Zero Drop Running Shoes

New Balance’s minimus range of shoes have been a hot favorite among zero drop running shoes fans. They offer barefoot running with some level of cushioning so that it is not as bad an experience for those who are used to non minimalist running shoes. However, the tough choice is knowing which of these models are the best options. Of course, due to the different nature of a person’s feet, what is best for one person might not be the best for another. Also, the situations which these shoes are used also influence what is considered a best. For example. using the shoes for marathoon running vs cross training is totally different and requires different recommendations.

For this article, we are focusing on reviewing the best new balance minimus shoe for crossfit and other low impact cross training exercises. We are NOT recommending these for high intensity cross training exercises such as HIIT, insanity et al. If you want recommendations, check out my review on the best HIIT shoes.

Best New Balance minimalist shoe for women

The New Balance WROO shoe is the latest in their women minimus range. It cuts a bit narrower in the middle section while creating more room in the fore foot area. For people look for zero drop running shoes with wide toe box, this can be a good choice to look at.

Most people buy this as a running shoe but it can also function as a HIIT shoe or a cross fit shoe. The sole has a good grip that will be prevent ankle braking and it is light so the wearer wouldn’t feel any extra pressure wearing the shoes.

Best of all, it is made of breathable materials. In crossfit classes, your feet will tend to sweat a lot. If your shoes are not porous to allow air to flow freely, get ready for some stinky feet when you take them s off! With the New Balance WROO, you will not have this problem.

I have seen reviewers wearing these for their HIIT classes, bootcamp training courses etc and they are love it. Nothing beats these real reviews so I trust them enough to recommend this pair of shoes as one of the best new balance minimus shoe for crossfit.

Best New Balance minimalist shoe for men

For men, the MX20v4 is one of the best choice for a zero drop cross training shoe. Its design is already a big attraction as it looks absolutely stylish and comes in 10 color schemes that look equally cool.

Of course, looks are not everything when it comes to buying a pair of good zero drop cross training shoe. Fortunately,  the MX20v4 is a capable shoe. It is comfortable and light weight. So light that you probably can’t tell it is there.

Support wise, there is some cushioning but not as much as a normal running shoe.  The sole traction is also good for doing weight lifting, gym and other low impact cross training exercises. Similar to the women version, the material used is porous and will not let your feet feel hot or stuffy.

However, if you are thinking of use them for high impact cross training, I would not suggest it. There isn’t enough lateral support within the shoe to make sure you will not sprain your ankles. This is clearly a good zero drop shoe meant for low impact cross training exercises.

Conclusion

To conclude, zero drop cross training shoes by New Balance have great designs and can do the job they are suppose to do. They will never be good choices if you engage in high impact cross training workouts such as HIIT. However, for regular gym training or weight lifting, these will do fine. They are light, comfortable and have wide toe box for wide feet people.