The Nike Metcon is an incredibly successful training franchise: go to any gym and you'll find people wearing a pair of Metcon.

Although people seem to wear them as an everyday gym shoe, it is meant for HIIT and Crossfit athletes: their design is very intentional towards some of the activities (for example rope climbing) that are typical of a Crossfit workout and not so much for a normal gym setting.

At $150 is an expensive shoe and so we are wondering... is it worth it to upgrade to the Metcon 9, or should you keep your Metcons 8 for a little longer? (Or try and find a pair on sale?)

Keep reading to find out!

The Metcon 9 comes with a completely redesigned sole unit compared to version 8.

Both shoes feature a blown rubber outsole (for grip in indoor situations) with side panels that wrap around the midfoot to help with rope climbs. Although the geometry is slightly different, the soles have a similar shape.

One big change is in the material: React foam all over for the Metcon 8 and a dual density foam for the Metcon 9. The foam in the Metcon 9 is harder on the inside – for intrinsic stability – and softer on the outside, for comfort.

In reality neither shoe is really meant for running anything longer than a couple of miles, so you won’t find a lot of difference in daily usage.

A common factor in the latest Metcons is the “hyperlift” in the heel: a piece of hard plastic that is supposed to give you more stability and rigidity for hard lifts such as deadlifts and squats – but that will annoy you if you try and run in them. It’s really hard and unforgiving.

The hyperlift in the Metcon 9 is larger than the one in the 8.

The upper has changed, but in our opinion not for the best.

The fit of the Nike Metcon 9 is wider, especially in the toebox. This is meant to allow your toes to splay and grip the floor more securely while lifting.

In our testing, we found that the wider toebox instead meant our feet didn’t feel as securely locked inside the shoe and kept moving left and right.

Another change we didn’t like was the heel counter: in the 9th version comes up much higher and rubs the ankles.

Overall the two shoes are really similar, although there are quite a few changes for a shoe that at first sight looks virtually unchanged.

We preferred the Nike Metcon 8 to the 9. The upper fit was more comfortable and secure, the hyperlift was a more forgiving size and overall we don’t think the changes introduced made the Metcon a better shoe.

Last words from us: these shoes are both meant with the (competitive) Crossfitter in mind. They are good for weight lifting, but don’t translate well into other activities such as dance classes and running.