The Ultimate Guide to Selecting the Best CrossFit Shoes for Women

Ever since it’s founding in 2000, CrossFit, Inc.’s comprehensive workout program has been steadily gaining popularity. There are currently over 10,000 affiliated CrossFit gyms located across the globe, about 5000 of which are within the US. The CrossFit program’s general idea is for the participants to train their bodies in as many areas as possible, such as strength, agility, balance, and stamina. The program utilizes a ‘Workout of the Day’ (WOD) structure. They provide a specific workout to be completed that day. They could consist of anything from weight lifting, running, gymnastics, rope climbing, and more.

With such a wide variety of movements required, you need to have a shoe that you’re sure will hold up to the challenge and help you achieve maximum performance. When you’re trying to decide on the best CrossFit shoes for women, it’s essential to look at everything the show offers. Materials, comfort, support, and durability are just a few things to look at when deciding what’s right for you.

Tips for Selecting the Best Shoes for CrossFit Women

Sole Stiffness

The first thing we’re going to discuss is the sole of the shoe. Soles can vary greatly depending on what the shoe was designed for, from running shoes with soft soles that compress to provide cushion and weightlifting shoes with sturdy soles for providing maximum stability. In CrossFit training, it’s best to have a shoe with a sole that’s a bit on the harder side, with maybe just a small amount of compression to help with your longer runs. 

Heel to toe Drop

Another vital part of the sole you might not usually give much thought to is the heel to toe drop. Generally measured in millimeters, the heel to toe drop is the difference in height between your heel and toe. Basically, your heel is elevated. Weight lifters use shoes with large drops to get a lower squat, but for running, it’s best to have this measurement close 0, which means your foot is flatter. The best CrossFit shoes for women have a minimal heel to toe drop.

Materials

The material the shoe is made from is something else to consider. When CrossFit training, you’ll have days requiring you to climb ropes, and sometimes you’ll have to head outside into the elements. For climbing, it’s best to have a shoe made from a non-slip material because you’ll be using the whole side for grip, and you don’t want to make it harder on yourself. The sole material is also just as relevant as it’s stiffness. You don’t want a material that will quickly wear away from sliding down the rope. 

If it happens to be winter and you live somewhere that gets very cold and snowy, it’s essential to take that into consideration when selecting the best shoes for CrossFit women. You’ll want to make sure you have enough traction to move easily through the snow. On the other side of that, you’ll want a shoe that can breathe and keep your feet cool if you’re going to run in the heat.

Our Thoughts on the Best CrossFit Shoes for Women

We’re here to help make it easier to determine what makes the best CrossFit shoes for women. To do that, we’ve done extensive research on top brands, picking them apart to find the pair that tops them all. Here’s what we came up with:

Top Pick

Nike Metcon 1 – There are many excellent choices available. Still, there’s only room for one to be considered the best CrossFit shoes for women, and that spot belongs to the women’s Nike Metcon 1. To start, it has a firm sole with a bit of flex in the toe area, which makes them great for exercises involving any type of squats. The sole also gets a little wider at the toe to give added stability you’ll be glad to have during lifts and many other exercises included in your WODs. 

We can’t go without mentioning the ‘sticky rubber’ the soles are made from, giving you an unparalleled grip on indoor floors. The grip is lesser but still excellent on concrete and pavement. The last thing we’ll mention here is comfort. The fantastic thing about these shoes is that you don’t even realize you’re wearing them, it’s like they’re a part of you. All this and more is why we chose Nike Meton 1 as the best shoes for CrossFit women.

Other Considerations

Reebok Nano 4.0 – Reebok has released a 5.0 version of the Nano, but we rate the 4.0 higher because it’s sole has a little more cushion, but not too much, which helps with running. They’re still plenty firm and great for all of your indoor exercises. Like the Metcon 1s, they have a wide toe for added stability. With some above-average grip, comfort and a low heel to toe drop mixed in, the Reebok Nanos make another excellent choice for the wide variety of CrossFit workouts.

Inov-8 F-Lite 185 – The feature that makes the Inov-8 Women’s F-Lite 185 cross-training shoes stand out, is how incredibly light they are. The mesh construction is breathable, and with minimal weight, it almost feels like you’re barefoot. They feature small heel to toe drop of 4mm, which is great for running to avoid any heel strike as you make your strides. This is another excellent choice when looking at CrossFit shoes for women and should not be overlooked.