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A Reader Question:
Would you please do a post on best/favorite walking shoes sometime?
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The Definitive Guide to the Quiet World of Salt Water New England. Photo by Muffy Aldrich
Muffy Aldrich
Editor, The Thing Before Preppy - The Definitive Guide to the Quiet World of Salt Water New England. Co-founder, Short Sims. From a 12th Generation New Englander. Since 2010.
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I have walked hundreds of miles in predecessor versions of Salomon's X Ultra 4 (low - they sell a mid-height shoe too). Great support and traction for a low shoe, so long as you can tolerate the kevlar speed lacing. If you favor a more traditional all-leather walking shoe, consider Limmer Boot's Oxford or Walker.
ReplyDeleteNew Balance postal walkers.
ReplyDeleteIt is very much dependent on the walk. For walking on roads and sidewalks I like my inexpensive Adidas Galaxy 5s. For walking on unpaved paths I want the support of hiking boots.
ReplyDeleteAdidas Galaxy 5s are fine, but they're running shoes, not walking shoes. I can assure you that you'd be far more comfortable walking in shoes intended for walking.
DeleteI mix running and walking. My 72 year old knees hate running downhill but are fine running uphill. On the walking parts they are extremely comfortable. I have tried walking shoes. I think the Adidas are not typical running shoes, certainly not like the Asics or Brooks running shoes I used to wear for real running. The Adidas are super cushy.
DeleteMy best friend is a sports medicine orthopedic surgeon and former runner now doing intense walking. He has advised for years to select a good running shoe with pronation suitable for each walker's stride, best to be evaluated by a qualified running shoe specialist. He finds most shoes designated by their makers as walking shoes to be less suited to pavement walking than a properly fitted running shoe. It is more important to match the shoe's characteristics and support level to the walker's or runner's stride, than it is to select from marketing categories of walking shoes versus running shoes.
DeleteMy feet, which have neither pronation nor supination issues, agree! My knees disagree with everything.
DeleteTwo orthopedic doctors have convinced me to wear Brooks Addiction when walking because I have flat feet. I spend a lot of money buying ugly shoes year after year, but I swear by them. (Tried to skip them for several weeks and I ended up in ER because of the pain.) Find a shoe store that hires runners as sales reps and will let you run down the sidewalk while a staffer watches how your foot behaves when it hits the pavement.
DeleteA physician recommended KYBUN (mostly online) to me.
DeleteThey are the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn.
I don't hike, so I can't speak to that, but they are wonderful for walking.
Readers have mentioned factors such as pronation.
A careful evaluation by a trained orthotist and prescribed custom orthotics cast in subtalar neutral are a genuine biomechanical device. They are often covered by insurance. They can be used to make just about any shoe a comfortable, supportive walking shoe.
Readers comment on factors like
With chinos my Allen Edmonds Thousand Oaks or Wilberts.
ReplyDeleteWith shorts NB 990s
In Winter Allen Edmonds Long Branch’s or Rancourt Harrison boots.
David J Cooper
Allen Edmonds all the way! Thanks so very much!
ReplyDeleteHanwag Banks low, multiseasonal shoe for hikes, dog walking and messy weather. For every day casual, Skechers Go Walk.
ReplyDeleteI really like my Merrell’s for walking trails. I like New Balance for jogging. Ladies, for wandering around town or even a city in summer I highly recommend Saltwater sandals. I have walked NYC, Boston, and London in my Saltwaters with zero foot issues or pain.
ReplyDeleteI view walking as quite different from hiking, even day hikes where I rely upon reputable hiking boots from Merrell or Eddie Bauer. For walking, Rockport World Tour are a true classic for travel walking, while the Eastland Camp Moc Chukka Boot surprisingly handles mixed surfaces quite well.
ReplyDeleteYou can comfortably hike three seasons all day long in Russell Moccasin PH Safari boots.
ReplyDeleteRussell also sells an aptly named “Convention Walker” chukka boot. It’s very comfortable.
About half of Appalachian Trail through-hikers wear Altra hiking boots. They dry very quickly.
NB 993, only in grey, made in USA, for m/w/kids, still available if one knows where to look.
ReplyDeleteFor city running/walking, Saucony Ride ISO2 are the most comfortable shoes I've every owned.
ReplyDeleteIf you prefer lower drop and wider toe box, I would highly recommend the Altra Lone Peak or Altra TIMP. These models are favorites with hikers along the Pacific Crest Trail.
ReplyDeleteIf you prefer something more grippy soles and decent ankle articulation for all season trails, Brooks Cascadia is a solid choice.
If you want something that can double as a running shoe, the Mizuno Wave Rider is a popular choice for neutral support.
If you require something more robust with maximum cushioning, check out the Hoka One One brand.
During the summer months, I prefer the Altras whenever I'm in the White Mountains.
I like the Danner 2650 for city or trail walking. Comfortable and rugged enough to transition from the city streets to light hiking.
ReplyDeleteSince having three foot surgeries over a decade ago; I wear nothing but Keen footwear. They are a little pricey $120, but last 2-3 years w/ everyday use. They are great for walking the dog, gardening, shopping, etc. For hiking I prefer Lowa's. They aren't inexpensive ($240), but they support my weak ankles that like to turn after walking a few miles.
ReplyDeleteRussell Moccasin Premier Chukka or any Alden dress or walking shoe.
ReplyDeleteI would suggest finding a store with well-trained staff to help determined to find the right fit. I have stupid feet -- long, narrow and flat -- that rarely fit well. However, the folks at Karavel Shoes in Austin, TX can usually figure it out. They examine your foot, look at your stride, and experiment with widths and orthotics until they find the right combination. I have creaky knees that appreciate their expertise and diligence.
ReplyDeleteMephisto walking shoes are great but expensive and not made in US. New Balance has great walking and running shoes made in US. ECCO has great walking sandals for hot summer months.
ReplyDeleteI've done lightly loaded (water bottle + DSLR camera) day hikes on a great many trails in the Phoenix area — yes, in summer too — and prefer Teva sandals with no socks, just bare feet inside.
ReplyDeleteI keep the sandal straps loose enough that when gravel and gritty bits get inside, I can stop and shake my foot to remove them.
Piestewa Peak, Wind Cave, the Santans, Peralta Trail, the Whitetanks, North Mountain, South Mountain — great hiking there.
Around town, I love my Dubarry Auckland Loafers, which combines comfy modern sneaker technology with deck shoe aesthetics. In jeans, my New Balance 995 keep the feet warm and well cushioned. Another really comfy pair of trainers is my pair of On, a Swiss brand. On the hiking trail, my pair of Meindl hiking shoes.
ReplyDeleteBrooks Adrenaline for me.
ReplyDeleteGreat shoes. My wife's orthopedist steered her into a pair.
DeleteHoggs of Fife Roxburgh Veldtschoen shoes.
ReplyDeleteAs a hunter: For general purpose walking, Russell Traveling Sportsman. In the field, Russell Back Forty Bird Shooters. In the mountains, Lowa. In the winter and in wet conditions, Schnee.
ReplyDeleteNew Balance 990 version 2. I bought it when it first came out in 1998 and it lasted me 14 years until the rear midsole disintegrated into a fine powder! It was the most comfortable, durable, most practical shoe I've owned. It was very stable, offered an excellent road feel of the ground with the right amount of cushioning without the feeling like you're walking on soft pillows. (It was American Podiatric Medical Association approved.) Currently, I wear New Balance 998 in grey suede, and it's comfortable but not as durable. Currently, there are zero New Balance shoes that have the American Podiatric Medical Association seal of approval, which means the standard of overall quality such as comfort and durability suffers. On another note, my 998s take me from work to running a half marathon while outrunning those wearing the latest Adidas and Nike!
ReplyDelete