It’s important to have the right footwear for the job. Keep in mind that your average day sneakers are designed for running, and are therefore amply cushioned to absorb the force of impact. On the other hand, weightlifting shoes are meant to help you generate as much force as possible. How does this work? Well, this fits nicely into the next section of the review – what to look for.

We have made a list of best weightlifting shoes and we are sure that you will find a perfect pair for your workout.

Our top recommendation is the Otomix Bodybuilding & Wrestling Shoes. They may not be versatile, but they make it up by heavily specializing.

The Reebok Men’s Crossfit Lite TR Training Shoe is probably your best choice if you want value for money in cross fitting/weightlifting department. If you’re scouring the market in search for the best wide-feet support, look no further than the Pendlay Do-Win Crossfit Weight training Shoes – Men’s Gray Weight Power Lifting Shoe.

Our Top Recommendation – Otomix Bodybuilding & Wrestling Shoes

Work your finger to the bone with Otomix’s weightlifting shoes for men with a flat heel, thin soles. It’s a pair ideal for CrossFit, squats and deadlift as it lacks an elevated heel, padding, and includes a thin rubber sole for maximum grip. The Otomix Stingrays has thin soles to lessen the scope of motion in the deadlifts insignificantly and enhance performance. Without cushioning, no thrust is dissipated.

The rubber sole offers a firmer grip on the surface to take on sumo deadlifts. Leather and synthetic textiles make it ultra-lightweight for resistance training. This high top model best suits bodybuilders, wrestlers and weightlifters who need ankle support. It would have made a perfect deadlift shoe if the manufacturer included the metatarsal strap for improved stability. The shoe comes in retro designs that define Otomix products.

In all, the Otomix Stingray offers a perfect item for all-round gym abuse like deadlifts. Onto the bad, the show is small for giant wearers.

Pros

• Canvas/leather materials for optimal performance;
• Ultra-lightweight design;
• High top for ankle support;
• Rubber sole for firm grip;
• Flexible for all-round gym use.

Cons

• No metatarsal strap.

Nike Romaleo’s 3 Men Weightlifting shoes provide ultimate support and breathability for pumping iron. Heavy weight lifters should not use normal sneakers and athletic shoes. You’ll need a pair of lifting shoes like Nike Romaleo’s 3. It has essential features such as a raised, firm heel to reduce the ankle range movement needed. A solid heel keeps you stable with a backbreaking weight on your back.

For starters, you get a solid sole and heel from this weightlifter’s pair of shoes. A raised heel minimizes the ankle range motion needed and acclimatizes you into a squat position without unnatural curvature. It’s made from a blend of fabric and synthetic leather that supports mesh on top with maximum breathability. Flywire cables and nylon midfoot strap lock your foot securely into place. Two replaceable insoles render soothing and firm support.

On the whole, this Nike Romaleo’s 3 Men lifting shoes are for a training beast. You also get Honeycomb TPU plate for lightweight steady support and high-traction, grip-optimized solid rubber outsole for rigid and stable sessions. It’s for those seeking to develop improved ankle flexibility.

Pros

• Maximum firmness and stability;
• Flywire polymer filaments strengthen the structure;
• Rubber sole for maximum surface area;
• Plenty of traction;
• Rock-solid TPU platform.

Cons

Minimal padding increases tension.

#3 Recommendation – Adidas Performance Adipower

Comfort And Support

The shoes feature a rubber sole, so you won’t have to worry about slipping on any surface. This is a constant danger for gym-goers and competitive weightlifters. There is also a PU-coated upper to provide you with additional comfort and support, as well as some bare minimum protection from falling objects. For added integrity, there is an adjustable hook-and-loop inset strap in the rear of the shoe. Naturally, no shoe is complete without comfortable textile lining, and we’re glad the folks over at Adidas took the time to add it.

Speaking of the shoes intended purpose, the structural strength is achieved using a weightlifting-engineered chassis with lightweight injected polymer. Moreover, the shoe sports a heel overlay for superior stability, as well as VentFlow openings in outsole to give you an added measure of comfort. They may seem a bit too snug at first, but they will loosen up given enough time, just about as any other shoe. Wearing these shoe’s, you’re almost guaranteed your but will drop to the floor with the very first squat, so take notice.

Design

This synthetic weightlifting shoes comes in two standard styles, a Black/Light Scarlet/Tech Grey/Metallic S combo and one in Core White/Black/Tech Grey/Metallic S. It’s worth noting that these shoes are not explicitly men’s shoe, so if there are some ladies that are thinking of buying a pair, you’re welcome to it as long as the style suits you. 

In other words, to figure out your size for these shoe’s, all you have to do is to is check out the conversion chart (the sizes are, unfortunately, explicitly for men). 

For example, a typical size 8 for women would be 6.5 for men, meaning if you’re an 8, order a 6.5, and you’re set to go.

Value

Being top of the line, the shoes have a price-tag range to match. You’d have to shell out at least a Benjamin, or call in the triplets.

Drawbacks

There are no actual drawbacks to these puppies apart from the fact that they are solely intended for Olympic weightlifting, although you could do power-squats in them. If you should decide to buy them, we wouldn’t recommend using them for any other purpose beside the intended one.

As the name might suggest, the Inov-8 Men’s FastLift 335 Cross-Training Shoe are intended not only for weightlifting, but also a whole range of related and not-so-related disciplines.

Comfort And Support

As far as comfort goes, the FasLift has a-plenty. These shoes feature a synthetic sole, as well as the very grippy rubber FastLift outsole to prevent you from slipping on sweat or water. The heel is about three quarters of an inch high. The upper part of the shoe consists of a nylon ripstop upper with lightweight welded synthetic overlays for added comfort and some measure of protection. There is also an adjustable hook-and-loop instep strap for added rear foot integrity.

One definitive plus is the breathable mesh lining which allows your foot to… well, breathe, and not overheat or develop funky fungi. For your foot’s well-being, the shoe also makes use of padded tongue and collar; this has the added benefit when it comes to stabilizing and securing your foot within the shoe. The forefoot is fairly flexible, which makes these shoes akin to double-under and box jumps possible, but we wouldn’t recommend it unless you intend to compete in an event. As far as sizing goes, we recommend you go for a half size (US) of what you normally wear, although some might find true-to-size size sufficient.

Design

The Inov-8 Men’s FastLift 335 Cross-Training Shoe comes in several color combos: Blue/White, Lime/Black/Red, Black/Red/Carbon, Yellow/Black and Forest/Black/Red/Lime. This is a unisex shoe, so if you want a women’s shoe, use the conversion chart to find out your size, as the numbers applies to men’s feet.

Value

This is an ideal lightweight and one the best option for Crossfit enthusiasts, who also practice some regular heavy lifting. If you’re strictly a lifter, you might as well shell out some more moola and get a pair of Nike lifters. Otherwise, the price makes it just about affordable choice of hybrid boots.

Drawbacks

There are no drawbacks that we could find, other than it’s a hybrid, and not suitable for either strict lifters or exclusive crossfitters.

#5 Recommendation – 2013 Pendlay Do-Win Crossfit Weightlifting Shoes

Although the model’s name is trotting behind the current year, the 2013 Pendlay Do-Win Crossfit Weightlifting Shoes – Men’s Gray Weight Power Lifting Shoe is one of the best lifting shoes in 2017.

Comfort And Support

The heel stands at three quarters of an inch, which is the height favored by the competitive lifters in Olympic lifting. The most striking innovation with this shoe is the change in the sole design which makes it a single sole throughout. This contributes to increased structural strength and flexibility of the sole. The shoe is avowedly suitable for crossfitters, but the sole recommends it solely for Olympic weightlifting.

The shoe is real leather with heavy-duty black nylon mesh throughout for added support. They are quite stable and best suited for people with wide feet. However, even a “regular” foot will fit fairly snugly, though we wouldn’t recommend it for people with narrow feet. In other words, they’re a bit on the wide side. It is worth noting that the size does not run true, so make sure that you follow company’s instructions and get half a size down from your running / training shoes.

Design

The design features a few color combos, some of which are fairly tasteful (subjectively speaking) – Gray (three shades of), Black/Lime and Black-n-Blue. As they run large, you should take notice when order for a woman’s foot. Again, this may not apply to everyone, but it’s a valid rule of thumb – go half a size down.

Value

The value of the 2013 Pendlay Do-Win Crossfit Weightlifting Shoes – Men’s Gray Weight Power Lifting Shoe is significantly increased by the 90-day warranty. As far as price goes, given it’s leather shoe, the numbers seem more than fair.

Drawbacks

The only drawback we could find is that the shoe sells as Crossfit shoes, yet the company recommends it as best for the Olympics. It seems somewhat counterintuitive, but there you have it.

Despite the unassuming looks, the Reebok Men’s Crossfit Lite TR Training Shoe proved to be well-suited for lifting, although its primary athletic area still is CrossFit.

Comfort And Support

The heel is absent viewed from outside, but the shoe does sport a Heel Clip for superb response and stability when you decide to do some heavy lifting. The shoe also features a high-abrasion small-teethed rubber sole, whose primary function is to provide superlative traction on almost any kind of surface short of Teflon. Moreover, the Crossfit Lite weightlifting shoes is made of durable, yet comfortable synthetic materials, providing a fair measure of support and coziness.

There is a mesh tongue that provides ventilation for your feet, which, given the shoe reaches above the ankles, is a necessity. Speaking of the ankles, the shoe ensures a dial-in fit and support due to the traditional lace-up enclosure. The shoe features padded foam sockliner cushions and comforts purely for sake of comfort.

Design

The design of the Crossfit Lite weightlifting shoes is reminiscent of the Converse All Star model, although the similarity is purely coincidental. The shoe is available in a variety of combos: Black/Flat Grey, Gravel/High Vis Green/Rebel Berry/Black, Trek Grey/Flux Orange/Steel, Dark Brown/Gust Blue/White, Reebok Navy/Conrad Blue/White, Sand Trap/Pebble/Primal Green, Flat Grey/Foggy Grey/Black/White, Gravel/Neon Blue/Black and Flat Black.

Although it is possible to order this model for women using the conversion chart, it’s much easier to look for the correlated model.

Value

Although it is conceivable to wear the Reebok Men’s Crossfit Lite TR Training Shoe as an everyday shoe, it would be a pity to do so, despite the affordability. This is probably the best value for money you can get, as far as this list is concerned.

Drawbacks

Apart from an occasional complaint that the shoe runs too wide, there are no drawbacks, and even this is mitigated due to the laces going almost all the way down but still it made it’s way to the our list.

#7 Recommendation – Reebok Women’s Crossfit Nano 3.0 Training Shoe

Bringing a breath of fresh air, here’s a product designed specifically for women – the Reebok Women’s Crossfit Nano 3.0 Training Shoe.

It was a tie between this model and the Reebok Women’s Crossfit Lite TR Training Shoe; however, as the correlated men’s model is already described, we decided to present something different.

Comfort And Support

This weightlifting shoe has garnered over three hundred over three hundred reviews on Amazon, the vast majority of which seems to be positive, and the rest are minor complaints and faulty shipping. The shoe, despite the misgivings you may have because of its appearance, is perfectly suitable for lifting. This is a veritable beast of versatility built with various disciplines in mind. Additionally, it’s also fit for running shorter distances, though we wouldn’t recommend running longer tracks in them, or participating in competitive events.

What makes them the best women’s weightlifting shoes is the synthetic sole coupled with a 360° PU Cast for lightweight, seamless, specifically designed for engineered support and durability. Moreover, the shoe features Dual Density for rearfoot support and stabilization, as well as protection from impact. The stability is guaranteed thanks to the RCF Natural last that permits full foot dispersion, as well as the Medial/Lateral Rope Guard and multi-directional outsole splay zone.

The comfort factor is brought in by ETC anti-friction lining to reduce abrasion and heat build-up with breathable air mesh, which incidentally further enhances the support provided. To continue, there is also a Die Cut Ortholite sockliner for added measure of coziness. These shoes run true to size, and need no conversion chart or calculations. Naturally, the weightlifting shoes are also available for men, but only with proper conversion charts at hand.

Design

The Reebok Women’s Crossfit Nano 3.0 Training Shoe is available in ten styles of vivid colors, thus making your choice that much easier. Or difficult.

Value

If you’re struggling with squats, this just might be the edge you need; to say it comes at an affordable price is an understatement.

Drawbacks

There are no complaints about the shoe, apart from the frequent users who would like more cushioning. The thing is, these are the best option for women, first and foremost, and despite the amazing versatility, you should probably invest in training shoes for frequent track use.

Let’s start with something obvious – purpose. What do you intend to use them for? Do you need them solely for Olympic events, or Cross fit activities, as well? Keep in mind that a cross fit shoe will suit you in both cases.

Next, pay attention to the heel height. Yes, there’s a heel in them. Most range between half an inch to an inch. Try them, squat with them, and see how they feel.

After that, check the strapping and support. There’s no sense having these shoes that don’t support your feet, or worse yet, offer a half-ass support.

Next, and related to the previous, mind the shoe width. Most of the shoe will have laces all the way down to toes to tighten the shoe against various foot widths. In short, get the shoe that feels snug, stable and supportive.

For the purpose of this review, we took a number of both pure weightlifting shoes and cross fits, and measured them up against the criteria that our resident experts had set. We established four categories for features – utility, comfort, design and value, with another floating category (just in case) called – drawbacks.

Final Thoughts

A bit of a disclaimer before we close – most of the models here presented are unisex, with the right conversion chart. Additionally, there are corresponding models specifically designed for women. We should take some space to explain the difference between weightlifting and powerlifting. Whereas weight training uses the snatch and the jerk and clean, powerlifting uses squats, bench press and deadlift. The difference may seem minor, but it greatly affects how you train for lifts.