A great workout depends heavily on great gear. You can try your hardest, but if you don’t have the right shoes on, your workout can quickly go south.
But when you begin the search for a great workout shoe, you will see literally thousands of shoes. How do you know where to start?
By the time you finish reading this article, you will be able to list the best sneaker brands, including an oldie but a goodie when it comes to sneakers.
Nike Metcon 7
The Nike Metcon 7 works especially well as an overall workout shoe. They work especially well for cross-fit, HIIT workouts, and weight training. They accommodate wide feet well with their stable form and react foam.
They also work well for sprinting when you need to hit it hard during a cross-fit workout.
With that said, there are a couple of cons to the Nike Metcon. They do not lock the heel down enough and are a bit heavy. They’re also one of the most expensive sneaker brands, most likely making them one of the top sneaker brands.
The tongue utilizes a lock tab where you can hide your laces, making them an even safer and trendier shoe.
Reebok Nano X2
The Reebok Nano X2 is a comfortable, stable shoe, making it a great workout shoe. It works especially well for strength training, cross-training, and light cardio workouts.
These clever shoes use the Flex Weave Knit Upper, creating a comfortable shoe with a flat, stable sole. The Nano X2 has plenty of support around the heel with a flexible midsole, making it ideal for cardio work.
On the downside, the knitted upper may not perform as well in the long run as the plastic-reinforced counterparts. Also, a one-size-fits-all approach to this shoe, as opposed to a specialized shoe, makes it less performance-focused than the previous Reebok shoes.
Furthermore, the Reebok Nano X2 performs well, but it’s not especially stylish. So if you care about looks keep reading.
Underarmour Tri Base Reign 3
The Tri Base Reign 3 is one of the best workout shoes Under Armour has designed. It works especially well for weight training, HIIT sessions, and CrossFit. It boasts of a light, breathable mesh upper with a stable base for heavy lifts.
Additionally, the Tri Base Reign 3 has excellent traction, making it work well for sprints.
Like its Reebok counterpart, the Under Armour Tri Base Reign 3 isn’t among the most stylish athletic shoes. It performs well but looks a bit on the odd side.
Class Chuck Taylor
While we don’t immediately think of the classic Chuck Taylor Converse shoe when we think of the ideal workout shoe, they’re worth a second look. It’s also worth asking, why are Converse so popular?
Simplicity
Converse has kept the design of the Chuck Taylor simple and consistent. There’s little that has changed visually on the Chuck Taylor at first glance since its original design as the go-to basketball and athletic shoe in the mid to late-20th century.
When you’re pushing off the floor as you do so often with a good workout, you want a shoe with no excess foam and a strong, stable base. Converse gives you just that. They have a slim, no-cushion sole that works well for a squat or deadlift when you want your energy to be used most efficiently and not absorbed by a slice of foam.
You also have a wider, more stable platform under your foot with a Chuck Taylor. Under a heavy load, your foot flattens, and the shoe supports it.
Playing the Mental Game
Chuck Taylor gives athletes a bit of a mental edge. They get nostalgic thinking about all the great athletes before them who wore the same shoes. They turn into Rocky, with his simple Cons, running through the streets of Philadelphia and training like a boss.
Putting on a simple pair of shoes will give some athletes an edge that they need to train hard.
Cost Effective
Previous athletic shoes cost hundreds of dollars. Converse has stayed relatively low-cost and simple for a reason. They allow just about anyone to buy them while they still perform consistently.
This also means that more than athletes will wear them. You can find Converse shoes on your lifting junkies in the gym and your red-carpet wearers in Hollywood. You’ll see them throughout middle schools and high schools on the feet of average teenagers.
Their versatility and cost-effectiveness make them an ideal shoe choice. They’re also thus more widely available than the high-end designs.
Versatility
If you’ve only seen Chuck Taylor out and about, it’s time to think about them as gym shoes as well. After all, that’s what they were designed from the start. Chuck Taylor himself would travel the country, hosting clinics, and ultimately, promoting these shoes.
But because of their comfort and simple style, Chuck Taylor Cons have made a name for themselves at just about any venue for athletes and non-athletes alike. Their versatility makes them one of the best designer sneakers out there.
Consider the Best Sneaker Brands
When people think of the best sneaker brands, they automatically drift to the big names of Nike, Reebok, and Under Armour. They may throw in Asics or a few other brands. But few immediately think of Converse and Chuck Taylor.
It’s time to re-think the way you’re thinking of athletic shoes. Perhaps you don’t have to buy the most expensive sneaker brands. Instead, you can consider the low cost and simplicity of Chuck Taylor Converse shoes.
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