Giselle Castro-Sloboda/CNET

Nobull Black Ivy Trainer

Best versatile weightlifting shoe

$130 at Nobull

Nobull launched in 2014 and has since made a name for itself in the weightlifting community. The majority of Nobull’s shoes are intended for lifting or training, and they even have lifting pairs with raised heels and running shoes. I resorted to testing the Black Ivy Trainer, which is designed to be used for weightlifting and cross-training. 

The shoe is stylish, true to size and has a snug fit in the toe box, but didn’t feel as tight as some of the other shoes I tested. The rubber sole design has a 4-millimeter heel-to-toe drop, which makes it flat all around. The upper was my favorite aspect of the shoe design. It’s made up of a SuperFabric that claims to be extremely durable, breathable and abrasion resistant. You can tell that the shoe was made to be able to handle tough workouts and won’t fall apart after a few uses. There are also SuperFabric guard plates that are placed on a flexible mesh base layer that look like small dots surrounding the shoe and are intended to create a shield for rope climbs or other exercises that require an exterior grip as part of your workouts. 

I tested these during both upper-body and lower-body workouts, and my ankles and arches felt extra secure during my lifts. I felt grounded and steady during deadlifts and squats, and the shoe is flexible enough to work for single leg exercises or plyometrics. I’d recommend these to Converse wearers who are looking to change up their shoes for a similar yet more versatile design.

Pros:

• Stylish
• Durably made
• Versatile for weightlifting and cross-training

Cons:

• Expensive
• Doesn’t have raised heel 
• Wide feet may find the toe box snug