Here are recommendations for the best minimalist shoes for weightlifting. These provide great stability needed to reduce accidents when doing weightlifting:

1. Altra XT 1.5 (for men)
2. Invo-8 XF 210 (for men and women)
3. Evglow (for men)
4. Reebok Nano 9 (for women)

Guide to buying minimalist shoes for weightlifting

• Stability: A key criteria for any weightlifting shoe is stability. Unfortunately, many zero drop shoes are developed for runners so they have softer soles. For weightlifting, you will need soles that has more traction and greater stability.  You do not want shoes that ‘slip’ when you lifting that 12 tones of weight on your shoulder!
• Zero Drop: Most weightlifting shoes have around 6-10 mm drop from toe to heel to provide more heel cushioning. However, this might hid some of your body postures. By making sure the shoes have zero drop, you will better understand how to properly stand or squat to exert the least pressure on your feet. 
• Snug fit: Being used for weightlifting, you want shoes that are snug and doesn’t move too much from your feet. The good news is most zero drop shoes have such a design.

Altra XT 1.5 weightlifting shoes

The Altra XT 1.5 is a minimalist shoe that provides a lot more stability and lateral support when compared to other zero drop shoes. 

The downside is that you cannot use this shoe for any sort of running because the sole will feel too stiff. However, for any hard court or indoor exercises such as basketball, tennis etc, they will be great.

What I like:

• Stability: The altra XT is one of the most stable minimalist shoes that I have tried. This is because Its sole is stiffer than the usual zero drop shoes. Hence, it is stable in all directions as well as the necessary ground grip. The lateral support is also great.
  

• Roomy toe box: There is plenty of room at the toe box so it fits folks that need wide design.

• Snug fit: You do not feel loose when wearing them, which is important for weightlifting. Yet, it is not tight to the point of feeling uncomfortable to wear.

What can be improved

• Dull color: The all black color scheme reduces the attractiveness of the shoe. One trick to improve the look is to change the laces to something that is brighter like orange or red.

• Break in period: This school definitely needs a break in period as it will not be comfortable right out of the box. Specifically, the plastic mesh at the tongue area can rub your feet at the beginning and will continue until it has soften.

Inov-8 Bare XF 210 (for men and women)

The Inov-8 XF 210 is a shoe meant for cross training so it comes with all the necessary stability needed for lateral movements and overall stability.

While the sizing for this is for men, I saw many women ordering this for their lifting or cross training needs. The design can be used by both genders so you only need to make adjustments to the sizing.

What I liked:

• Stability: This shoe is great for weightlifting but still loses out to Altra XT 1.5 in overall stability due to the soles. The latter has stiff soles and is clearly made for solid ground traction. While the Inov-8 is pretty stable as well, the sole is more flexible to cater to the runners.

• Durable: This shoe can last more than the likes of Merrill, Metcon and Nano shoes.

• Stylish: The Inov-8 wins in the looks department. The camo like design looks cool and is actually a print pattern of kettle bells.

What can be improved:

• Wider design: The shape of the shoe is more like traditional sneakers. The width is not especially wide so folks with wide feet might not find this comfortable. The toe box is also not as roomy as, say, the Altra XT 1.5.

Evglow Men’s weight lifting Shoes (for men)

Evglow is a newcomer to the zero drop scene and this model meant for gym training is a suitable shoe for weight lifting as well.

The most attractive thing about this shoe is the price. Due to the fact, this brand does not do big advertising and such, it has kept its cost low. A pair of these will cost you around $30 while the bigger brands are likely to charge you double or even triple that price.

The good news is that the low price does not reduce the quality of the shoe i.e. it doesn’t fall apart after the first week of being worn.

What I like:

• Velcro system: You can easily get in and out of this shoe with the velcro system. Best of all, the velcro can also be used to tighten the shoe if it is a bit loose for you.

• Lightweight and comfortable

• Wide toe box: the shoe has wide design, like most other zero drop shoes

• Durable: The most worrying thing about a new brand with low pricing is the quality. Luckily, these shoes have proven to be as durable as others. You can easily get 9-15 months out of them if you are actively use them.

What can be improved:

• Narrow insole: While the toe box is wide, the insole is a bit narrow. Fortunately, the company has acknowledged this and will make that part adjustable in the next version.

Sizing wise, this shoe has true sizing so you just buy your normal shoe size.

Reebok Women’s Nano 9 (for women)

Reebok’s nano 9 is a great weight lifting shoe for women. The shoe can also be used for Hiit, aerobics and any other types of indoor cross training activities.

What I like:

• Grip: Excellent sole grim for that much needed stability.

• Wide feet design: Ladies with wide feet finally has a shoe that has a roomy toe box. The additional toe space means your toes have more room to play when lifting the weights. The wide base also makes squatting a lot more comfortable.

• Cushioning: Despite being a zero drop shoe, it still has some cushioning to make it comfortable to wear.

• Wide design choices: Reebok has over 20 different color combinations for you can surely find one that matches what your ideal shoe color is.

What can be improved:

• Sizing: The shoe runs big so you need to adjust downwards. However, it is not clear whether you should reduce by 1 or 2 sizes. If Reebok can make a more standard sizing chart, it will help consumers to get the right size.

Conclusion

Minimalist shoes can be great for weightlifting if you know the right model to get. We have picked some of the best options that are not only zero drop but also possess great stability and comfort.