The back squat is one of the most accessible, not to mention one of the most effective, barbell lifts out there. You got a bar, a basic squat stand, and (preferably) some plates to load up with and your set.
You can squat in running shoes or “functional fitness” shoes or…hell…you can squat barefoot if you want…
…but I can assure you that getting ahold of a decent pair of squat shoes (preferably the best squat shoes) will make your experience with the “king of exercise” that much better.
Probably no arguments there (you are reading this article, after all!), but squatting can be a very personal thing. Shoes that feel great for one person are just gonna feel…weird for someone else.
This is why we’re providing you with the different best squat shoes for different preferences (and even for different situations/contexts).
We’re confident that the Avancus Apex Power V2.5s are your best options, but we understand that some of you may want a heeled squat shoe, a squat shoe you can wear in a metcon, or even just a good shoe insert.
If any (or all) of these apply to you don’t worry; we’ve got you covered!
Without further blithering on our part, we present to you…
Table of Contents
The 9 Best Squat Shoes
🏆 Best Overall
95
Best Heeled
91
Best Heeled
84
Best Heeled
87
Best Inserts
90
The 9 Best Squat Shoes
- Avancus Apex Power V2.5 – Best squat shoes (overall)
- TYR L-1 Lifter – Best heeled squat shoes
- GORUCK Ballistic Trainers (mid-top) – Best for squatting in metcons
- Adidas Powerlift 5 – Best affordable squat shoes
- Versalift V2 – Best inserts
- Reebok Legacy Lifter III – Contender (Olympic weightlifting)
- Sabo Powerlift Pro – Contender (all-around powerlifting)
- Nordic Lifting Shoes – Contender (affordable)
- Adidas The Total – Contender (zero-drop)
Avancus Apex Power V2.5
⭐️ Verdict: Best squat shoes (overall)
The Avancus Apex Power V2.5s are the best squat shoes on the market today. They combine key elements of unparalleled stability with a toe box that roomy enthusiasts will find to be perfectly accommodating during heavy lifting.
The current iteration of the Apex Powers employ multiple stability-enhancing measures to both minimize slippage and to maximize grip with the ground when squatting or performing other compound movements.
Lifters preferring a “true” zero drop heel may not appreciate the slight hard rubber sole (2mm) and traction-creating lugs, but for those who prioritize superior “foot-to-ground connectedness”, the Apex Powers should be a top choice.
Pros
“Viziun Anti-slip Technology” for complete “groundedness”
Small, 2mm lugs for additional traction
Relatively inexpensive
Con
Not completely flat-bottomed
The Avancus Apex Power V2.5s (henceforth referred to simply as the “Apex Powers”) are the best squat shoes on the market today. Granted, if you are someone who prefers heeled squatting for whatever reason (more comfortable, exclusive high-bar squatting, Olympic weightlifting), their lack of any kind of heel drop might be off-putting, but for everyone else these are ones to beat.
The Apex Powers’ utilize patented “Viziun Anti-slip Technology” which, if you’ve ever attempted to go really heavy is something that you can probably really appreciate. Proclaimed as the “grippiest in the industry” the Viziun Sole Plate, combined with the thin, but durable outsole, creates unparalleled “foot-to-ground” connectedness. Tiny 2-millimeter lugs are interesting, but pivotal additions to this design.
Despite holding the top spot on our list, the Apex Powers are also some of the most affordable of the best squat shoe options with some of the most consistently high feedback to supplement their functionality and affordability. They may not have the same brand recognition as others on our list, but they deserve a long, hard look from anyone who is serious about squatting and powerlifting in general.
TYR L-1 Lifter
⭐️ Verdict: Best heeled squat shoes
The TYR L-1 Lifters are generally perceived as being more of Olympic weightlifting shoes, but are nevertheless rated as the top heeled squat shoes. The fact that they are designed by the founder of Squat University further supports this claim and utility.
The TYR Lifters have a roomier toe box than most other heeled lifting shoes, making them immediate contenders for squatters who need a bit of front-end room in their heeled shoes.
The TYR Lifters aren’t the least expensive shoes and they can feel a bit rigid, particularly in the back portion of the shoe, but it’s hard to find a better heeled shoe for squatting.
Pros
Heeled for exceptional leverage during squats and Olympic lifts
Wide, spacious toe box
Incredibly comfortable
Cons
Not the most stable squat shoes
There haven’t been any weightlifting shoes I’ve come across in the last few years that have garnered as many “these are the best lifting shoes ever” comments as the TYR L-1s. They are up there with my personal favorite Oly lifting shoes (possibly being my all-time favorites)…but today, we’re talking about the best squat shoes.
Their L-1’s engineering efforts were largely led by Squat University’s Dr. Aaron Horschig, a very well-respected name in the movement and lifting world. With a very comfortable and secure feel, they aren’t the types of shoes you’re itching to take off and the dual straps never really induce that “gotta hurry up and tie these again before my next set”.
Although the toe box is more-than-sufficiently wide for most people, the shoes’ overall comfort and softness somewhat works against them. It can be difficult to maximize torque when setting up to squat as they aren’t the most firm, particularly when leaning the foot out/horizontally.
Despite the lack of elite-level stability, the TYR L-1s tick the boxes that ~95-plus percent of squatters are looking for, particularly those looking for a heeled lifting shoe.
GORUCK Ballistic Trainers (mid-top)
⭐️ Verdict: Best for squatting in metcons
The GORUCK Ballistic Trainer (mid-top iteration, specifically is not traditional squat shoes, but can be a very functional for squatting in the context of a CrossFit metcon.
Sporting a heel drop (8 millimeters) that is larger than most “functional fitness” shoe, while still being suitable for a host of other dynamic movements, the Ballistic Trainers help to add a bit of leverage during high-rep squatting intervals mashed with other exercises.
The Ballistic Trainers aren’t the most inexpensive CrossFit shoes and for those who are only interested in squatting (and not metabolic conditioning workouts), they aren’t the most appropriate shoes for the task(s).
Pros
Large heel drop for a “functional training” shoe
Can be used for squatting in any context/situation
Not as boxy as a traditional squat shoe
Cons
There are much better options for dedicated squatting
If you do CrossFit, you know that you rarely get a chance to switch out your shoes in the middle of metcon. If you prefer a heeled shoe for Olympic lifting and/or squatting and you usually train in a minimalist shoe, you could run into a bit of trouble when the workout calls for some 400-meter run, bar muscle-up, heavy front squat combination.
There isn’t a general purpose CrossFit shoe that is going to mimic the support and leverage that a dedicated squat shoe will, but the GORUCK Ballistic Trainers, particularly the mid-top iteration, are your best bet for squatting in metcons.
Their 8-millimeter heel drop isn’t so excessive that you feel like you’re “gliding” in a running shoe or unable to get “grounded” for other movements, but provides enough of a heel to greatly assist during whatever squat entity is programmed. These weren’t designed with roomy toe box needs in mind, but they punch above their weight.
The Ballistic Trainers’ stability is good relative to other CrossFit shoes (the robust Cordura material in the mid-top contributes to this), but these are going to be much less stable relative to dedicated squat or lifting shoes. Considering that you can actually run, jump, do gymnastics movements, in these, it’s a very good trade-off.
Adidas Powerlift 5
⭐️ Verdict: Best affordable squat shoes
The Adidas Powerlift 5s are the latest in the company’s line of mid-range, dedicated (as the name would suggest) powerlifting shoes.
With a somewhat “hybrid heel” that elevates the entire foot while still being relatively flat on the bottom, the Powerlift 5 presents a slightly different squatting experience than most squat shoes offer.
The Powerlift 5’s unique structure leads them to being slightly less stable than other squat shoes, but their overall functionality and affordable price point make them ideal for beginner and experienced squatter alike.
Pros
Ideal for powerlifting and Olympic lifting
“In-between” heel combines leverage with “groundedness”
Affordable
Cons
Average stability
The Adidas Powerlift 5s are some of the most affordable dedicated squat shoes on the market today. There somewhat “in-between” heel drop combines elements of heeled (although “elevated” is probably a more appropriate word) squatting with their completely flat and hard outsole.
Although the Powerlift 5s don’t have the absolute widest toes boxes on the planet, they are solidly in the “average-to-slightly-above-average” category for this category. Additionally, the aforementioned flat sole creates as good of a “foot-to-ground” connection as a squat shoe can have that isn’t a zero-drop shoe.
Like many of the mid-budget Adidas lifting shoes (like The Total we’ll look at later on the list), the (partially recycled) materials don’t feel to be of the highest quality. Also, the hybrid “flat/elevated” design might feel a little different than many other, more “standard” dedicated lifting shoes.
Versalift V2
⭐️ Verdict: Best inserts
The Versalift V2s offer an interesting alternative to traditional squat shoes, allowing lifters to essentially “transform” their existing training shoes into heeled shoes.
The Versalift’s easily slip inside the back of training shoes and instantly add an additional 13 millimeters of heel drop. For athletes who love their existing training shoes or who don’t want to invest in dedicated squat shoes, they present a very suitable option.
Pros
Instantly adds leverage
Can be used in just about any training shoe
Very inexpensive alternative to a dedicated squat shoe
Cons
Not a shoe…
In case it wasn’t blatantly obvious, Versalifts are not actually squatting shoes. Nevertheless, they deserve a spot on the list of the best squat shoes because of their “shoe-enhancing” capabilities.
Long story short, Versalifts can be placed into any lifting shoe (although it makes the most sense to place them into a non-heeled lifting shoe) to add roughly 13 millimeters of “drop” to any heel. For most shoes, this will create an effective heel drop that is close to those of most squat shoes.
The lifting experience in Versalifts isn’t quite the same as lifting in “true” lifters, but they provide an inexpensive, yet effective substitute for dedicated shoes.
*The Versalifts’ “Price” attribute reflects how they compare to similar shoe lifts, NOT to other squat shoes.
Reebok Legacy Lifter III
⭐️ Verdict: Contender
The Reebok Legacy Lifter III shoes are the latest in the company’s line of dedicated Olympic weightlifting shoes. Despite being designed with the snatch and clean and jerk in mind, they are solid options as dedicated squat shoes.
The Legacy Lifters are characterized for their incredible stability which is pretty much unrivalled among heeled lifting shoes. The novelty of the “Reebok Pump” contributes to this stability by allowing lifters to find a precise fit.
Wide toe box enthusiasts might be a little upset at the Legacy Lifters’ somewhat underwhelming toe box and Reebok’s customer service personnel leave a lot to be desired.
Pros
Incredibly stable, largely due to their precise fastening system
Larger heel drop for additional leverage
Ideal for Olympic lifts and for squatting
Cons
Not the most spacious toe box
For some people, the main selling point of the Reebok Legacy Lifter III might be the return of the iconic “Reebok Pump” tightening mechanism on the shoe’s tongue.
This is perfectly understandable; if you were there in the late 80’s and early 90’s, you know what we’re talking about!
For most others, the Legacy Lifter’s extremely hard, rubber outsole combined with the slightly-higher-than-standard 22 millimeter heel drop makes the shoes uniquely capable as squatting shoes. Despite being somewhat of a gimmick, the “pump technology” does allow for fine-tuning of the shoe’s sizing, allowing lifters to contour them better, contributing to their overall stability.
Like some of the rest of the shoes we will see on this list, the Legacy Lifters aren’t known for having the roomiest of toe boxes, particularly in relation to the best squat shoes and other main contenders. However, for those who prefer a shoe with an extremely impressive track record of quality (or just actually prefer a more…”compact” toe box), Reebok’s offering is a solid choice.
SABO Powerlift Pro
⭐️ Verdict: Contender
Sabo’s Powerlift Pro shoes are the iconic powerlifting shoe company’s most “squat-friendly” shoes. They combine superior levels of stability with a stellar enclosing system.
The Powerlift Pros are potentially the most supportive of all of the shoes on this list, particularly in the upper ankle region. As stable as they are, this reduces the impact of sudden lateral movement of the foot.
Despite the Powerlift Pros being Sabo shoes, they don’t have the widest toe box. However, they are surprisingly affordable given the reputation of the company and the quality of the shoes.
Pros
Part of a line of stellar lifting shoes
Excellent as an all-purpose (heeled) powerlifting shoe
Relatively inexpensive
Cons
Somewhat narrow toe box
Sabo has long been recognized for its incredibly popular deadlift shoe lines (the SABO Deadlift Pros actually top our list of the best deadlift shoes). Despite all of the attention their more speciality shoes have drawn, their other powerlifting-focused shoes, most notably their Powerlift Pros, hold up extremely well for those who prefer “heeled lifting”.
Squatters who prefer the extra ankle stability that a high-top lifting shoe presents will be pleased with the Powerlift Pros’ Airtex mesh lining in its upper materials area. Additionally, SABO’s patented “Sabo Power Platform” (SPP) and “Hard Wedge System” (HWS) create both a hard, reliable lifting surface as well as a more anatomically advantageous lifting position.
Despite being in the “business” of powerlifting, the Powerlift Pros don’t have an overly wide toe box (which is preferred by the vast majority of lifters and athletes). However, the multi-faceted (lacing and dual straps) fastening system does allow lifters a bit more control over shoe tightness than most others, to include adding the ability to (slightly) loosen up the toe box.
Nordic Lifting Megin
⭐️ Verdict: Contender
The Nordic Lifting Megin shoes are some of the most popular, and affordable, squat shoes on the market. They are arguably Nordic Lifting’s most popular product.
The Nordic Lifting shoes boast one of the largest, and possibly the most exaggerated, heel drops of any pair of squat shoes out there. At 35 millimeters, they definitely provide sufficient leverage for those with limited mobility.
Although they are affordable shoes, the Nordic Lifters feel slightly like inexpensive shoes. Despite this, they should not be discounted, especially for new lifters.
Pros
Training shoe-like feel is ideal for newer squatters/lifters
Largest heel drop of any shoes listed
Very affordable
Cons
Materials feels slightly cheap
The Nordic Lifting Megins (more colloquially referred to simply as “Nordic Lifting Shoes”) are many people’s first foray into dedicated Olympic lifting shoes or squatting shoes. Their affordable price point makes them ideally suited for newer lifters or those who want to emphasize their “bang for their buck”.
The Nordic Lifting shoes actually have a very aggressive heel drop coming out to around 35 millimeters. This opens them up for another subset of lifters who want as much of heel angle when they’re squatting as possible. This extreme angle contributes to the shoes possessing only average levels of overall stability.
For those who prefer large, wide toe boxes, the Nordic Lifting shoes aren’t the best squat shoes to fulfill this wish as their toe box is slightly below average in overall width. However, if you’re a newer lifter and you haven’t established how wide you want/need your lifting shoes’ toe boxes to be, it’s definitely worth taking a chance on an inexpensive shoe that might feel perfect to you.
Adidas The Total
⭐️ Verdict: Contender
Adidas’ The Total shoes are the company’s second mid-range dedicated lifting shoes. Unlike the also popular Powerlift 5 shoes, they offer a completely flat, zero drop heel.
Like most of Adidas’ current line of footwear, The Total shoes are largely constructed of recycled materials. Despite the “cheaper” feel of these materials, this fact should please environmentally conscious lifters.
It isn’t hard to find The Total shoes at very competitive prices, although they may have the most cramped toe box of any of the shoes on our list of the best squat shoes.
Pros
Incredibly stable
Extreme feelings of “foot-to-ground connectedness”
Inexpensive
Cons
Not an option for “heeled lifters”
Aside from the reigning “best squat shoes”, Adidas’ The Total are the only zero-drop shoes on this list. Although they aren’t rated quite as highly as the Apex Powers, they actually are tied for second and are legit options for those select few who prefer to squat in non-heeled squat shoes.
The Total’s extremely hard and flat sole creates an excellent “foot-to-ground” connection. For those who prefer to “feel” the ground when they squat, this is a shoe that will do it for you. Also, despite being a low-top shoe (which means that there is no ankle coverage), The Total are very stable to squat in and there is little worry of rolling an ankle when attempting to create torque with the outsides of each foot.
If you’ve always worn and/or lifted in heeled shoes, going to a minimalist shoe is going to take a bit of adjusting, but this shouldn’t be considered a knock on The Total (or other minimalist lifting shoes). Also, The Total’s materials don’t really feel like the highest quality, although this is (somewhat) reflected in their more affordable price point.
What to Look for in Squat Shoes
There are a lot of factors that go into selecting the best products of any category or persuasion. However, there are certain measurables that we prioritize the most when developing countdowns like this one.
Let’s look more closely at what factored into our decision-making, and ultimately, our squat shoe rating process:
Stability
Unless you’re Johnny Bravo, you squat more than you bench…like, a lot more.
…and as nerve-racking as it is to be holding a loaded barbell a few inches above your body, it’s just as scary (if not more) holding a twice-as-heavy barbell on your back as you prepare to squat.
What’s even more nerve-racking (in the latter scenario, specifically)? Standing in shoes that don’t feel (or, even worse, that just aren’t) stable at all. Ideally, your squatting shoes are as stable as possible, but depending on your heel preferences, feelings of stability will likely feel a bit different.
For example, a completely flat-heeled, zero-drop shoe is more likely to allow for more of a “foot-to-ground” connection with some shoes, like the Apex Powers implementing certain design features to enhance overall grip. This ensures minimal sudden side lateral movement during each set.
In contrast, higher-heeled lifting shoes aren’t able to create as much of a feeling of “groundedness”, but with more shoe sole volume to play with, they are able to engineer a more robust (albeit artificial) lifting platform directly into the shoe.
Additionally, a shoe’s tightening/enclosing system will help to determine how stable the foot feels inside the shoe itself. More involved and robust systems generally allow for a more precise fit, limiting internal instability.
Toe Box
Toe box width…probably the biggest (ha!) area of contention for regular lifters who are serious about their lifting shoes.
To put things simply, this area refers to how wide the toe box is which, as you can imagine, directly correlates with how cramped the toes feel inside the shoe. For our purposes, we rate wider toe boxes more favorably since these are almost universally preferred by lifters.
Almost
Personally, I prefer a more compact toe box and don’t mind my toes spilling all over each other. However, I understand that I’m in the minority with this take. For most people, having a bit more space for the toes to move around is always going to be preferable…and a major area of consideration when purchasing, and assessing, a lifting shoe.
Price
Price is a factor in all of our gear assessments and we would be more surprised if it didn’t work its way into your personal assessment process.
When we rate shoes, we try to provide more objective scores, shying away from stating which ones are more of “value” buys. At the same time, shoes constructed and marketed differently (ex. Olympic weightlifting shoes, “functional training” shoes, inserts) that made our list are compared to other shoes in their specific classes.
With that being said, it isn’t easy, but it also isn’t all that hard to find squat shoes going for less than ~$60. With that being said, most of your more well-known “budget” squat shoes are going to run closer to $90.
In contrast, you’re more expensive options run into the low $200s, although, to be fair, most of these are actually marketed as higher end “Olympic weightlifting” shoes. Their higher price points are indicative of this.
If you stay within this range (which we know is decently large), you’re probably not getting a bad deal on your squat shoes, even if some shoes will present some subjectively better deals than others.
Customer Reviews
Despite having squatted in tens (hundreds?) of shoes over the last ~30-odd years, we’re always hunting for that perfect squat shoe. Of course, everyone goes through phases, but we can dream that the best squat shoe is out there…at least for us.
…and hopefully for you, as well. Even if we may not always agree on everything.
This lack of consensus is why we rely so heavily on customer reviews in our analyses. Despite our vast experience with different squat shoes, and our well-supported (heh) opinions of them, we know that other people may have opinions that are right in line with our own…or they may see things completely differently.
As such, we’re confident in our picks for the best squat shoes…
Shopping tips for Squat Shoes
When you’re purchasing your first pair of squat shoes, we advise looking a little bit deeper than what we have used to assess and measure each pair. Maybe you want a more multifunctional shoe…maybe you want a shoe you can “pump” fasten.
(Never thought we’d be writing that last part, but here we are!)
Let’s take a look at a few areas where you’re going to want to think a little bit deeper and a little bit harder before ultimately pulling the trigger…
Functionality
This tip seems obvious, but there is a lot more nuance involved with selecting squat shoes than you might imagine. Let’s think about some things here:
- Are you only looking to squat in your shoes or would you like to use them for a variety of lifts (ex. Olympic lifts) and in a variety of contexts (during a multi-movement CrossFit metcon)?
- If you want to use them for multiple lifts…are you open to deadlifting in a heeled shoe (if you go with a heeled option) or snatching in a flat shoe (if you go with a flat-soled option)?
- If you want to use them in a CrossFit workout, how are double-unders, toes-to-bars, and…ya know…running going to go down in a heavier, heeled shoe?
As you can imagine, a squat shoe that is perfectly functional for a heeled-deadlifting powerlifter is going to be much less functional as the only shoe that a CrossFit athlete owns!
Besides being adept and stable squat shoes, always consider other functional preferences and needs that you need your shoes to fulfil. The more of these there are, short of buying extra pairs of shoes for different activities, you’ll have less optionality (and will likely need to select shoes that aren’t engineered with only squatting in mind).
Heel drop
Another obvious one (we’ve mentioned it in every single shoe recap) that might deserve a bit more of an explanation.
When it comes to most fitness movements, a flat(-ish) shoe is pretty much universally preferred. I mean, do you really want to perform a jump shot in heeled shoe or run down the court in heavy shoes with uncompromisingly solid soles?
Probably not
However, when the topic of squatting comes up (as well as some of the movements mentioned in the previous section), additional considerations arise. Heeled shoes help to create “artificial” mobility, enabling lifters, particularly those who aren’t the most mobile, assume more anatomically advantageous positions.
…that translates to being able to squat better.
Now, wearing heeled squat shoes doesn’t automatically translate to “better” squatting. If you’re already pretty mobile, especially in the ankles, heeled squat shoes won’t have as much of an effect as they do for less mobile lifters. Also, if you primarily low-bar squat, you actually may find zero heel drop shoes to be preferable, giving the different structure of this style.
We can split hairs on exact heel drop (or lack thereof), but just remember that squat shoes essentially fall into two camps: heeled squat shoes and flat squat shoes. Most people are gonna want to squat in heels and this is reflected in our (effectively) 6-3, heel-flat split.
Materials
You probably don’t want to get too far into the woods with materials, especially when considering that there is a good degree of commonality in most squat shoe options.
Most of shoes are going to include some combination of synthetic materials as well as (or in addition to) and hard rubber sole. Depending on the overall purpose of the particular shoe, the upper materials may be comprised of some more synthetic plastic while others (most notably, non-dedicated squat shoes like the GORUCK Ballistic Trainers) include mesh material.
Still others, like the Adidas entries on our list (The Total and the Powerlift 5) are largely (and very obviously) comprised of recycled plastic material.
If you have some type of material allergy, you may want to look more closely into each shoe’s specific material composition, but otherwise, be prepared for a largely synthetic shoe.
Lacing
Of all of our squat shoe considerations, this is the one that is probably the least obvious. When it comes to shoe lacing, and the overall tightening/enclosing of squat shoes, there is quite a bit of variety.
Of course, you have basic lace-up shoes, however, it might be a bit surprising that these are among the least common iterations. Most dedicated squat shoes include at least one velcro strap to further fasten them while more niche shoes like the Reebok Legacy Lifters include that classic “Reebok Pump” to fine tune their sizing.
Regarding velcro straps, conventional logic would dictate that more are better, but this may not always be the case. If the straps are skinner and, as is oftentimes the case, less durable, they can be easier to tear. While two skinny straps generally tighten more effectively than one thick strap, I can tell you from experience that you’d always rather have a single, functioning thick strap than a two skinny straps…with one of the two being broken.
Before pulling the trigger on a pair of squat shoes, maybe do just a little bit more research on laces, straps, and “pumps” to determine if users have experienced any problems with theirs. This research will also reveal just how snug and form-fitting you can push your squat shoes.
How we Chose the “Best” Products
Who doesn’t like trying on shoes? We know we certainly do…squat shoes included.
We’ve tried out a lot of different squat shoes, sometimes with the specific intent to perform traditional barbell back squats, front squats, and other times with more general squat-related training in mind.
With that being said, we know that our personal experiences can only go so far. As such, we have supplemented these by reviewing a number of different squat shoes on the market in determining which are the best as well as the factors that should be used to determine the best.
If you want to know more about our processes, click here to find out a lot more about how we test and review products.
The Best Squat Shoes…
Even after everything you’ve read today, we assume you’re probably sitting in a pretty relaxed place at the moment.
Obviously, the gravity of the impact that a good pair of squat shoes can provide hasn’t quite kicked in just yet.
That’s cool and totally understandable, but we can assure you that when you finally get around to finding (and actually training in) the squat shoes that are the best for you, it’ll be a whole new (and much better) experience for you.
We got your juices flowing; it’s up to you to pick your pair up (and to…ya know…actually get squatting!)
🏆 Best Overall
95
Best Heeled
91
Best Heeled
84
Best Heeled
87
Best Inserts
90
