Finding a gym shoe that suits every workout style is tough. Some trainers will offer incredible bounce and flexibility – ideal if you need to be agile and move fast – while others will ground you and provide unbeatable grip, which you’ll need if you’re lifting heavy weights and pushing equipment such as sleds around. Ideally, your gym shoe will work as hard as possible to hit every requirement but the fact of the matter is some are better suited to certain exercises than others.

If you’re seeking the perfect pair of trainers for workouts, it’s worth considering which types of exercise you tend to do the most and how you’ll be using the shoes. If you’re not much of a weightlifter, a lightweight shoe with plenty of bounce will probably be worth the investment.

“A responsive shoe that gives that slight ‘bounce’ with each step reduces the impact on knees and ankles during treadmill runs,” explains professional running athlete and Olympian Viktoriya Tkachuk. “With the right blend of flexibility and support, you can move through exercises such as lateral bounds and box jumps, without feeling off-balance.”

However, if your preferred workout features weighted squats and Olympic lifts, you’ll want a sturdy sole and enough room in the toe box to splay your toes for balance, making your ideal shoe very different to a springy, streamlined trainer.

“Feeling ‘rooted’ to the ground means you can generate more force with heavier loads,” says personal trainer Edwina Jenner. “A virtually flat-bottomed shoe allows you to feel greater contact with the ground when doing heavy lifts or squats.”

Design varies across the best gym shoes but you’ll find plenty of incredibly functional styles that look great, too. Below, I’ve rounded up my pick of the best women’s gym trainers for every style of fitness. Read on to find your perfect match.

How I tested

Gym trainers should meet a basic set of criteria before any other technical bells and whistles come into play. They should be comfortable and breathable, allow your toes to splay naturally and support your ankles well, by cradling the heel. When testing the best gym shoes, I also looked at whether they were true to size or needed sizing up or down for a better fit. I assessed the flexibility of the upper, the springiness or sturdiness of the sole and the toe-to-heel drop. Of course, I considered the design, too, judging the materials for look and feel, sustainability credentials and rating the colourways and branding. Here are the ones that impressed me the most.

The best women’s gym trainers for 2025 are: