Having a home gym gives you the luxury of doing things that might be frowned upon in a traditional commercial gym—like lifting barefoot, for instance. While you may not be going fully barefoot, I highly recommend joining me in the barefoot shoe movement!
In this post, I’ll dive into three models from my favorite brand, Xero Shoes: the Forza Trainer, the NEW HFS II, and the Original HFS. I’ll also compare them to my experience lifting in Adidas Powerlift shoes.
After thorough testing, I’ve found my ultimate go-to lifting shoe is the …
… keep reading to find out!
Be sure to check out my YouTube review HERE to see each shoe in action!
Original HFS: A Barefoot Classic
The Original HFS is a true barefoot shoe. It’s designed for a “feel the ground” experience. This shoe is extremely flexible, lightweight, and allows natural foot movement, which makes for a great all-around shoe both in and out of the gym.
However, due to its minimalist design, it lacks support that many gym goers want in a shoe, particularly for heavy powerlifting movements. But for someone accustomed to barefoot shoes, this provides excellent ground to foot feedback and allows for a natural, yet stable foundation. I’ve used this shoe exclusively for the past few months for my heavy lifts, including for the Garage Gym Competition, and have noticed a significant improvement in my range of motion and proprioceptive awareness.
Unfortunately, the Original HFS is being discontinued but the new Zelen shoe by Xero has a very similar design
NEW HFS II: The “Upgraded” Version
The HFS II claims to be an improvement on the original HFS shoe, but this upgrade, in my opinion, completely changed some of the key elements I loved about the original HFS. My assumption is that this change was made to appeal to a broader audience beyond the barefoot purists by adding more stability to the heel and sole. Unfortunately, this has resulted in a noticeably thicker and stiffer sole, loss of more natural foot movement, and, surprisingly, more discomfort at the bottom of my foot, particularly the heels, due to this added stiffness. Additionally, the HFS II features a more grippy tread on the sole, which helps during dynamic outdoor activities like running or hiking, but is definitely noticeable under heavy loads while lifting. I prefer a completely flat sole that allows for consistent ground contact, and the tread on the HFS II detracts from that experience, though this might not bother everyone.
This is the final verdict, and my TOP CHOICE for a weightlifting shoe! The Forza Trainer is Xero’s shoe designed specifically for the gym. For me, this shoe strikes the perfect balance sturdy, and grippy sole ideal for heavy squats and deadlifts, but flexible to allow for dynamic gym movements. It feels like it contains the flex of the Original HFS with the stability of a traditional powerlifting shoe.
My only complaint is the excessively long Velcro power strap. When I tighten the strap, I am only able to connect a few millimeters of Velcro together, leaving the rest of the strap dangling. I’d consider my foot fairly average, but it’s as if the strap was designed for someone with an XL forefoot. This seems to be a recurring issue with any Xero shoe with a Velcro strap that other reviewers have commented on as well. For example, I also own the Xero Z-trail EV hiking sandals and have to fold the strap back to avoid it dragging on the ground. I have reached out to Xero shoe support and will provide an update if they respond!
Quick Look: Other Options
When I first began to seriously train in powerlifting, and before I discovered Xero shoes or barefoot shoes in general, I used the Adidas Powerlift 4 (now upgraded to the Powerlift 5). These are a budget friendly, traditional powerlifting shoe, and feature an elevated heel, reinforced midsole, and power strap, but a narrow toe box found in most shoes. While Adidas lifting shoes are great for some, particularly those with limited ankle mobility, I personally found that the narrow toe box and elevated heel limited my ability to fully engage my foot during my lifts, limited my range of motion, and dampened my proprioception.
As I began looking for a zero drop shoe, specifically for deadlifting, I nearly purchased the Adidas The Total Strength shoes that also feature a wide toe box and zero drop heel. Due to the high price point at the time, I began looking for alternative options which is when I discovered Xero shoes! However, this remain an excellent alternative option and can often be found on sale on Amazon.
I have also considered the TYR L-1 Lifters, designed with Squat University featuring an elevated heel, a true anatomical wide toe box, double power straps, and excellent stability under load. These would be my choice as a premier powerlifting shoe, but I will likely never own a pair due to the extremely high price tag.
They have also designed a “DropZero Barefoot Trainer” in collaboration with Squat U and is another excellent choice for a true barefoot all-around gym shoe, but also with an extremely high price tag.
Final Thoughts: Why the Forza Trainer is My Top Choice
After testing the Original HFS, the HFS II, and the Forza Trainer, as well as my experience lifting in traditional powerlifting shoes, my top pick for an all-around home gym lifting shoe is the Forza Trainer. It combines the flexibility of the original HFS sole, with the stability features of a powerlifting shoe providing excellent stability and overall foot function. I am absolutely thrilled to add these to my training. For both the casual gym goer, serious power lifter, and anyone in between looking for a versatile shoe that can transition between heavy weight training, dynamic movements, and a shoe that can also be worn outside the gym, the Forza Trainer is hard to beat.
Xero Shoes continues to innovate and grow by constantly adding new designs, colors, and shoes for a wide range of activities, but also have shoes simply for style and every day use, all while remaining true to their functional barefoot, zero drop, and wide toe box design. Keep an eye out as they are constantly dropping deals and typically have clearance options available throughout the year.
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Disclaimer: Listed products may contain sponsored links or affiliate codes. However, I always try to make recommendations for products I currently use, have used, or would use in my own garage gym. Links may include direct affiliate links, discount codes, or Amazon Associate links. As both an Amazon Associate and as an affiliate partner of other products, I earn a percentage from qualifying purchases.
Rebel Strong 
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