Nike MC Trainer 3 review

The MC Trainer 3 is a no-brainer if you are in search of the following:

• an entry-level gym shoe that feels like a more expensive trainer
• a very comfortable cross-trainer that can do it all at the gym

If you think that the MC Trainer 3's narrow midfoot will be a problem for you, have a look at the previous versions of the Nike Metcon. It is the brand's flagship shoe but you can catch a nice discount on discontinued models. That shoe is a wonder for wide and flat feet.

You might as well explore the famous Reebok Nano collection if you are open to other brands.

The third edition of the MC Trainer received a huge cushioning boost. The shoe's heel stack went from 23.1 mm in the v2 to the generous 30.6 mm in the v3! That makes it a few millimetres thicker than the average too.

If you feel like your current gym shoes lack impact protection for jumps and treadmill runs, the Nike MC Trainer 3 will get you covered

We also couldn't help but notice the geometry change in the shoe's heel. The 3th edition received a curved heel bevel which made it much more running- and walking-friendly than the pancake flat heel of the v2.

Checking the shoe's forefoot stack, we found that it only grew by 1.5 mm over the previous version. But at 21.8 mm, it is still a bit taller than the average gym shoe.

This is a perfect amount of cushioning for rope jumping sessions and the shoe's moderate weight made those even more enjoyable.

If you wore the MC Trainer 2 or any other training shoe with a low heel-to-toe drop, you may notice that the MC Trainer 3 has a slightly more elevated heel.

In our opinion, this setup enhanced the shoe's cushioning making it more comfortable for jumps, runs, and walks.

Another notable change occurred in the shoe's midsole softness. In addition to being thicker, the foam also got about 17% softer in the MC Trainer 3.

Our Shore A durometer returned 24.1 HA which is also about 20% softer than the average gym shoe midsole.

But we are happy to report that the added cushioning and more forgiving nature of the MC Trainer 3's midsole did not make it any less stable for moderate weightlifting.

Last but not least, a padded insole also contributes to the shoe's underfoot comfort. We measured its thickness to be on par with the average at 3.7 mm.

To our surprise, Nike is very generous with the toebox space of the MC Trainer 3.

Measuring the widest area of its forefoot, we got a notably wider-than-average reading of 106.9 mm. Very accommodating!

The shoe's toebox doesn't taper aggressively towards the toes either. At the big toe mark, we measured another above-average reading of 80.3 mm.

But here is the thing...We can't wholeheartedly recommend the Nike MC Trainer 3 to wide-footed folks because its midfoot is way too narrow! And because it is pressed by the raised midsole on the inner side doesn't help the fit either.

To put it simply, the MC Trainer 3 offers decent stability.

You can expect a fairly planted experience for lifting weights up to 220 lbs (100kg) as well as performing side-to-side movements, and single-legged exercises.

We also appreciated the raised rubber sidewalls which give this Nike trainer vivid Metcon vibes.

But if you seek maximum stability for very rigorous workouts or if you have severe overpronation, you should look towards more stable cross-trainers.

The shoe's raised midsole and lateral rubber flare generate a lot of torsional rigidity to prevent the MC Trainer 3 from twisting.

Rating its stiffness on a 1-5 scale, we gave this Nike trainer a solid score of 4.

The heel counter, on the other hand, remains rather pliable. We gave it 3 out of 5 on our stiffness scale because it is quite easy to bend.

On the other hand, the absence of a sturdy heel counter allows the shoe to be lighter and more nimble overall. So it's up to you to decide which one you value more in this trade-off.

The shoe's extended contact points in the midsole are a major contributor to its stability.

Measuring the widest area of the shoe's forefoot, our calliper showed a wider-than-average reading of 114.5 mm.

The heel of this Nike trainer also proved to be nice and wide at 91.4 mm in the widest area.

The only caveat is the shoe's oddly narrow midfoot. We believe that it makes the MC Trainer 3 less than ideal for people with flat and voluminous feet.

Performing lunges, burpees, and push-ups, the shoe never got in the way of our foot bending.

When we measured the amount of force it takes to bend the MC Trainer 3 to a 90-degree angle, the gauge showed a standard 20.2N. The deep flex grooves got their job done!

But if you prefer even more freedom of movement, have a look at the Nike Flex Control 4.

The Nike MC Trainer 3 has a very straightforward design with no hefty components to weigh it down.

In a men's US size 9, the shoe returned 10.4 oz (296g) which is nearly the same as the average of training shoes.

We never felt weighed down by this Nike trainer and happily performed the fast-paced cardio portions of our workout in this shoe.

Giving it your all at the gym is much easier when your feet aren't drowning in sweat. And the MC Trainer 3 knows how to properly ventilate the interiors.

The shoe's mesh improved significantly over the previous version showing excellent breathability in our smoke-pumping machine test!

Its thin and porous upper instantly lit up in our transparency check whereas a microscope shot revealed thousands of ventilation holes in both mesh layers.

WIthout a doubt, this Nike trainer deserves the highest breathability score - 5 out of 5!

As much as we love its light and airy nature, the shoe's upper mesh is completely devoid of durability.

It took mere seconds of sandpaper exposure at 5K RPM Dremel speed to tear a glaring hole in the shoe's toebox.

Assessing the damage, we couldn't rate the shoe's toebox durability any higher than 1 out of 5.

Because of that, we do not recommend this Nike trainer for abrasive activities like rope climbing.

Considering the shoe's budget price point, we didn't expect much wear resistance from its inner lining either.

A quick 4-second Dremel test proved this to be true. A large see-through hole earns the shoe's heel padding the lowest durability score - 1 out of 5.

The outsole, on the other hand, showed more promising signs of longevity.

Pressing a Shore C durometer against the MC Trainer 3's rubber compound returned a high reading of 89.0 HC. It happens to be harder than 90% of our lab-tested training shoe outsoles!

But when it comes to abrasion resistance, the shoe's outsole showed average results in our Dremel test.

Exposing the compound to sandpaper for 22 seconds at 10K RPM speed, we found that the tool left 1.2 mm of damage in the outsole. That is just as deep as the average.

The Nike MC Trainer 3 also packs a standard amount of rubber in its outsole showing 3.3 mm on our calliper.

To sum it up, we believe that the shoe's outsole will last as long as most other gym shoe outsoles. However, the same cannot be said about the MC Trainer 3's more delicate upper.

Even though it is a more affordable cross-training shoe from Nike, the MC Trainer 3 doesn't skimp on quality or performance.

We believe that beginner gym goers will benefit greatly from the value that it has to offer at such a budget-friendly price point.

The 3rd iteration of the MC Trainer also received significantly more padding in the tongue and around the collar.

The tongue actually went from 3.1 mm to as much as 6.9 mm, according to our calliper.

The tongue of the MC Trainer 3 is non-gusseted which may result in some tongue shifting. But this was not a point of concern for us when testing this Nike trainer.

This version of the MC Trainer now features a handy finger loop for an easier on-and-off action.

The shoe's insole is very easy to remove in case you want to enhance the underfoot experience with a custom insert or orthotic.