When I was in my 20s, I never gave much thought to the shoes I wore. I’d grab whatever pair I had lying around and get on with my workout.
These days, I know better. The right shoe can make a huge difference not just in how you perform, but also in how your feet feel after a tough session and how well they recover for the next one.
Throughout 2026, I had the opportunity to put more than 50 pairs of training and hybrid shoes to the test. Narrowing the field was no easy task. There were plenty of standout performers, but here is my shortlist.
Editor’s note: Today we present Emily’s top five training shoes; her top five HYROX shoes are coming on Tuesday.
Top 5 Training Shoes of 2026
TYR CXT Elite V2
When TYR’s Director of Business Development, Corey Berger, told me that TYR’s new CXT Elite V2 shoes — released in October 2026 — provided “an old-school feel with new school technology,” I knew I had to try them.
As someone who has been doing CrossFit since 2008, I still appreciate slightly more minimalist, flexible training shoes with more of a ground feel, like the INOV8s from the early CrossFit days, but I also know shoe technology has come a long way since then. Needless to say, the CXT Elite V2’s are what Berfer described.
When you first put the shoe on, it feels a bit rigid, but somehow, once it’s on your feet, that rigidity dissolves, and the shoe provides the flexibility needed for proper movement.
Despite feeling more minimalist than many training shoes today, the CXT Elite V2s feature newer technology, namely a carbon-fiber powerplate to help with explosiveness and propulsion, and a supercritical EVA foam midsole for increased energy return. According to Berger, these features help produce more efficient movement.
- “It makes the movements cost less,” Berger said. “If you were to do five rounds of 100 double-unders, the double-unders in these shoes will feel like 75 or 50.”
Worth noting: TYR put these shoes to the test at Louisiana State University (LSU)’s performance lab, and when it came to power output, the CXT Elite V2S “outperformed every other shoe on the market,” according to Berger.
Honorable mention: Another TYR shoe I couldn’t leave out is the TYR TECKNIT 2 Trainers, released last summer.
- They’re definitely still a training shoe, but they’re getting closer to being a hybrid shoe and have been described as the result of your training shoe and running shoe having a baby. This is exactly what they are, making them a perfect do-everything shoe.
Reebok Nano Pro
When Reebok was designing the Nano Pro training shoes, its goal was “to get this shoe banned.”
- “It would be awesome if it was thrown out of the CrossFit Games because it was helping too much,” Tal Short, Reebok’s Product Director, told the Morning Chalk Up as it was set to launch at the end of 2025.
He also described the shoe, which was in design for three years, as “a high-performing Ferrari you can drive every day.”
I have to admit I was skeptical, but the moment I put them on, I knew they would be my favorite Nano yet (I have been wearing Nanos since 2011).
Their quality is definitely a cut above other Nanos, which is reflected in their price point (USD $225), and they’re well worth the extra dollars. They feel a lot lighter on your feet than other Nanos, and they have an amazing ability to bend when you need them to bend, and be firm when you need it to be firm. Almost like magic.
The Nano Pro is perfect for any classic-style CrossFit workout, and it can definitely be used for heavier lifting, as well.
INOV-8 F-Lite and F-Lite Max
If you’re looking for a training shoe that feels very stable, has a wide toe box, and provides a bit of cushion underfoot, the INOV-8 F-Lite or the INOV-8 F-Lite Max fit the bill.
Both shoes feel like classic training shoes, great for functional movements and lifting, and because they offer some cushion, they can definitely handle a little bit of running, such as in a multi-modal conditioning piece with 200- or 400-meter runs sprinkled in.
Three small differences between the two shoes are:
- The F-Lite has a slightly lower heel-to-toe drop (4 mm), compared to the F-Lite Max (6 mm)
- The F-Lite Max is slightly heavier
- The F-Lite Max offers a bit more stability for heavy lifting thanks to its rigid TPU heel stabilizer, although, as I said, the difference between the two feels small (in my opinion).
Worth noting: If you’re looking for more of a less cushioned training shoe, INOV8’s F-Fly is my pick. They have a wide toe box and an almost barefoot feel, so you can really feel the ground beneath you.
Born Primitive Savage 1
Originally, this was meant to be a top-five list of only new iterations of shoes that came out more recently, but I just couldn’t leave these OG training shoes off the list.
Born Primitive Savage 1s instantly became my favorite training shoe when they were released a few years ago. And today, even after having tried dozens of shoes, they’re still up there.
I would describe them as more of an old-school training shoe. Similar to the INOV8 F-Flys, they’re a bit flatter than many training shoes on the market today, helping you feel the ground beneath you. That said, the Savage 1s do have more cushion than the F-Flys.
What really sets the Born Primitive Savage 1s apart, however, is their flexible sole. They mold to your feet and move with you. It’s also worth noting that, even after plenty of rope climbs, my first pair is still in perfect condition.
Best of all, aside from constantly releasing new, innovative colorways, I love that Born Primitive hasn’t changed these shoes since they first launched. Why fix something that isn’t broken, right?
FETAQ AllMove 3 Trainer
I first came across these shoes at the 2026 CrossFit Games. Amid the TYRs, Adidas, and RADs, Germany’s Mortiz Fiebig was wearing a shoe brand I had never seen before.
Turns out they were FETAQ’s AllMove 3 Trainer, a Chinese brand founded in 2021.
I asked Fiebig why he wore them at 16 of 20 events at the Games, and he said, “It’s the best shoe ever.”
So I had to try them.
The first thing I noticed was how stable they felt. They felt like I could go for a max lift in them. I learned this is likely because of the shoe’s LEAFPROTM Four-Blade Wrapping System, designed to provide more precise foot containment and midfoot stability and help minimize unwanted foot movement.
What really impressed me, however, was that despite feeling so stable, they’re not inflexible. I mean, I wouldn’t run long distances in them, but they can easily handle double-unders and shorter runs.
If this is the first time you have heard of FETAQ, it’s not going to be the last. They’re onto something.
The Bottom Line
There is no shortage of great training shoes on the market today, with options for every type of athlete, workout, preference, and foot type.
Of course, shoe reviews are subjective, and what works for one person might not work for another. But the bottom line is that if you take your training seriously, investing in the right footwear is worth it.
