I've tried them all.

Nike. Under Armor. Adidas. Reebok. Saucony. New Balance.

Being a former professional athlete means I care way too much about my shoes. But, not all shoes are created equal. Think about it like a nice car. Other cars will get you from point A to point B, but certain cars will get you there more comfortably, faster or even in better style.

Here are 3 of the best training shoes:

1. Nike Metcon 5

Each one of Nike's Metcon iterations improves on the shoe's previous design. Not all shoes do this, by the way. Many next-gen shoes are just tweaked in appearance for an annual cash grab! The Metcon 5's are the best Metcon yet.

Crossfit champ Mat Fraser has his own version of this shoe. It looks sharp on top of top-notch performance. But that's not necessarily the reason you want this shoe. You want it because of its versatility. Run in this shoe, perform Olympic lifts in this shoe, and even climb a rope in this shoe. I wouldn't take these out for a long run, but a mile would be completely reasonable.

I've seen reviews online complaining about the slightly elevated heel. The partial elevation is not a design flaw, it's done on purpose to aid Olympic lifting. I see it as a positive, especially if you don't want to have to stuff a pair of lifting shoes in your bag on the way to the gym.

They are marketed at Crossfit people, so versatility is key. If you are a lifter some days and a cross-trainer on others, then you've found your shoe.

PRICE: $130 | Buy it HERE

2. Nike Men's Zoom Pegasus Turbo 2

I never understood why people ran until I wore these.

Running was always so difficult on my knees and feet. It felt awful. Running in the Pegasus Turbo 2's changed that forever. It turns out that the right shoes make you feel like you are running on clouds and makes running... gulp... enjoyable?

I recommend these for ALL people. If you run, buy these. If you walk, buy these. If you have bad knees, buy these. These save your low leg injuries in your feet, ankles, and knees.

I'll be honest. Not only are these stylish, they perform so well they feel like you are cheating your 5k. Well, maybe you are! The Zoom Pegasus Turbo 2's cousin is in the process of getting banned.

PRICE: $180 | Buy it HERE

3. Spartan by craft rd pro beast OCR

Spartans rejoice! Craft has put out some legitimate spartan shoes that can rival Reebok's former shoe for Spartan.

I'm as bummed as the next guy that Reebok isn't making exclusive spartan shoes anymore. Nike has NOTHING even close to this shoe in their arsenal. They have their Wild Horse Canyon trail runners but they water log on the first puddle. That's a no-go for any spartan race, let alone those cold long beast races.

The best features are the heavy-duty drawstring to tighten your laces on the fly, and the water ventilation system to push water out, not hold water in.

Craft has the best new Spartan shoe out. There are some good shoes out, but these are the best.

PRICE: $140 | Buy it HERE

Once you dial in your gear, get the 6 natural supplements you aren't using