Last Updated on July 5, 2023
This post is an open thread and contains affiliate links.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Read our full review of the men’s crosstrainers here.
For youth sports, there is a debate over whether or not kids should specialize in one sport or compete in multiple sports. The research here is a little complicated, but the evidence suggests that multisport athletes have better long-term success, are less likely to experience burnout, and are more likely to continue to emphasize fitness in adulthood.
Adulthood fitness may not draw the same attention as, say, high school or college sports, but studies also show that keeping fit in adulthood leads to better mental health, better physical health, and longer life. Exercise is good for you.
Just like being a multi-sport athlete can have benefits for kids, cross-training can have benefits for adults. Cross-training is an exercise regimen that emphasizes different kinds of exercises. Cross-training usually involves a combination of aerobic exercises (i.e. running, dancing), strength training (i.e. lifting), and flexibility exercises (i.e. yoga).
A varied routine requires varied equipment. Still, it’s helpful to have some equipment that can be flexible across multiple activities. Cross-training shoes are built to be a kind of all-purpose footwear, suitable for varied physical activities.
Aldi is no shoe store, but the grocer does sell a regular rotation of shoes, including tennis shoes. Occasionally the store also sells a cross-training shoe. Because Aldi is a store with European origins, it’s also worth noting that in the United Kingdom most people call sneakers or tennis shoes “trainers,” and that may be behind the name of this recent pair of footwear to hit Aldi stores.
What We Know:
Crane Crosstrainers (Product Code: 819352) are an Aldi Find. That means they’re only in stores for a limited time. Once they’re gone, they’re gone, and they won’t come back into stock until the store brings them back, which might not be until next year, if at all. If your local store doesn’t have any, you won’t be able to order them online.
According to Aldi, features include:
- Men’s Sizes 8-11
- Ladies’ Sizes 7-10
- Mesh breathable upper
- Memory foam insole for comfort
- Flexible outsole
- Available in Black or Gray
At the time of this post, these shoes are $16.99. If you’ve done any shoe shopping, you know that cross-trainers and other athletic shoes are a lot more expensive than that, even generic brands. So from a price perspective, these are cheap.
The problem is that, with shoes, you sometimes get what you pay for. Some of my Aldi shoes have lasted for years, while others have died on me after a few months. We’ve had brand name shoes die early, too, but our success rate with name-brand shoes is higher than with generic ones. Still, given that we’ve had some success with Aldi shoes — and given the low price tag — these are probably worth a look at least.
What We Don’t Know:
That all said, we haven’t yet tested these specific shoes, so we don’t know how good the fit is or how long they last. We’ve created this open thread for users to share their experiences.
Did you purchase these crosstrainers? Tell us what you think of them in the comments below.
