10 Best Cross Training Shoes (Review) In 2022

- 1. ASICS Gel-Venture 6 MX Men's Cross Training Shoes
- 2. NIKE Men's Free RN Cross Training Shoes
- 3. Under Armour Men's Micro G Assert 7 Cross Training Shoes
- 4. Reebok Men's Crossfit Nano 8.0 Cross Training Shoes
- 5. New Balance Men's Cruz V2 Decon Fresh Foam Running Shoes
- 6. Camel Crown Trail Running Shoes
- 7. Adidas Men's Ultraboost 19
- 8. Under Armour Men's Speedform Feel Sneaker
- 9. Adidas Men's Pureboost Trainer
- 10. NOBULL Men's Canvas Trainer
Exercising is a lot of fun, and it provides you with a valuable opportunity to keep your body in shape. However, for you to have a genuinely fruitful exercise and training session, you need the best training materials and apparels, including but not limited to the best cross training shoes.
Cross trainers have become quite popular in today’s world, thanks to their ability to provide increased comfort, balance, and flexibility over other forms of gym shoes. With cross training shoes, you can engage in high-intensity training without worrying about causing damage to your feet; something that a lot of conventional gym trainers for men are unable to do.
Let’s dig right into some of the best cross training shoes out there.
The Best Cross Training Shoe
1. ASICS Gel-Venture 6 MX Men’s Cross Training Shoes

Rearfoot Gel Technology Cushioning System
ASICS High Abrasion Rubber Outsole
Removable sock liner
Synthetic sole material
As a brand, Asics has never been one to focus on aesthetic appeal. It’s one of the reasons why they aren’t as popular among today’s millennials as some of their competitors. However, when it comes to functionality and strength, the shoes from this company have always blazed the trail. These cross trainers show just why. Made with a synthetic sole, the Gel-Venture 6 gym shoes provide maximum strength and durability.
One of the best features of these shoes is the Rearfoot Gel Technology Cushioning System (which factors right into the shoe’s name). With this protection system, the shoes help protect you as you move, and they absorb more shock with every stride you take. Don’t forget to also check our guide to the best weightlifting shoes.
2. NIKE Men’s Free RN Cross Training Shoes

Synthetic sole
Breathable material
Flywire cables
Rounded heel design
The Men’s Free Running Shoe is one of Nike’s most visually conservative and functional shoes till date, providing a mix of moderate beauty with massive rigidity, and sturdiness. The shoe features a synthetic sole, which is more durable and expected to last longer. Primarily, these soles can withstand high-intensity use, particularly for running long distances. So, if you need a companion to withstand long jogs in the morning, you’ll find a worthy ally in these shoes.
The training shoes also come with a breathable material. The material is soft and lightweight, and the breathable nature is thanks to the open knit stitch atop the shoes. With these shoes, your feet will stay dry and cooler for much longer, while also not compromising on the strength and sturdiness required to hold your feet in place while you run.
3. Under Armour Men’s Micro G Assert 7 Cross Training Shoes

EVA sock liner
Synthetic sole
Breathable material
Lightweight mesh upper portion
For most people, the primary benchmark for judging a pair of shoes is whether they’re strong enough for their intended use. For others, it could be how much eyeballs you get when you slip them on. With these shoes, Under Armour has been able to strike gold in both departments. To begin, it won’t be fair not to note that these shoes look pretty good. With a sleek design and a proper mix of colors, wearing these with a pair of jeans or joggers will not count as a fashion mishap.
In terms of features and functionality, these shoes do pretty well also. The characteristic synthetic sole brings lots of rigidity and strength to your workout. You’ll also find the lightweight mesh upper portion exciting—a feature that provides optimum breathability and sees to it that your feet stay dry and cool. Find more great products like this by checking out our guide to the best shoes for yoga.
4. Reebok Men’s Crossfit Nano 8.0 Cross Training Shoes

Removable OrthoLite™ sock liner
RopePro carbon rubber
Flexweave upper portion
360-degree TPU heel design
The Reebok Crossfit Nano 8.0 provides a nice mix of breathability and strength, making it undoubtedly one of the most comfortable workout shoes on the market. Thanks to the addition of a Flexweave upper portion, these shoes mix breathability with a comfortable material, so your feet can stay snug and dry in them. The lace-up closure is no more than you will expect from standard aerobics shoes, so there’s pretty much nothing special there.
Another exciting addition from the Reebok team is the 360-degree TPU heel, which ensures that your feet are tightly-held in the shoes. The comfortable lining gives the shoes a great feeling, and you will also appreciate the removable OrthoLite™ sock liner. You may also like to check our guide to the best CrossFit shoes.
5. New Balance Men’s Cruz V2 Decon Fresh Foam Running Shoes

In-built lacing system
Molded foam heel comfort
Synthetic soles
The Cruz Decon running shoes from New Balance represent a complete revolution to the word minimalist. There isn’t so much to look at, but you can’t deny the fact that there is an appeal that comes from the shoes’ simplicity as well.
As regards functionality, you get pretty much the standard stuff here. The built-in lacing system ensures that your feet are held firmly and comfortably in place as you move, although the shoes go a step further by providing a molded foam comfort heel that ensures that your feet are even more cushioned.
6. Camel Crown Trail Running Shoes

Standard PU built-in
EVA elasticity foam
Flyknit technique
Melanges dotted design
Camel Crown is one of the youngest brands we’ll feature here. Still, these shoes depict that if anything, the brand can compete effectively with some of the more established names. Many things make the Camel Crown Trail Running Shoe special. It features a primarily comfortable upper region, as it adopts three separate breathable mesh layers to ensure that your feet are dry. A Flyknit technique, which is unique to the company, also provides a very comfortable feeling while you wear the shoes. The manufacturers fitted the top portion with melanges dotted design, which makes it a beauty to behold.
A significant part of the soles on these exercise shoes protects your feet from getting hurt, as they’re fused with the upper portion to form an anti-collision toe. This could come in handy for hikers. The heel is made up of standard PU with high tensile strength, thereby reducing the probability of developing ankle injuries as you run. Our handy guide to the best martial arts shoes features more great products like this.
7. Adidas Men’s Ultraboost 19

Primeknit 360 material
Continental Rubber
Stretchflex outsole material
Torsion Spring
For those who are deep into sportswear and apparels, adidas needs absolutely no introduction. The Ultraboost has grown to become one of the most popular and commercially successful offerings from the company, and it’s only right that they draw on that excellence with the Ultraboost 19. As cross trainers, we’re super excited that you’ll find nothing short of industry standards from the Ultraboost 19. The fit is regular, with a middle-top design that mirrors adidas recent style commitments.
The most significant feature of the Ultraboost 19 would have to be its versatile fit. Thanks to the incorporation of adidas’ Primeknit 360 material, the upper portion of these shoes provides an engineered fit that expands with each step you take. This is adidas’ version of providing maximum comfort, and it gets the job done without breaking a sweat.
8. Under Armour Men’s Speedform Feel Sneaker

Tough ripstop material
UA TriBase
Full-length Micro-G foam
Grounded build
At first glance, it’s pretty evident that the Speedform Feel Sneaker isn’t something that can pass for a fashion item. Well, given Under Armour’s reputation for favoring performance over allure, we’ll let that go quietly. These shoes were made primarily for handling intense workouts, and it has the features to back it up. Thanks to a durable mesh and a sturdy ripstop material, the training shoes provide breathability, abrasion resistance, and adequate lightweight support. A full rubber outsole adequately wraps the medial and material sides of the foot, thereby boosting abrasion resistance and improving durability.
That’s not all. The outsole of the shoes is designed with UA TriBase, which helps the shoes make the most of ground contact. It also allows for natural foot motion, enhances flexibility and helps improve your balance when you land on the ground. Make sure you also check our guide to the best pickleball shoes.
9. Adidas Men’s Pureboost Trainer

TRAXION outsole
Micro-treated outsole design
Smooth fabric lining
Responsive Boost ™ insole
Hey, they might not be as gorgeous as the Ultraboost 19 (another adidas offering), but you’ve got to admit that the build of these shoes screams comfort. The Pureboost Trainer is lightweight, with a highly flexible response to your movement. Just like most manufacturers, adidas was intentional with this “bootie” fit, which they claim will help improve the tightness and security of your foot’s fit in the shoes.
The tongue and collar of the shoes are also thin and comfortable, and there is a particularly smooth fabric lining that they have as well. The midsole of the Pureboost Trainer is designed with Responsive Boost ™, which features “energy-returning” properties that create additional energy upon every step you take. How insane is that?
10. NOBULL Men’s Canvas Trainer

Lug outsole pattern
Minimalist design
Medial rope grip
High carbon lateral and medial guards
Compared to a lot of other brands on this list, NOBULL is entirely unknown. However, while the other relatively unknown brand (CAMEL CROWN, that is) has one of the most versatile cross trainers on our list, the manufacturers of this footwear seemed to have focused more on functionality, while throwing elegance out the back door.
The design of NOBULL Men’s Canvas Trainer is simple, with a minimalist perforated upper portion that only has the reflective NOBULL logo as its standout feature. The lug pattern of the outsole helps with multi-environmental use, allowing you to make a seamless transition between the inside and the outside. It also features standard medial and lateral guards, made of high carbon material, to help improve support, traction, and flexibility. If you enjoy sports like basketball, check out our guide to the best basketball sneakers.
Cross Training Shoe Buying Guide & FAQ
How We Chose Our Selection Of Cross Training Shoes
Brand - Certain brands have been able to set the standard for those who make apparel and sportswear. While we recognize these, we also didn’t pick their products based on brand names alone; to make this list, we also ensured that they were of high quality. Also, we chose to balance things and not just feature the name brands alone. To do this, we also included cross-training shoes from some of the new entrants into the training shoe business who are killing it.
The brands that designed these shoes played a significant role in our choice. It was vital for us to ensure that the products we represented were, in fact, of superior quality. So, when we inspected brands and the products themselves, we chose brands with a track record of creating high-quality products that hold up under intense workouts.
Reviews - Reviews are critical to us because they provide a clear insight into the opinions of people who have taken these products and made use of them. So, here's what we did; once we had the products that we were going to add to the list, we visited several retail stores to check them out and study what people were saying. We based the reviews of various criteria, including the ratings of the products themselves on the platforms, the features that were highlighted by most users, and some of the complaints that people had already discovered.
By aggregating all of these factors, we were able to come up with a definitive list of products we needed; reliable and reputable manufacturers, high product quality, and rave reviews from people who have already used them in the past.
Price - Finally, we put the cost of the products themselves into consideration. Now, when it comes to price, things can get a little bit tricky. As it is with a lot of products out there, it is true that price doesn't necessarily have to be a determinant of quality. Sometimes, expensive products won't hold up when you put them up to the test, while the cheaper option might.
To strike a balance, we put the price of each product against its features and functionalities. When we found a product whose functionalities justified its price tag, we knew we had a solid pick.
Features To Look For In Cross Training Shoes
Comfort - Just as it is with every other type of fashion apparel, you should not compromise on comfort when purchasing cross training shoes. To get a proper judgment on the comfort of a cross training shoe, it is crucial that you check it out and see how it feel on your feet. If it has a reliable and secure feeling, and you can efficiently run and move with it without feeling any pinch on your feet, then you've got something comfortable for sure.
Again, one of the best things about shoes is the fact that there are so many of them, you will easily get something that makes you feel comfortable. You just have to take your time to go through our reviews.
Performance - Performance is another significant factor that you will undoubtedly have to put into consideration. Cross trainers have a specific function that they provide, and this function is to help improve your workout. So, before you make your purchase, you need to ensure that your selection achieves a balance of comfort and optimal performance.
The criteria of comfort and performance work hand in hand; there's no reason why you should get cross trainers that are comfortable but won't help your workout. Also, it would be best if you never splurged on trainers that enhance your workout but won't give you a comfortable feeling.
Fit - Just like comfort, the fit is also quite vital. Simply put, the fit of a shoe covers a broad range of criteria, including but not limited to whether the shoes hold on to your feet properly. If the shoes are too tight - or feel too loose - you should discard them immediately.
The fit of cross trainers will go a long way in determining how securely they hold your feet. If you will like to train and not have to worry about ankle injuries and sprains, make sure that you put this factor into consideration.
Use Case - The use case deals with specific situations where the trainers can be used. Some options work only for training sessions, while you can strap on some options with your fashion ensemble and put them on for casual occasions.
The most versatile ones, of course, can combine both use cases. If you have the budget, then the versatile options should be where your wallet points to. Amongst other things, they'll provide more value for your money.
Breathability - The material of your selected choice will also need to be very breathable. With breathable material, a pair of cross trainers will be able to ensure that your feet are dry and comfortable. It's that simple.
Drop - The drop of a shoe is the distance between the height of the shoe and the height of the toe. Primarily, the drop affects how your foot makes contact with the ground whenever you land from a jump. A low or medium drop (a distance of 0mm to 8mm) helps with a mid-foot or forefoot strike, while a high drop (10mm to 12mm) helps with heel striking.
Cross Training Shoe FAQ
Q: What is a cross training shoe?
A: Cross training shoes are just like every other sports footwear that we have. However, these tend to focus more on features such as balance, flexibility durability and comfort.
Q: Can you run in cross training shoes?
A: Yes, you can. As training shoes, it is possible for you to run with them. However, you should consider factors such as the type of sole, the fit, comfort, and durability before you make a choice.