The best shoes for walking are those which fit your feet well, provide the necessary comfort and stability to the heel and ankle while striding, and also keep the feet dry and odor-free all day long. You have probably all experienced the discomfort and sometimes pure misery of wearing shoes which don’t fit or are uncomfortable, and also the soreness and pain in the feet after that. The point is to find the best walking shoes – a pair which feels like natural extensions to your feet, so you don’t need to think about your feet while walking and doing whatever else you are doing.
Best walking shoes at a glance
In general the best walking shoes are the ones which you feel like you never want to take off, and which make you feel happy, comfortable and relaxed when walking and wearing them.
Our picks of best walking shoes for women
Brooks Women’s Addiction Walker
The Brooks Addiction Walker offer the feeling of a running shoe while being a casual everyday walking shoe. These Brooks walking shoes are truly addictive as their name suggests. They are the perfect shoes for women who have problematic feet, heels and ankles. Their special design and shape gives comfort to people who spend all day long standing, as well as to those who walk a lot.
These Walkers support feet with lower arches during long walks, and their special MoGo midsole cushioning not only provides comfort to the feet at all times, but helps relieve fatigue and returns the energy back to the feet mile after mile, and hour after hour. The upper part of these Walkers is made from high quality leather which makes them durable, reliable and good looking. The Brooks Addiction walkers are also fitted with an outsole which is sturdy and slip-resistant. As with its other running shoes, Brooks is aspiring to make people live more active and healthy lifestyles and these Addictive Walkers definitely will make ladies want to spend more time walking outside.
Skechers Women’s Go Walk 4 Super Sock
Skechers Go Walk 4 Super Sock are truly super shoes for walking. They are perfectly comfortable, slip-on shoes which you can wear all day and every day. The textile slip-on shoes from Sketchers have an eye-catching contrast trim, and a pull tab on the back heels. Their midsoles are impact-absorbing which allows for reducing the shock or the fatigue in the feet from walking. The energy stability mesh with which they are fitted adds to the comfortable fit of these sock walking shoes. These Go Walk 4 walking shoes also have antimicrobial lining to keep the feet fresh, dry and odor-free even after a long day at work or walking.
The unique design of these casual walking shoes will surely draw the attention of the modern and active girls and ladies, and the best part is that they are so easy to slip on and off – that you are bound to love them! They are great for ladies with any foot type – even the narrowest and the widest feet will feel great in these walking shoes from Sketchers.
Clarks Women’s Clarks Wave Trek Lace-Up Fashion Sneaker
Clarks Women’s Wave Trek Lace-Up Fashion Sneaker is one of the leading choices for for women, because of the combination of great style, comfort and the innovative curved rocker sole which reduces the fatigue, makes walking easier and much more fun. These Wave Trek walking shoes from Clarks are made of high quality leather and are absolutely waterproof which makes them suitable for wearing in any season of the year. Their WAVEWALKTM technology for walking, the OrthoLite footbeds for added comfort while walking, as well as the curved sole, which helps absorb shock and enhances the walking are all combined in one truly great pair of walking shoes for women. Even more, the footbed is removable, which allows for adding custom-made orthotics in the shoes for people with foot problems.
These shoes may need some breaking-in time initially, but once this is done, you will never want to take them off your feet!
Our picks of best walking shoes for men
Brooks Men’s Addiction Walker
Brooks Addiction Walker Shoes have a manmade sole and a full-grain leather upper. They are fitted with the MoGo midsole cushioning which Brooks claims returns the energy to the feet when walking.
The Addiction Walkers offer comfortable support for feet with lower arches. They offer stability, comfort and decrease fatigue while enhancing the walking experience in men, because of their excellent design, materials and features they have. Their outsoles are durable and slip-resistant, so the shoes can be worn in any weather and on all kinds of surfaces. They have a motion control gear and are recognized by many as one of the best walking shoes currently at the market. They are suitable for men who for some reason or another experience foot pain after walking or performing other activities standing on your feet. These shoes will put an end to that misery, and will inspire people to walk more and be more active.
Saucony Men’s Grid Omni
Saucony Grid Omni Shoes are another excellent example of great walking shoes for men. Made of leather and synthetic uppers and a rubber sole, these shoes have a patented Walk trac outsole which is especially designed for a smoother and softer heel to toe transition while walking. This inevitably improves the walking experience and relieves the fatigue in the feet after a long walk or a long day at work.
The Omni from Saucony are fitted with a unique molded midsole which has a higher durometer which slows the pronation rate while walking or standing. A stable and durable pair of shoes for walking and running, the Grid Omni are in fact a perfect combination of stability, comfort and support, resulting from the design and the added mid-foot support bridge, forefoot rebound compound and their rear-foot grid system. The Grid system is an innovative system in the sole for providing stability for the heel and foot – a result from an in-depth research and study or biomechanics in the feet and bodies of athletes while walking, running and performing.
New Balance Men’s MW928v3
Also worth mentioning are the New Balance MW928 Shoes which have a better and improved Stabilizing rollbar technology than previous models, and offers an even more responsive result for the feet when walking. They are made from high quality leather, a rubber soul, and with a seamless phantom lining with odor-resistant features. For extra support and comfort, the MW928 model have ABZORB midfoot cushioning, which makes them very suitable for men with walking issues or foot problems, such as wide feet, overpronation, and others. Since they are rather tight, they do need a certain break-in period in order to get accommodated to the feet. Nevertheless once they break in they will become an insuperable part of your training or if you prefer – your everyday clothing.
The excellent quality and reputation of New Balance as a leading US athletic shoe maker makes the MW928v3 model worth some serious attention when looking for suitable walking shoes.
ASICS Men’s GEL-Tech Walker Neo 4
Another prime example of a top walking shoes for men is the ASICS GEL-Tech Walker Neo 4 Shoe. This model from ASICS combines the soft and cushioned feel along with the stability it gives to the feet and body while walking or working. The special dual-density DuoMax midsole system improves the stability and support. The GEL cushioning in the back and the front allow for better shock-absorption and reduction of fatigue thus enhancing the walking experience. The added Personal Heel Fit which these Gel-foundation Workplace shoes feature consists of two layers of memory foam which quickly adjust to the specific form of the foot.
The synthetic and mesh upper, and the rubber soles and outsoles make them very easy to wash, and yet the high quality materials will ensure that they endure through lots of miles and days of walking.
The characteristics of the best walking shoes
The main features to keep in mind when looking for the perfect pair, include: offering a good fit, having a supportive heel and a flexible sole, plus being light and breathable.
If you find a pair which combines all of these features, you can be sure that you have found the perfect everyday shoes for yourself.
Buy shoes which have at least half an inch of space between the toes and the shoe. A great tip is to try on new shoes after some intensive walking, when your legs are swollen and tired. Always try on both shoes and make sure you are wearing the type of socks you are planning to wear when you will be using these walking shoes.
To make your life easier, we have gone through countless numbers of different possibilities, and have picked our top four best walking shoes for women and top four walking shoes for men for 2019.
The optimal case is to find the shoes which have the perfect combination of all these characteristics and to ensure that you stay comfortable all day long.