The Best Athletic Shoes for GovX Members
Everything from durable trail-trekkers to versatile cross trainers.
By Brent Hannify – May 27, 2022
How do you like to get your heart rate up? Running drills at the shooting range? Pushing plates at the gym? Whatever your preferred athletic activity is, we’ve got the footwear for it. We ran the numbers on the most popular picks from fitness-minded Americans, and here are the best athletic shoes in the GovX catalog.
OUR TOP PICKS
Best All-Around Athletic Shoes: Under Armour Charged Assert 9
Ideally designed for running, the Charged Assert 9s by Under Armour excel at a variety of athletic endeavors. Lightweight enough for jogging, yet substantial enough to serve as a reliable weight-training shoe, the Charged Assert 9s can run the gauntlet. We’re particularly big fans of the soft cushioning in the heel that’s especially good at absorbing impacts. It’s one of those things you’ve gotta feel for yourself. The lightweight mesh breathes well and when combined with leather overlay, the Charged Assert 9s offer durable stability. Airy and tough at the same time. What a combo.
Best Running Shoes: Saucony Ride 14 Running Shoes
Saucony is in the business of listening to their customers, those stalwart milers and marathoners who know exactly how their feet hit the pavement. How every stride feels, how every corner of their foot reacts to the mileage. Now in its 14th iteration, the Saucony Ride shoes are the result of careful attention to customer feedback. Runners wanted a sleeker, lighter, more breathable shoe than ever before, so Saucony delivered on the demand. Enjoy the comfort and cushioning that’s made the Saucony Ride an excellent shoe for years, now in a tougher, more responsive design.
Best Trail Running Shoes: Altra Olympus 4 Shoes
If you’re looking for a trail running shoe, a Vibram outsole is an absolute must-have. Consider it a dealbreaker if it doesn’t have one. After all, you’re embarking on tricky terrain, and inadequate traction at trail-running speeds could lead to injuries. The Altra Olympus 4 features a sticky, megagrip Vibram outsole that performs in both wet and dry conditions. It’s an all-weather, all-season trail running shoe with an InnerFlex midsole for flexible, responsive performance. An added bonus? The Olympus 4 includes a useful GaiterTrap system for adding any standard gaiter to keep rocks, mud, and debris out of your shoe.
Best Weightlifting Shoes: Hylete Circuit II Cross-Training Shoe
We did a full review of this three-in-one bad boy earlier this year. The HYLETE Circuit II includes three insoles of differing heights, so you can swap them out for specific workouts. There is a zero-lift insole with a 0mm drop, a mid-range 4mm drop insole, and a high-impact 6mm drop insole. Inserting the zero-lift insole into the Circuit II turns this shoe into the best weightlifting shoe in the GovX catalog. Trained weightlifters know that having your feet as flat on the ground as possible lets you connect with the movement more than if you were wearing a more cushioned shoe. This kind of footwear is essential for deadlifts, cleans, and more. Infused with the same amount of talent HYLETE put into their athletic apparel, the Circuit II Cross Trainers are built for pushing plates.
Best Hiking Shoes: Salewa Mountain Trainer Lite Gore Tex Shoes
For absolutely dominating the trail, you can’t go wrong with shoes from SALEWA. Their flagship Mountain Trainer Lite is a nimble and responsive hiking shoe, weatherproofed with a breathable Gore-Tex membrane for 3-season comfort and performance. The shoe includes a shock-absorbing EVA midsole for long-lasting rebound, and a flexible ankle cuff and rubber toe cap for bonus defense on the trail. The durable Pomoca MTN outsole gives plenty of reliable grip, even in muddy, slippery terrain. We’re also huge fans of the climbing lacing system, which allows you to fine tune your laces to your personal preference.
Best Tactical Sneaker: Altama Maritime OTB Assault Low Boots
One of the bestselling shoes in all of GovX history, these amphibious assault boots are styled after the Converse sneakers that curiously found a following among Special Forces operators, especially those doing water insertions. Running low to the ground lets you move fast even over wet asphalt and sandy shoes, and the drainage ports on the left and right sides of the shows releases water from your shoe. It’s a land-and-sea tactical sneaker that’ll make you rethink your on-duty footwear.
Best Tactical Trainer: Viktos Mens PTXF Core 2 Shoes
Speaking of tactical shoes, if you’re looking for a run-and-gun shoe for honing your operational skills, the VIKTOS PTXF Core 2 Shoes are a seriously great choice. Combining the skills of a weight-training shoe with durable tactical footwear, it’s no wonder you find VIKTOS footwear worn by competitors at the Tactical Games. The engineered mesh upper breathes especially well during hot weather, and the wide bottom gives you the kind of stable shooting stance you need for landing shots on target.
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