Best Gym Shoes by Activity: What to Wear for Every Workout

One Shoe Doesn’t Fit All

Wearing running shoes to squat is like wearing flip-flops to play football. You can do it, but you’re working against yourself. Different gym activities demand different things from your footwear, and getting this right makes an immediate difference to performance and safety.

Squats: Raised Heel Shoes

For squats, you want a hard, incompressible sole with a raised heel. The heel elevation (typically 0.6-0.75 inches) lets you sit deeper with a more upright torso, especially if your ankle mobility is limited.

Best picks: Nike Romaleos 4 (£180), Adidas Adipower 3 (£160), or Do-Win weightlifting shoes (£70) for budget. See our full lifting shoes review.

Deadlifts: Flat and Thin

Deadlifts are the opposite — you want to be as close to the ground as possible. A flat, thin sole gives you maximum ground feel and reduces the range of motion. Every millimetre of sole height is extra distance you’re pulling.

Best picks: Converse Chuck Taylor (£50), Vans Old Skool (£55), or deadlift slippers (£20) for competition.

Why Running Shoes Are Terrible for Squats

Running shoes have compressible foam designed to absorb impact. Under a heavy squat, that foam squishes unevenly, making you wobble. Your knees drift, your weight shifts, and you lose power through the unstable base. It’s like squatting on a mattress.

The elevated, curved heel of running shoes also throws your balance forward. This is fine for running gait but dangerous under a barbell.

Never squat heavy in running shoes. This is the single most common footwear mistake in any gym.

CrossFit/Functional Training: Versatile Shoes

CrossFit workouts mix lifting, running, jumping, and climbing. You need a shoe that does everything reasonably well. CrossFit-specific shoes have a flat, stable sole for lifting with enough cushioning to run a 400m without destroying your knees.

Best picks: Nike Metcon 9 (£120) or Reebok Nano X4 (£110). Check our CrossFit shoes review for the full comparison.

Cardio/Running: Cushioned Shoes

For treadmill work, rowing, cycling classes, or any cardio-focused session, proper running shoes are the right call. You want cushioning, breathability, and a smooth heel-to-toe transition.

Best picks: Hoka Clifton 9 (£130), Brooks Ghost 16 (£120), or ASICS Gel-Contend (£45) for budget. See our running shoes review.

The Budget Cheat Code: Converse

If you only do barbell work and don’t run in the gym, Converse Chuck Taylors are the best value gym shoe you can buy. Flat sole, hard rubber, no cushioning — exactly what you want for deadlifts, and acceptable for squats. £50 and they last forever.

Quick Reference

Activity	Shoe Type	Budget Pick	Premium Pick
Squats	Raised heel, hard sole	Do-Win (£70)	Nike Romaleos 4 (£180)
Deadlifts	Flat, thin sole	Converse (£50)	Deadlift slippers (£20)
CrossFit	Stable all-rounder	Reebok Nano X4 (£110)	Nike Metcon 9 (£120)
Cardio	Cushioned running shoe	ASICS Gel-Contend (£45)	Hoka Clifton 9 (£130)

The Two-Shoe Solution

If you lift and do cardio, own two pairs: flat shoes for lifting days and running shoes for cardio days. It costs less than one pair of CrossFit shoes and performs better at both jobs. Bring both in your gym bag and swap as needed.