These Are The Best Gym Shoes For 2022

From strong-and-stable lifters to light-and-fast treadmill runners, these are the best gym shoes for any workout…

When you’re giving it your all in the gym, you need a shoe that’s going to go the distance with you. But ‘gym shoe’ is a catch-all concept: one man’s ideal gym shoe will be tailor made for treadmill running; while another will want nothing more than a flat, durable trainer for heavy lifting. 

A gym shoe designed for activities with lots of lateral movement, like boxing or HIIT workouts, will have good ankle support and enough spring in the outsole to help you stay on your toes.

Related: 5 Of The Best Specialist Weightlifting Shoes

A shoe targeted at weight lifters, however, will feature a flat, stable base to aid squatting and power-based movements. In-between these two will be good all-round gyms shoes that provide support and stability for a range of workouts – ideal if you like mixing up cardio and lifting.

Identifying which activities you usually do is the most important step when it comes to finding the right gym shoe.

The difference between gym shoes and running shoes

If your main goal at the gym is to pound the treadmill before maybe spending some time on the exercise mats, a classic running shoe will do the job. However, if your workouts extend beyond treadmill running, you’ll want to get more specific.

There are a few key differences between a gym shoe and a running shoe. Think about the type of action that a running shoes is made for: it supports forward-going, heel-to-toe movements, rather than lateral movement or upward propulsion. A higher heel-toe drop provides a running shoe with extra cushioning and shock absorption, protecting the runner’s joints and ligaments from injury.

Related: Best Running Shoes For Smashing Your 5K PB

Heel cushioning is particularly important, as is the use of lightweight mesh materials – a running shoe need to be light and breathable for those long, sweaty runs.

A gym shoe, however, is made with multidirectional and lateral movement in mind. Generally, it’ll have a lower heel-toe drop and a smaller cushion, which gives athletes a better range of motion. Typically, a wider toe box also helps to support quick directional changes.

Now that you’re clear on the main boxes a gym shoe needs to tick, let’s dive into our guide to the best gym shoes on the market in 2022…

BEST GYM SHOES 2022

(Keep scrolling for full reviews)

The best gym shoes for treadmill running

The best gym shoes for HIIT workouts

The best gym shoes for cross-training

The best gym shoes for heavy lifting

BEST GYM SHOES FOR TREADMILL RUNNING

New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v12

£160 / newbalance.co.uk

Fit: 4.5/5
Comfort: 5/5
Performance: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 5/5

Material: Hypoknit upper / Fresh Foam X™ midsole / blown rubber outsole | Weight: 292g | Width: narrow / standard / wide / extra wide | Colours: grey / orange / black / navy / blue | Sizes: 6½ to 14½

The New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v12 is described as the best running shoe in its range, and it strikes the ideal balance between cushioning, stability and flexibility.

It’s an attractive trainer that comes in five colours and four width options, and features a deep foam midsole, which provides a huge amount of support. The 1080 v12 also has an engineered ‘Hypoknit’ upper, which gives plenty of breathability and stretch and helps keep the shoe’s weight below 300g.

In terms of fit, this shoe is nice and snug. It hugs your foot well and offers plenty of cushioning and support for a smooth, stable run.

Read our full New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080 v12 review

Asics Gel-Kayano 29

£165 / asics.com

Fit: 4/5
Comfort: 4/5
Performance: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 4/5

Material: Stretch knit upper / FF BLAST™ PLUS midsole / AHARPLUS™ outsole | Weight: 299g | Colours: 10 colour schemes | Sizes: 5 to 15

The Asics Gel-Kayano 29 is a sturdy, highly supportive shoe designed to keeps you comfortable while you work out or run. There’s plenty of impressive sounding tech – such as FF BLAST PLUS cushioning, LITETRUSS midsole stabilisation and AHARPLUS heel plugs – which combine to help you feel stable throughout lateral and forward motion.

That foamy midsole offers impressive shock absorption to help you deal with impact when running on treadmills, which can often feel hard and unforgiving underfoot. There’s a cushioned tongue and thick padding around the ankle, while the sock liner also helps make for a comfy fit.

Plus, at least 50% of the shoe’s main stretch-knit uppers are made out of recycled materials to reduce carbon emissions and waste. 

Read our full Asics Gel-Kayano 29 review

BEST GYM SHOES FOR HIIT WORKOUTS

Under Armour TriBase Reign 4 Pro

£130 / underarmour.co.uk

Fit: 4/5
Comfort: 4/5
Performance: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5

Material: Mesh upper / Micro G™ foam midsole / UA TriBase™ outsole | Weight: 298g | Colours: black / lime | Sizes: 6 to 14

The Under Armour TriBase Reign 4 Pro is a solid, versatile trainer, offering stability during various cardio and weight exercises,

The Reign 4 Pro has a durable base, a sock-like wrap-around upper and a thick, blocky midsole that provides plenty of support. It’s a highly breathable shoe, too, with a layered mesh material that stops your feet from getting too sweaty during intense workouts.

The Reign 4 Pro is designed to maximise ground contact while promoting natural motion, and this shoe gives you a good blend of stability and movement. 

A strong rubber build under the toe box provides a solid base and powerful floor grip, making it well suited to weight lifting and mixed workouts. If you’re incorporating heavier weights into your HIIT workout, this might just be the ideal gym shoe for you.

Read our full Under Armour TriBase Reign 4 Pro review

Vivobarefoot Primus Lite III 

£130 / vivobarefoot.co.uk

Fit: 4.5/5
Comfort: 5/5
Performance: 3.5/5
OVERALL: 4/5

Material: water-repellent mesh upper made from recycled PET bottles / 4mm active outsole | Weight: 207g | Colours: obsidian / deep sea blue / molten lava / bright white / harbour grey | Sizes: 6 to 14

The Vivobarefoot Primus Lite III is a minimalistic ‘barefoot’ style of gym shoe, designed to make you agile and light on your feet – as if you’re wearing no footwear at all.

With a plimsoll-like feel, it’s incredibly lightweight and highly flexible, with zero drop and a wide toe box.

This trainers give you the freedom to move around with speed and intensity.

However, the Vivobarefoot Primus Lite III offers a surprising amount of support, too. If you’re incorporating weights into your workout, this shoe provide more than enough stability and power.

Read our full Vivobarefoot Primus Lite III review

BEST GYM SHOES FOR CROSS-TRAINING

Reebok Nano X2

£110 / reebok.co.uk

Fit: 5/5
Comfort: 5/5
Performance: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 5/5

Material: Flexweave™ knit upper / Floatride Energy Foam™ midsole / ROPEPRO+™ rubber outsole | Weight: 306g | Colours: six colour schemes | Sizes: 4 to 13

The Reebok Nano X2 is a superb all-around gym shoe, and arguably the most versatile trainer on this list. It features excellent lateral support, plus good grip and traction from the shoe’s rubber outsole.

The Nano X2 can handle multiple movements, as well as the strain put on it by heavy lifting, making it perfect for cross-training. Its heel has a good spring to it, and its breathable upper material means your feet can stay fresh even during the most intense sessions.

If you’re looking for a quality all-rounder that can handle the variety of exercises included in a multi-format routine, you can’t go wrong with the Reebok Nano X2. And with six attractive colour schemes, they are a good-looking post-gym option too.

Read our full Reebok Nano X2 review

Puma Fast-R NITRO Elite Fireglow

£220 / puma.com

Fit: 4.5/5
Comfort: 4.5/5
Performance: 5/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5

Material: mono-mesh upper / NITRO Elite™ foam midsole / PUMAGRIP-LT™ rubber outsole | Weight: 180g | Colours: sun stream/sunset glow | Sizes: 9½ to 10

The Puma Fast-R NITRO Elite Fireglow is a springy, super-light running shoe. That lively feeling makes it a solid choice for a variety of fast-paced movements – including treadmill and rowing work, or other aerobic exercises.

There’s serious cushioning underfoot, too, and this shoe definitely feels durable. However, the upper, made of super-lightweight mono mesh, could feel too thin for some – and this is definitely not the choice for power lifters.

However, if you’re after something that genuinely puts a spring in your step, the NITRO Elite Fireglow offers exactly that. Puma will even chuck in a free pair of Fast-R performance running socks.

Read our full Puma Fast-R NITRO Elite Fireglow review

BEST GYM SHOES FOR HEAVY LIFTING

Nike Metcon 8

£114.95 / nike.com

Fit: 5/5
Comfort: 4.5/5
Performance: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 4.5/5

Material: mesh upper with synthetic overlays / Nike React Foam midsole / rubber outsole | Weight: 352g | Colours: six colour schemes | Sizes: 5½ to 15

The Nike Metcon 8 provides plenty of stability and support during heavy lifting, but is versatile enough to allow you to perform a more mixed set of gym exercises as well.

Its wide, thick heel provides stability throughout lifting sessions, giving the shoes a solid feel with lots of protection.

The foam midsole gives you a cushioned, springy base and the shoe’s rubber tread provides ample grip. The uppers are fairly light, creating a good balance between sturdiness, flexibility and low weight.

It’s a compromise that means the Nike Metcon 8 could be included in mixed workouts, not just heavy lifting.

Read our full Nike Metcon 8 review

Reebok Legacy Lifter II

£150 / reebok.com

Fit: 4/5
Comfort: 3/5
Performance: 4.5/5
OVERALL: 4/5

Material: textile upper / TPU heel clip / rubber outsole | Weight: 575g | Colours: white and black / white and red / grey and blue / black and grey / navy and red | Sizes: 5½ to 13

The Reebok Legacy Lifter II is a lifting shoe, pure and simple, offering great stability and a locked-in feel that keeps you gripped to the ground at all times.

The thick, heavy feel of the shoes means it’s not the most comfortable when you’re walking between machines in the gym (a common sacrifice made with specialist weight-lifting trainers). And the bulkiness of the Reebok Legacy Lifter II might not be to everyone’s tastes; they’re just too heavy for a more generalised workout.

However, if you’re gearing up for a day of heavy lifting, you’ll do well to find a better option than the Reebok Legacy Lifter II. 

Read our full Reebok Legacy Lifter II review

Words: Fred Garratt-Stanley