The Right Shoes Can Level Up Your Workout—Here Are Our Top Picks for Every Type of Activity

Whether you’re heading into a HIIT class, lifting session, long run, or challenging hike, you definitely want your feet to feel good. That’s what the best workout shoes can do: They’ll help you feel stable, supported, and (most importantly) comfortable throughout your favorite activities.

Over the years, SELF has accrued quite the list of road-tested, highly vetted footwear for everything from heavy lifting to cardio to leisurely strolls. We’ve featured some of our absolute favorites below, as well as tips on how to find the best gym shoes to meet your needs. All of them come recommended by experts or have garnered a SELF Sneaker Award in years past, meaning they were rigorously tested and reviewed based on expert criteria, then evaluated for what they’re best suited for. Read on to find your next favorite pair of kicks.

Our top picks

1. For walking: Vionic Walk Max Lace Up Sneakers
2. For running: Adidas Supernova Rise
3. For weightlifting: Puma Fuse 3.0
4. For HIIT and cross-training: Nobull Drive
5. For hiking: Forsake Wild Sky High
6. For indoor cycling: Tiem Slipstream Indoor Bike Shoes

In this article

1. Shop the best Walking Shoes
2. Shop the best Running Shoes
3. Shop the best Weightlifting Shoes
4. Shop the best HIIT and Cross-Training Shoes
5. Shop the best Hiking Shoes
6. Shop the best Indoor Cycling Shoes

Best walking shoes

Walking shoes should be well-cushioned and offer a good amount of support in your forefoot and heel. The 2024 Sneaker Award–winning Vionic Walk Max Lace Up Sneaker provides stability and plenty of arch support. For soft, foam-heavy sneaks, we like Ryka’s Devotion X Max (another 2024 winner), Hoka’s Bondi 8, and Skechers’ Max Cushioning Elite 2.0 (both 2023 winners). They’re great options if you spend a ton of time on your feet and like your shoes to feel almost marshmallowy.

Slightly less padded but still super comfortable—even when trekking long distances—is Asics’ GT-1000 12, which won our award for the most supportive walking sneaker in 2023. Also worth mentioning: Kuru’s Quantum 2.0 is our top pick for walkers with plantar fasciitis, and Under Armour’s SlipSpeed Mega is a great no-tie option that also landed itself a 2024 award.

Best running shoes

After miles of test runs, we think everyday runners and beginners will both be well-served by the 2024 Sneaker Award-winning Adidas Supernova Rise and the 2023 Sneaker Award–winning Nike Invincible 3. Meanwhile, Brooks’ Adrenaline GTS 23 is a more supportive choice for people with flat feet. Searching for a pillowy, foam-forward shoe? Try On Running’s Cloudmonster, which won a 2022 Sneaker Award for its cushy feel, or Hoka’s Gaviota 5, recommended by Alicia Canzanese, DPM, ATC, a board-certified podiatrist, athletic trainer, and former collegiate track athlete.

Shopping for race day? Check out Asics’ Metaspeed Sky Paris—it earned a 2024 Sneaker Award for its lightweight, springy cushioning and propulsive carbon plate. And if you have wide feet, slip on Altra’s Torin 7, also a top pick for Dr. Canzanese. It has zero heel-to-toe drop, meaning it has a flatter profile (which some runners prefer), plus a wide toe box, which is great for folks with bunions or a wider forefoot, she tells SELF. It’s also a little more cushioned than other Altra pairs: “It’s a good option for runners who have a midfoot and forefoot strike (as opposed to landing on their heels first) but still want a cushioned feel,” Dr. Canzavese says.

For those who like to take their runs off-road, there’s the Lululemon Beyondfeel Trail, our favorite trail shoe for beginners in 2024, Merrell’s Moab Speed 2 X Sweaty Betty, our favorite hiking sneaker, and Brooks’ Cascadia 18 GTX, which comes recommended by Dr. Canzanese for its deep lugs and Gore-Tex waterproofing.

Best weightlifting shoes

If you’ll be lacing up for a strength training session, there are two types of weightlifting shoes to consider: those with flat or lifted soles. Flat shoes, like Converses, Nobull trainers, the 2024 Sneaker Award-winning Puma Fuse 3.0, the SELF Certified Lululemon Strongfeel sneakers, or Nike Metcons, are for folks who prefer a more grounded feel and little to no arch support or heel elevation when they’re lifting. Shoes with higher heels, on the other hand, can increase your ankle’s range of motion, which may help you deepen your lifts while maintaining proper form, Tiffany Thompson, NASM-certified performance coach at Future, previously told SELF.

Whichever type of shoe you prefer, all of our picks are fairly stiff and provide a stable base to help you generate power through your feet for strong squats and deadlifts. If you want to minimize side-to-side foot-shifting, look for shoes with both laces and midsole straps, like Inov-8’s Fastlift or the 2023 Sneaker Award–winning Xero Forza.

Best HIIT and cross-training shoes

If you’re into plyometrics, aerobics, Crossfit, or HIIT, then you need a gym shoe with a sturdy, durable sole and excellent shock absorption. These are workouts that require you to be quick on your feet, even when you’re jumping, doing lateral movements, or running—a shoe that moves with you while offering support and softening the impact of your footfalls will be ideal (bonus points if it’s breathable).

The Nobull Drive earned the top spot for HIIT classes in this year’s Sneaker Awards for its springy, supportive design and overall comfort, while Reebok’s Nano X4 took the title of best general gym shoe. The York Frank Trainer, a 2022 SELF Sneaker Award winner, has also been a longtime favorite of ours for its versatility and roomy mesh toe box (the retro colorways don’t hurt, either).

Best hiking boots

Hitting the trails? These best-selling hiking boots all have supremely grippy outsoles for slippery terrain, plus extra ankle support to prevent rolling when things get rocky. Some are also water-resistant, like the 2024 Sneaker Award-winning Forsake Wild Sky High and the expert-recommended La Sportiva Nucleo High II GTX, in case you’re trudging through puddles or rain.

If you want something super sturdy (and don’t mind a little added weight), turn to the Lowa Renegade GTX Mid. Merrell’s exceedingly comfy Moab 3 Boot is similarly solid, but less bulky. And for the feel of a sneaker with the traction of a boot, check out Salomon’s Outpulse Mid Gore-Tex Boot—it won a SELF Sneaker Award for its hybrid design and lightweight feel.

Best indoor cycling shoes

Cycling shoes, which have cleats that attach to clip-in pedals, help align your hips, knees, and feet to reduce your chance of injury. They also lock your feet to your bike, which means there’s no chance of them slipping—and, instead of just pushing down on the pedals with your quads, you can use your hamstrings to pull up, which makes your ride more efficient.

Our personal favorite is the Tiem Slipstream: It won a 2024 Sneaker Award because of its cross-trainer-like sole and recessed cleat, which makes it ideal for hybrid classes where you’re getting on and off the bike to work out. If you’re looking for a more stylish option, check out Nike’s sleek SuperRep shoes (they’re one of New York City–based cycling instructor Erica Osberg’s top choices).

What should you look for in a workout shoe?

The best workout shoe for you ultimately comes down to personal preference—there isn’t one magic pair that’s right for everyone. But the experts we spoke with do have a few tips to keep in mind as you shop.

Fit

Your shoes should feel comfortable, and that starts with finding the right fit. “Overall, you want to make sure that the shoes are the proper size, and shoe size can change as we age,” Dr. Canzanese says. “There should be a thumbnail’s length [of space] between the tip of your longest toe and the front of the shoe,” she explains. They should also be easy to wear almost right away—avoid pairs that feel like they need to be broken in.

Arch support

While arch support is key for everyone, it’s usually the biggest concern for people with plantar fasciitis (inflammation and irritation of the plantar fascia, a broad, ligament-like structure that starts on the bottom of your heel bone and fans out across your arches, up to the ball of your foot). You can have plantar fasciitis whether you have flat feet, high arches, wide feet, or narrow feet—so, Dr. Canzanese points out, it’s important to try lots of different shoes on to find a pair that feels good and offers the support you need.

Feel like your shoes fit well, but don’t have enough height in the arch? Try some insoles for additional relief.

Cushioning

The more cushioning a shoe has, the more shock absorption you’ll get. That’s a bonus when you’re jumping, running, or walking, but it isn’t really necessary for lifting or cycling. For the latter activities, you’ll want a pair that’s relatively flat and keeps your feet close to the ground—in these cases, more cushioning can mean less stability.

Not all cushioning is created equal, either. Some foams are more responsive, or springy, while others provide a more squishy, cloud-like feel. Often, shoes designed for racing will feature layers of foam with a carbon fiber or plastic plate sandwiched in between, to provide even more lift-off power. You’ll want to try out different options to see what makes you feel fastest, most stable, or most comfortable, depending on what you’re going for.

Traction

A grippy shoe is good for pretty much any activity to help keep you from slipping. Rubber outsoles have a sticky texture to keep you feeling steady on your feet. And for activities like hiking or trail running, it’s important to find shoes that have deep lugs on the bottom for added traction on muddy, uneven terrain.

Heel-to-toe drop

Heel-to-toe drop refers to the difference in the height of a shoe’s sole between the heel and forefoot. Some workout shoes have a steeper drop, while some are flatter, with very little or zero drop. The heel-to-toe drop that’s right for you largely depends on what feels good during your workout. For example, many lifting shoes have a low drop—and while that might be ideal during squats and deadlifts, you may prefer a higher drop for running and walking.

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