Walking shoes, what's comfortable in reliable nowadays?

[JimPghPA]

HushPuppies Guss use to be a very comfortable shoe. Key words being "used to be". Someone decided to make them cheaper and lost the whole quality of the shoe.

Things change with time. I get it.

The walking shoe thread , we have here on bob is the oil guy it's becoming outdated, and it's also closed.

Having a left foot and ankle that has problems from a childhood accident, a comfortable light-weight every-day-use shoe is a huge thing for me.

So, what shoe(s) do you find to be outstanding in comfort for every-day-use nowdays.

Please stay within forum rules, so this thread stays active long enough to benefit members.

 

[I<3oil]

If wide size, Brooks.

If normal width, Hoka.

 

[gman2304]

My Hoka shoes are the most comfortable walking/running shoes I’ve ever worn. My Skechers are quite good as well.

 

[JeffKeryk]

Anybody mention Hoka?

 

[GaryMX5]

I like Skechers as well. Found them to be very comfy. They seem to introduce a new shoe model every month or so. Wait a couple of months and that new offering can be had for 30 to 50% less than it's intro price. I'm an old geezer and really like the "step-in" feature. Initially, I was worried that feature would be too loose for serious walking but that hasn't been the case. Downside is that the soft foamy soles can wear quickly and some of the fabric uppers snag, run, and wear on the athletic models fairly quickly as well.

 

[Escape08]

New Balance 990v6 worked for me but may not work for others. Different strokes for different folks

 

[Kestas]

I give Sketchers a thumbs up.

 

[Pew]

Any chance you got a runner store nearby that has a machine to fit you for a better recommendation, like Road Runners Sport? What works for others may not work for you.

 

[Al]

New Balance

 

[#18FAN]

Brooks

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

I give Sketchers a thumbs up.

Some Skechers, I agree for sure. But their construction and comfort level is all over the place so you need to be careful of what you're buying. The more expensive ones are like marshmallows but some of the slightly less expensive models are like a thin layer of memory foam over plasticy soles and are terrible. Buyer beware.

 

[Bottom_Feeder]

If wide size, Brooks.

If normal width, Hoka.

If Brooks makes a nice shoe in wide sizes I'll have to look into them. Thanks.

 

[JimPghPA]

If wide size, Brooks.

If normal width, Hoka.

Thanks for specifying "if wide".

Im a 13 men's EEE wide. That does limit finding shoes.

 

[Pew]

Thanks for specifying "if wide".

Im a 13 men's EEE wide. That does limit finding shoes.

As a general every-day shoe, Nike Frees in long-distance flavors were usually the easiest to fit because they usually were the most true-to-fit. One of my favorite shoes were Nike Free Endurance RN. Unfortunately they don't last much past 300 miles.

Hokas and Brooks are not lightweight at all and imo, too stiff to be a every-day use/walking shoe. They're great running shoes though.

Take a look at Xeros. They run slightly wider than normal, lightweight, and decently flexible.

I want to suggest merrell trail glove/vapor gloves but the last two generations ran super narrow.

The Runner's Store fitted me with Brooks for pavement running; something that I would never looked at before. I'm usually going for minimalist zero drops.

 

[tcp71]

The only shoes that fit me right out of the box are Keens. Especially if you have a wide foot.

https://www.keenfootwear.com/collections/mens-shoes

 

[Kira]

Too bad you're not closer to Park Ridge, NJ
This shop has a great selection of wider sizes. I'm an 11.5EE...now you know.
https://ruggedoutfitters.com/

I got a pair of Keen (India) there which fit quite well....a 6" "moc-stiched" shoe.
Also, I bought a pair of Timberland PRO which I wore for 3 solid weeks during the cold spell which saved my footsies.
The sole is incredibly comfortable, supportive and insulative.
"Shoes gotta fit..."
All this means nothing without model numbers.

 

[Patman]

Walmarts up here sell Dr Scholl’s brand shoes and they have special soft insoles inside them that make them very comfortable for people who walk a lot.

For me because I often do 30,000 steps a day when I’m giving my walking tours I find that it helps a lot when I put a nice soft insole into my shoes. That can turn even a cheap pair of shoes into something a lot more comfortable.

For the last couple of years I have bought Under Armor shoes, as they are very durable and I found one particular model that generally sells for about $50 up here ($36 US) So when I combine those particular shoes with the good insoles it works well for me.

I wish Vans were more comfortable for long walks. I have a few cool looking pairs of those but I only use them when I’m not giving my walking tours. They are only really comfortable for short walks.

 

[I<3oil]

Thanks for specifying "if wide".

Im a 13 men's EEE wide. That does limit finding shoes.

Yup. I'm a 12.5-13 4E.

 

[I<3oil]

If Brooks makes a nice shoe in wide sizes I'll have to look into them. Thanks.

They make fantastic shoes in wide/extra wide sizes.

 

[AutoMechanic]

My favorites were always the old style Reebok Zigtech so comfortable and easy to walk in but unfortunately they changed the design and I believe now the shoes are completely discontinued. My mom wears Brooks shoes for comfort and walking and she says they are amazing and one of the bosses at work says the same thing.