5 Best Cross-training Shoes For Women in 2023

Nicholas Rizzo
Nicholas Rizzo on
5 Best Cross-training Shoes For Women in 2023
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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

Reebok Nano X1
88
Great!

What makes it the best?

The Nano X1 lives up to the level of quality expected from the Nano series but strays away from its predecessors’ Crossfit-centeredness. Reebok now describes it as the shoe for "ultimate fitness." It is designed for people who love to train hard and don't want to be limited by just one type of workout.

Pros

  • Versatile, less Crossfit-specific
  • Upper hugs the foot
  • Lighter than Nike Metcons
  • Cushioned for short runs
  • Great traction on gym floors
  • Secure lockdown
  • Plenty of toe space
  • Very breathable
  • Stylish for casual wear

Cons

  • Collar rubs the heel
  • Tongue slides a bit
  • Not the best for weightlifting
Full review of Reebok Nano X1

Today's best price

Men
Women
Any color
Pure Grey 2/Vector Navy/Frost Berry (GW8892)
Core Black/Footwear White/Core Black (FZ5695)
Acid Yellow (LAO44)
Blanc Rose Gris Pur 2 (FZ5686)
ftwr white/true grey (FZ0636)
White (H02837)
Chalk Blue Digital Glow White (FX3250)
White/Harmony Green/Brave Blue (G58174)
More colors

Best lightweight cross-training shoes for women

What makes it the best?

Belonging to Nike’s cheapest training shoes, the Legend Essential 2 manages to offer that essential comfort and support for moderate gym workouts as well as recreational use. If you take it easy at the gym, you'll make the best out of this superb deal.

Pros

  • Insanely cheap
  • Doubles as a casual sneaker
  • Lightweight
  • Breathes well
  • Snug fit
  • Very flexible
  • Reliable grip
  • Looks great

Cons

  • Not for wide feet
  • Not the most durable
Full review of Nike Legend Essential 2

Today's best price

Men
Women
Any color
Venice Crimson Bliss (CQ9545500)
Wolf Grey/Lilac-ghost (CQ9545006)
Black (CQ9545014)
Grey (CQ9545012)
Summit White Dk Smoke Grey (CQ9545107)
White Worn Blue Aura Phantom 101 (CQ9545101)
Black White Pure Platinum (CQ9548001)
Beige (CQ9545003)
More colors

Best slip-on cross-training shoes for women

What makes it the best?

The Nike Free Metcon 4 is a great shoe for an all-around application. If you want to buy one shoe to do most of your exercise needs, I don’t think you would regret the Nike Free Metcon 4. They are not running shoes, but they will get it done in a pinch if you need to pump out a mile or two at the end of your routine.

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
Full review of Nike Free Metcon 4

Today's best price

Men
Women
Any color
Black Phanton Burnt Sunrise 018 (DJ8655018)
Sweet Beet Cave Purple Pink Rise White (CZ0596600)
001 photon dust/yellow strike (DQ0304001)
Purple Smoke/Metallic Copper (DQ4678500)
Summit White Blackened Blue Hyper Pink (CZ0596101)
Arctic Orange/Football Grey/Cave Purple/Ghost Green (CZ0596800)
Mint Foam Ghost Green Barely Green (CT3886300)
Red (CT3886600)
More colors

Best Nike cross-training shoes for women

What makes it the best?

The SuperRep has got to be Nike’s most flashy training shoe series. The third iteration receives some design tweaks to give you the right balance of cushioning for jumps, flexibility for planks, and support for side-to-side and other movements involved in HIIT. The shoe’s unusual design is not only there for looks, it enhances performance when it comes to high-impact exercises.

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
Full review of Nike Air Zoom SuperRep 3

Today's best price

Men
Women
Any color
Pink Oxford Light Soft Pink Pinksicle (DA9492600)
Black White Black Anthracite (DA9492010)
White (DA9492004)
White/Washed Teal/Barely Green/Black (DA9492138)
Rush Pink Iris Whisper Mystic Hibiscus (DA9492656)
Black Doll Lapis Yellow Ochre (DA9492001)
Light Smoke Grey/Photon Dust/Pinksicle/Dynamic Turquoise (DQ0303001)
Summit White/Doll (DA9492101)
More colors

Best value

PUMA Enzo 2
84
Great!

What makes it the best?

PUMA Enzo 2 is a great gym shoe option with an affordable price tag. However, its elastic straps may get in the way of fast-paced workouts. It won't be a problem if you mostly do stationary exercises such as lifting, rowing, and other types of weight training. But it's better to stay away from this PUMA shoe if you jump, sprint, and lunge a lot.

Pros

  • Plush comfort
  • Solid base for heavy lifts
  • Little to no break-in time
  • Grippy
  • Durable
  • Lightweight
  • Breathable
  • Cheap

Cons

  • Narrow
  • Poor lockdown
  • Not for running or cycling
Full review of PUMA Enzo 2

Today's best price

Men
Women
Any color
white (19325617)
black (19325616)
Marshmallow/Scuba Blue (19437401)
Puma Oro Bianco Rosa (19325703)

Comparison of the 5 best cross-training shoes for women

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CoreScore
Users rating
Experts
Best price
Ranking
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# of colorways
Author
Nicholas Rizzo
Nicholas Rizzo

Nick combines 10+ years of experience in the health and fitness industry and a background in the sciences in his role as the Fitness Research Director. During his competitive powerlifting years his PRs have him sitting in the top 2% of bench presses (395 lbs), top 3% of squats (485 lbs) and top 6% of deadlifts (515 lbs) for his weight and age. His work has been featured on Bodybuilding.com, LiveStrong, Healthline, WebMD, WashingtonPost, and many more. Along the way, collaborating with industry leaders like Michael Yessis, Mark Rippetoe, Carlo Buzzichelli, Dave Tate, Ray Williams, and Joel Seedman.