More and more people, especially young people are interested in powerlifting these days. Like with all the other similar sports like body-building, weightlifting, strongman training, CrossFit and others, if you want to take powerlifting seriously, you have to be properly equipped. That means you have to get the best powerlifting shoes available on the market.
Table of Contents
What Exactly is Powerlifting?
Powerlifting is a strength sport of three main lift exercises, and that is squat, deadlift and bench press. Each participant has three attempts at maximal weight for each of these exercises. By default, for all three, participants use a single barbell loaded with heavy-weight plates. Considering the weight of the plates, besides powerlifting shoes, participants must also use a weightlifting belt.
Powerlifting is considered to be one of the best sports for developing muscle strength, since it requires high force and low velocity movements.
It is the ultimate strength competition across more than 100 countries, with the International Powerlifting Federation as the head.
Powerlifting vs. Weightlifting – What’s the Difference?
Some people are confused about the difference between weightlifting and powerlifting. They either thing it’s the same thing or that it’s something completely different.
The answer is something in between, because both are primary forms of competition in strength sports. The main difference is that powerlifting, as I’ve mentioned earlier, uses three lift exercises (deadlift, squat and bench press) while weightlifting focuses on one lift, one movement of the barbell (loaded with weight plates) above the athlete’s head. If I wanted to go into more details, the one movement of weightlifting is composed of three smaller parts – snatch, the clean and jerk.
One thing that the both sports have in common, though is to lift as much weight as possible.
What to Look for When Buying Powerlifting Shoes?
With the basic explanation behind us, let’s dive into the most important requirements that you should check before purchasing the powerlifting shoes:
Built to Last
The best powerlifting shoes should be of long-lasting quality, even under immense stress, which occurs in powerlifting competition. This is usually backed up by the warranty of the shoes.
Better Lifting Posture
To improve your posture for powerlifting exercises (and weightlifting as well), the shoes should have higher heels than forefoot to improve your balance.
Good Stitching
The reinforced stitching should be one of the main requirements. Don’t forget that you will be undergoing heavy stress for your muscles and that includes legs and feet. You do not want your shoes to fall apart during deadlift.
Anti-slip Sole
The sole is yet another thing that you want to check when ordering the best powerlifting shoes. It should be made of a high quality rubber or other anti-slip quality material.
Other Things to Consider
The above mentioned requirements are a must, if you ask me. However, there are some other things you can consider when buying powerlifting shoes, such as breath-able front, removable insole, design and color options.
Best Powerlifting Shoes on the Market
With that being said, let’s jump onto our list of powerlifting shoes on the market.
1) Adidas Men’s Powerlift 3.1
First on our list are powerlifting shoes Powerlift 3.1 by Adidas, designed for men. I don’t think that Adidas needs some special introduction here. They have been on the market since 1924. Not much to add here.
Features
3.1’s heal is raised by 0.60” (1.5 cm), which is considered a great heel height for powerlifting and is pretty much a standard. The shoes are made of synthetic leather, while the sole is made of anti-slip rubber. Special extra-wide design allows the user to spread without feeling any pain. Great addition is a removable insole. They come in various colors and each shoe is multi-colored. Warranty is not specified for this particular shoes. Definitely one of the best powerlifting shoes on the market.
- Specially designed for powerlifting
- Great heel-height of 0.60 inches
- Great quality overall
- Excellent price
- Come in four different colors
- They tend to run small, check size guideline first!
Our rating: 
4.8 / 5
2) Nike Romaleos 3 XD Weightlifting Shoes
The 2nd sneakers that made it to our list of 7 best powerlifting shoes are Romaleos 3 XD weightlifting shoes by Nike. The company was founded in 1954 and is extremely well established to this day. Formerly known as Blue Ribbon Sports, over the years the Nike brand has made it to the top.
Features
The shoes are made of synthetic leather, honeycomb-patterned TPU plate and a durable rubber outsole. The heel is lifted and designed especially for weightlifting and powerlifting. The version 3 XD comes with one wide dynamic strap that wraps the mid-foot securely and comfortably. Thanks to the Nike’s flywire technology, the Romaleos 3 XD will feel very lightweight. According to the manufacturer, they are also excellent for flat feet. They come in 3 different colors. For warranty details, contact the support.
- Designed to last long
- Lightwweight feel thanks to the Flywire technology
- Great for flat feet
- Very comfortable
- A bit pricey
Our rating: 
4.7 / 5
3) Adidas Men’s Adipower Weightlift Shoes
Another powerlifting shoes by Adidas, this time I’ve taken a closer look at Adipower weightlift shoes.
Features
These shoes are made of PU-coated leather. The heel is raised by 0.78” (2 cm), which is +- pretty much a standard for power and weight lifting. The outsole is made of high-quality anti slip rubber. They do not have particularly wide toe box, so if you have wide feet, you’d be better off with a different model. The adjustable hook-and-loop strap allows for great feet stability and integrity. They come in three different colors. For warranty details, you have to contact support directly.
- They fit true to size
- Good option for narrow or slightly wide feet
- Near-perfect anti-slip outsole
- A bit pricey when compared to competition
Our rating: 
4.6 / 5
4) Nordic Lifting Powerlifting Shoes – Megin
The 4th on our list are powerlifting shoes by Nordic Lifting. The brand is on the market since 2013, but since then they have established their reputation quite well. They focus on weightlifting and powerlifting equipment and cross-training accessories.
Features
The heel is raised by 1.37 inches (3.5 cm) while on the toes it’s 0.47″ (1.19 cm). The shoes come with reinforced stitching, which will prevent them to fail apart during immense overload. The sole is made of a rigid and smooth anti-slip rubber material to allow you remain stable on any kind of floor type. They also come with sturdy Velcro strap. The manufacturer offers 1-year warranty. Also according to the manufacturer, the shoes are made to last a long time. They come in black and blue colors.
- Great for powerlifting and weightlifting alike
- Nice-looking design
- Reinforced stitching
- Affordable
- Great customer service
- Come with 1-year warranty
- The metatarsal strap seems to be made from cheaper materials
- 37 inches’ heel raise may be too much for someone
Our rating: 
4.5 / 5
5) Reebok Men’s Legacy Lifter Sneaker
The 5th shoes on our list of the best powerlifting shoes are Legacy Lifter Sneakers for men by Reebok. The brand has been on the market since 1958, which tells us pretty much everything about the brand.
Features
The shoes are made of 100% textile and synthetic leather. Legacy Lifter Sneakers have 3/4 inch (1.9 cm) heel lift and hey come with stability straps and lateral support straps. Specially designed with full-length, low-profile EVA midsole, which is made of anti-slip rubber. The forefoot flex grooves will let you walk naturally, even with the raised heel. They’re also designed a little wider. Warranty is not specified.
- They fit true to size
- Specially designed for powerlifting and weightlifting
- Great-looking design
- Double straps (stability and lateral support)
- Wide toe box might be uncomfortable for people with narrow feet
- Pricey, when compared to competition
Our rating: 4.5 / 5
6) Sabo Deadlift Shoes
One of the best powerlifting shoes, these sneakers designed by SABO sports deserve a spot on our list. SABO Sports is a Russian company that focuses on weightlifting equipment. They are mostly known because of the shoes they manufacture.
Features
Sabo deadlift shoes, as the name suggests, are especially made for deadlifting. They are made of synthetic leather and they also are the only shoes on our list that do not have a lifted heel. The newly non-marking outsole is made of high-quality material, especially designed for traction. They come with two lateral straps, allowing you to tighten them according to your preferences at the ankle and heel. The outsole is also designed with side-support, allowing you to spread without your feet rolling over. Warranty is not specified and they come in 4 different color combinations.
- Made solely for sumo and standard deadlift
- Great outsole side support for proper spread
- Strong reinforced side material
- Velcro straps could provide more retention
- Not ideal for squats if you have flat feet
- No lifted-heel – added as a con, so you will not miss it
Our rating: 4.5 / 5
7) Inov-8 Men’s Fastlift 335 Weight-Lifting Shoe
The last but not least shoes that made it to the list are powerlifting (and weightlifting) 335 shoes for men by Inov-8. The manufacturer Inov-8 has been on the market since 2001, and they make mainly shoes, clothing and accessories like socks, gloves and headwear. Overall, they are pretty established and quite popular.
Features
The shoes are made of synthetic leather, with anti-slip rubber feet. The heel lift is 0.65″ (1.65 cm), which is pretty standard. They are made of nylon rip-stop upper with lightweight, welded overlays (synthetic). To guarantee your foot will not move inside the shoe, adjustable hook-and-loop has been added for total lockdown. Collar and tongue are made of plush, so your feet will be comfy. Warranty is not specified and they come in two colors, black & thyme/black/orange.
- Wide design, fits true to size
- Made for powerlifting
- Great heel raise
- Tongue & collar made of plush for added comfort
- They can loosen up over time
- Expensive
- Not made for walking / running
Our rating: 
4.2 / 5
Conclusion
That, ladies and gentlemen, concludes our list of the 7 best powerlifting shoes on the market. As you can see, with just one exception (n. 5), all the shoes can be used for weightlifting as well. Make sure that you’ll check the correct size guidelines before ordering.
I hope that my list was useful to you and that you found your winner. 🙂