WELL… lets start here, when you can, do NOT wear shoes/sneakers for your workouts!
Why?
Natural Foot splaying, sensory information, grounding, natural exfoliation, low back pain, stronger/higher arches, etc…
Check out the barefoot article here (COMING SOON)!
But… if you have to, this is what I recommend. I have been searching for the most efficient, comfortable, minimalistic, and natural footwear in the market for cross training for 4-5 years. I have spent far to much money on my search and I have finally come to a couple conclusions, aka, products or sneakers that I really do find comfortable and functional.
Here are my conclusions.
MetCons are too wide stream, stiff and the heel is my opinion is a little too high, on top of the fact that they are expensive.
Vivo’s are too exclusive and may not always provide the best cross training support but with flat bottoms and wide toe boxes they are still a great choice.
Merrell’s are functional and outdoor friendly but not cute for wearing elsewhere, they also don’t appeal to my color schemes. They have wide toe boxes and Vibram soles with great grip which means they can definitely get the job done.
Vibram soles are a great option when made apart of any shoe! Another company that uses the Vibram bottoms are select New Balance editions.
New Balance minimus are great, they can be worn as your mid day running errands shoes and are super well designed for cross training with lateral heel support, awesome grip, a wide toe box and almost entirely flat bottoms. Overall, they can do a lot of good for your foot, ankle and every joint up the chain, improving your body and biomechanics.
Some reeboks are known to be too stiff (Crossfit) but the nano’s are typically less stiff and great cross training shoes. They are well supported and get lots of good reviews. These much like the MetCon’s can be overpriced.
All in all, the New Balance get my overall approval from a price, functionality, sole, comfortability and aesthetic look perspective. Everyone has their favorite and preference based on many factors but functionality is overall the most important, lets not forget that. With that being said, when you can… go barefoot!