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TYR CXT-3 Gym Shoe Review: 3 Comparisons
Article by Matt Kolat
TYR CXT-3 ($160)
Introduction
TYR (pronounced TIER) is an American brand which originally specialised in swimming equipment, later making its name as a staple brand in crossfit and for a couple of years now breaking the mould into the running market. In 2025 they came out with a very interesting lightweight road trainer, the Maverick-V1 (RTR Review). The shoe I am reviewing today is the third version of the flagship gym and functional fitness shoes - the CX-3.
Stats
Drop - 9mm
Weight (US M11.5 / UK M10.5) - 406g/14.3oz
Platform width (heel, midfoot, forefoot in widest places): 92mm/71mm/117mm)
First Impression and Fit
I’m going to start with the fit. The CXT-3 runs long, very long. What I normally do when it comes to gym shoes is take my running shoe size and go half size smaller to have a closer fit for better stability and confidence that my foot won’t slide inside the shoe while I am lifting weights. In the case of CXT-3 I would strongly recommend considering sizing down a full size. The only other note I am going to make about the fit is that the midfoot is on the narrower end of the spectrum. If you often find yourself training in extra-wide footwear you might struggle with the CXT-3s.
The shoe makes a great first impression. It looks sturdy in the back and lightweight and breathable in the front. Makes you think that the hold will be secure and the stability of the heel area will be high.
When it comes to running shoes we normally see 2-3 colourways come out straight away with more colourways to come after the premiere of a new model. In the case of the TYR CXT-3 there is quite a selection to pick from day one, from very conservative setup to multicolour ones guaranteed to garner attention.
TYR have very kindly sent me the White/Grey/Black pair (together with an amazing pair of shorts, shirt and socks) but a small part of me wishes I got the Gold/Multi/Rainbow pair as it is quite unique - or at least I’ve never seen such a colourway before.
Some of you have probably worked out in one or both of the previous versions of the CXTs - I haven’t so will not be able to do a direct comparison. Worry not as TYR very kindly sent me the table below showing differences between the current and previous versions.
Things that I liked
Upper
The upper of the CXT-3 is a tale of two cities, between the sturdy and abrasion resistant back and the soft and flexible front. The most interesting part of the upper to me is the external heel counter which really locks your foot in place while under load. What is more the heel counter extends into mid-foot creating a stability wrap.
This is just my personal opinion but not only do these two elements work really well, it seems that perhaps they were inspired by stability running shoes where we very often see heel counters extending into the midfoot area. All in all this is a high quality, secure and abrasion resistance upper. Like all other parts of the CXT-3 it has been developed in mind with more advanced gym goers. What I mean here is that some of the comfort found in other shoes has been replaced by sturdiness, abrasion resistance, stability and performance orientation. Just like in the world of running shoes your race day shoe will never be as comfortable as a daily trainer - you can’t have it all.
Stability & Performance
I’ve been testing the CXT-3 for the past two plus weeks and I have to say I am very pleased with what it is. This is an advanced gym-goer shoe because it focuses on stability and performance. If you are a very occasional gym goer, you might want to try another shoe. Don’t get me wrong there is nothing wrong with the CXT-3 but it is an absolutely performance oriented shoe with very little cushioning.
The midsole is very firm but that is by design as it improves the stability of your foot under heavy load. If you are in the market for a shoe that will improve your squats but don’t want a dedicated olympic lifting shoe the CXT-3 is a great option, due to the 9mm drop elevating the heel and increasing your ankle flexibility to achieve full depth while squatting.
Outsole
As per usual with TYR footwear the outsole is excellent. It is quite a thick layer of rubber and therefore nicely contributes to the feeling of stability and groundness while under heavy weight. I have only worn the CXT-3s indoors however so cannot comment on the outdoor traction but I doubt this shoe will be worn much outdoors anyways as it is not ideal for running any considerable distance due to the very firm cushioning. The rubber used in the CXT-3s is the TRYTAC herringbone seen in previous models, covering the entirety of the midsole which should translate to high longevity of the shoe.
Things that I did not like
Fit
As I mentioned in the fit section the shoes run very long. At the risk of repeating myself I would suggest sizing down a full size compared to your running shoes. This is not a big issue per se but may frustrate a few who order their usual size only to find that the shoe is too big.
Upper firmness
This may sound like nonsense but the upper is actually excellent. Why did I not like it then? I would not say that I did not like it but there is a certain aspect of it which requires patience. Namely the area around the ankle is extremely sturdy and it took me a good couple of weeks to break it in so that it became comfortable. So if your initial impression is that the shoe feels stiff around the ankle - the good news is that this will break down with time.
Weight
While not a heavy shoe by any stretch of imagination, at nearly 14.5 oz in my size 11.5 US it is the heaviest (albeit by not much) of the trainers I have tested recently.
3 Comparisons
Inov8 F-lite Max (RTR Review)
The F-lite Max has been my favourite gym shoe for a long time. It combines a perfect wide-ish fit with an elevated heel. They are slightly lighter and have a softer more pliable upper which creates a little bit more comfort but may not last as long as the CXT-3s. All in all those are two very similar shoes but the biggest differentiators are - Inov8’s are slightly more friendly for wide footed folk while the CXT3’s are slightly firmer and more long lasting.
RAD R1
A full review of the RAD R1 is in the works and will come out soon. Compared to the TYR CXT-3 the R1 is at the opposite end of the spectrum of gym shoes. What I mean by that is that it is a very nimble, light weight and comfort focused trainer. At 10.9oz in my size 11.5 US it is one of the lightest fully cushioned gym trainers I have ever tested. The offset of that is that it is quite a soft shoe and therefore it will not perform as well under heavy load as the CXT-3. I would recommend R1 to occasional gym goers who are looking purely for comfort.
R,A,D. One V2 (RTR Review)
The RAD One V2 is possibly one of the most universal gym shoes on the market. It sits at a midway point between a comfort centric gym shoe (like the RAD R1) and a strictly performance orientated gym shoe (like the Inov8 F-lite Max or the TYR CXT-3). It is more comfortable than the CXT-3 as the cushioning is slightly softer and will be more universal for HIIT classes but not as efficient during heavy lifting sessions.
SHOP TYR
Tester Profile
Samples were provided at no charge for review purposes. No compensation was provided by brands for writing this article. RoadTrail Run does have affiliate partnerships and may earn commission on products purchased via shopping links in this article. These partnerships do not influence our editorial content. The opinions herein are entirely the authors'.
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