top picks.
Best Nike HIIT shoes overall
What makes it the best?
Among all the Nike shoes that we’ve tried, it’s the Free Metcon 5 that hits all HIIT requirements: it's lightweight and immensely flexible with a plush footbed! That's why it's our #1 Nike pick for HIIT.
Our weighing scale in the lab gauged the weight of this shoe at 10.5 oz or 298g, which makes it even lighter than the already light 11.2 oz or 317g average. With its weight, the shoe never got in our way when we ran, jumped, and performed agility exercises.
We consider flexibility as the most surprising offer of the Nike Metcon 5. According to our digital force gauge, this shoe only needs 8.8N to bend at 90 degrees. This is way lower than the 22.5N required by the average trainer. Because of this flexibility, we were able to bend our feet as much as we needed when we did planks, push-ups, mountain climbers, and burpees.
Our lab assessments showed that the midsole is indeed a lot softer than the average. The midsole registered 17.4 on the HA durometer. This is again far lower than the average, which is 27.0. The soft feeling underfoot provided us with the amount of compression needed to keep our runs comfortable.
One thing that we didn’t like about the shoe was the flimsiness of the upper. After 12 seconds of Dremel drilling, the upper already exhibited considerable damage. Fitness junkies who drag their toes too much are at risk of destroying their pair of Free Metcon 5s way too early.
Pros
- Impressively stable
- Noteworthy ankle support
- Awesomely close-fitting
- Roomy toebox
- Nice and airy upper
- Comfortable for all-day wear
- Quite cushiony
- Notably lightweight
- Exceptionally flexible
- Stylish design and overall look
Cons
- Not for long runs (2-3 miles max)
- Upper lacks durability
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Best Nike HIIT shoes for weightlifting
What makes it the best?
Pros
- Largely suitable for lifting
- Great stability
- Reliable foot containment
- High levels of comfort
- Nice grip on gym floors
- Accommodates wide feet
- Fairly durable structure
- Easy on-off
- Stylish modern appearance
Cons
- Is NOT the best for cardio workouts
- Still has to be broken in
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Best Nike HIIT shoes for speed
What makes it the best?
Pros
- Bouncy Zoom Air in the forefoot
- Good for short runs
- Perfect for jumps and aerobics
- Stable for moderate lifting
- Excellent flexibility
- Amazingly breathable
- Durable outsole
Cons
- Upper is not durable rope climbing
- Heavy for a "speed-oriented" trainer
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Nike HIIT shoes with the best comfort
What makes it the best?
Pros
- Awesome all-day comfort
- Very nice overall fit
- Dependable support and stability
- Provides good spring back
- Break-in is fast and easy
- Amazingly light
- Made with sustainable materials
- Aesthetically pleasing
Cons
- Not for wide feet
- Durability concerns
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Nike HIIT shoes with the best energy return
What makes it the best?
Among all the shoes that we tested, the Air Zoom SuperRep 3 is definitely the bounciest, at least among other Nike HIIT trainers. We felt that our jumps, sprints, and other footwork were a lot more efficient because of it. This bounciness together with the shoe’s twist resistance and wide base made this shoe such a good one for high-intensity workouts.
When we were jumping rope, we never had to spend so much energy to bring ourselves up. When we did sprints, the first step felt thoroughly energized. When we did agility ladders, every step felt explosive. This was just how good the energy return in the forefoot was.
After assessing it in the lab, we scored the SuperRep 3’s twist resistance a perfect 5. Not only did this feature prevent painful twists, it also helped us to be more quick on our feet.
This shoe’s wide base was also such a beneficial part. Being 4.9 mm and 10.4 mm wider than average at the forefoot and heel respectively, this shoe just left no room for any slippage or even wobbliness. We enjoyed so much stability especially when we were lifting.
Unfortunately in this case, the wide base does not also mean a wide upper. In fact, we do not recommend this shoe to wide-footers at all. This shoe’s toebox is 2.6 mm narrower than the typical trainer.
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
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Best minimalist Nike HIIT shoes
What makes it the best?
Pros
- Comfortable in-shoe feel
- Lighter than average
- Very flexible
- Foot feels planted
- Budget-friendly
- Good grip
- Simple aesthetics
- True to size
Cons
- Durability issues
- Not for serious workouts
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Best budget Nike HIIT shoes
What makes it the best?
The Nike Legend Essential 3 is sold for only $65 per pair, which is far lower than the $93 average price of Nike HIIT shoes. The price alone made this shoe a real steal, but the fact that it’s 21% lighter than the average trainer and that it offers a good deal of breathability sealed the deal for us. Hence, we declare the Nike Legend Essential 3 as the best HIIT shoe for those who are on a budget.
This shoe’s lightness surely deserves the spotlight. At only 8.78 ounces or 249 grams, this shoe is a lot lighter than the average, which currently stands at 11.18 ounces or 317 grams. This trainer had a featherlight feel on the feet, and it allowed us to do sprints, box jumps, and mountain climbers quite smoothly.
Hours and hours of intense training did not heat up our feet too much, which tells us that the upper remained well-ventilated throughout the sessions. True enough, when smoke was blown into the shoe during a breathability lab test, it easily escaped through the vents in the tongue. In the gym, even if we did high-knee runs in place for several minutes, our feet still felt like it’s chilling on a breezy beach! For breathability, the Legend Essential 3 got a solid 4 out of 5.
Unfortunately, the shoe is too flimsy to be used for more serious weightlifting. Its heel counter only got a score of 2 out of 5 for firmness after we manually gave it a good squeeze in the lab.
Pros
- Very affordable
- Super lightweight
- Breathable upper
- Enough cushioning for jumps
- Wide platform
- Flexible
- Good grip
Cons
- Lacks durability
- Not for heavy lifting
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Comparison of the 7 best Nike hiit shoes
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What to look for in a Nike HIIT shoe
To make sure you get the most out of your HIIT sessions, it is important to consider the following parameters in an HIIT trainer:
- cushioning
- support
- breathability
- flexibility
- durability
Cushioning
A good HIIT shoe must provide adequate cushioning to absorb impact and protect your feet during high-intensity workouts. Nike offers a range of cushioning technologies, such as Zoom Air and React foam, to provide cushioning and support.
It's up to you whether you want to go with a highly cushioned and bouncy model like the Nike Air Zoom SuperRep...
...or the more minimal and grounded option from the Nike Metcon series.
Support
HIIT workouts are very demanding, so it is important to look for a shoe with adequate support to prevent injury and provide stability. Nike's HIIT shoes often come with reinforced midfoot support in the form of synthetic overlays or sturdy sidewalls.
They make sure that the foot stays in pace during the most dynamic movements.
Breathability
Breathable materials are important for HIIT shoes, as they will help keep your feet cool and dry during intense workouts. Nike uses a combination of mesh and synthetic materials to create shoes that are both durable and breathable.
Some Nike HIIT shoes tend to be better aerated than others. We use a smoke-pumping machine to assess each shoe's breathability.
Flexibility
A good HIIT shoe should have enough flexibility to allow for natural movement during your workout. Nike uses a variety of construction techniques, such as dynamic forefoot grooves, to create shoes that are flexible and provide a natural feel.
The most flexible HIIT trainer from the brand is the Nike Free Metcon.
Durability
HIIT workouts can be demanding, so it is important to look for a shoe that is durable enough to withstand the demands of high-intensity training. Nike uses high-quality materials and construction techniques to ensure their shoes are durable and can withstand the demands of intense workouts.
A Dremel durability test helps us find out how wear-resistant each Nike HIIT shoe is both in the upper and in the outsole.
How we test hiit shoes
To make our recommendations, we put in hours of work to wear test the shoes in the field and inside the gym. We also take the time to double-check the quality of materials and technologies integrated into the shoes. Here’s exactly how we approach our selection process:
- We purchase HIIT shoes from Nike from our own savings. This ensures our 100% objectivity when writing our reviews for all the shoes.
- We clock up around 10-20 hours for each model using it for HIIT-style training sessions, which usually include sprinting, jumping rope, box jumps or burpees, and weight lifting. We take note of the shoes’ cushioning, support, traction, durability, et cetera.
- After all the performance tests, we proceed with mechanical tests done inside our lab. Our process in the lab requires cutting the shoes into pieces so we can have an extensive view of what we are working on plus we can measure the parameters more accurately.
