OT: most comfortable walking shoe?

[XXtwindad]

Based on the recommendations here, I tried several pairs of shoes. I discovered a brand that was a total game-changer and a brand that was severely over hyped and totally awful (as least as it pertains to my feet)

The caveat: my feet are pancake flat. If they were a state, they would be Florida. Except not nearly as attractive. I do strength exercises for them all the time and constantly stretch my soleus and gastroc. But, at a certain point, it s what it is.

The Worst:

Deckers X-Scape

Pros: They look great. Some of the best looking kicks out there.
Cons: Totally uncomfortable after about twenty minutes. (give or take ten) Just miserable. And really, really expensive. If you have flat feet, DON'T BUY THESE SHOES. You will regret it.

The Best:

Chacos. To whomever suggested these in the thread, thank you!!! They have been an absolute game-changer.

Pros: Everything. They look great. And, most importantly, they give my battered arches the support they need. Their "Love" soles are so comfortable, I put them in my cycling shoes, and my calluses vanished.

Cons: None. You should get them.

[RFC]

Late to the game.

I have more athletic, trail and hiking shoes than I can count.

Recently I discovered Palladium.

https://palladiumboots.com/collectio...ts/02352-238-m

It is a French company that in 1947 started making "boots" for the French Foriegn Legion, Italian army and the IDF. What you see above is essentially the same boot with upgraded materials.

These are simple canvas and rubber shoes like Converse Chucks on steroids with a heel. I like a little heel in a walking/hiking shoe. Very light and airy with a springy sole. I did a four mile hike in them last week with zero problems. These are going to make great summer "sneakers."

[fried bake]

I suffer plantar fasciitis and need shoes with high arch support built in. I discovered Olukai by chance and am a happy bunny. Bonus is that they look great as well.


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[reuben]

I don't have any of their shoes, and I have relatively high arches, but I do like their sandals.

Good to hear that you found something that works.

[bicycletricycle]

Birkenstocks, I feel like I have walked the whole planet with them. I got sandals, clogs and shoes. To me they just get better and better with age (until the cork finally gives up. Cheap and easy to resole.

Fun thread to red through, lots of shoes I would like to try

[buddybikes]

Best if you can find want to pay, Finn Comfort made in Germany. All leather inside and out, glove soft inside. Cork insoles. Roomy toe box. They work better than any med for my neuropathy.

[lorenbike]

I had a collapsing arch and bad Taylors bunion a few years ago. Went the custom footbed route and it actually made both issues worse. I usually go with medical science, however I read about wide toe box, minimal shoes and gave them a try out of desperation.

I've had two pairs of Sense of Motion shoes now for five years and literally both issues went away completely. I have wide feet and high arches to begin with, and my feet have actually went down half a size -- I think my arches have gotten stronger/higher. I really had to ease into them though -- like 6months or so to slowly go from regular sneakers to the minimal design.

[5oakterrace]

Wolverine raider oxfords. Most soft shoes with eva mid sole cave in on me after a time and get hard. Not so sturdy either. I cave in the inside of one foot especially. Have had a few spine surgeries so my back tightens up in no time.
These raider oxfords are my go to shoes. Ultra sturdy. Do not cave in. Soft enough for some cushion. Do not harden up. Very supportive. They look good enough for dress shoes as well.
I run up steps as my only running and use a running shoe with polyurethane midsole. Saucony makes them and cheap - around $70-80 A bit harder than eva but they do not collapse like eva. Eva collapses and hardens and does not give me support I seek. Running shoes are not study enough for my walking.

[benb]

I've been having tons of trouble with EVA midsole athletic shoes the last few years.

They are getting stupidly soft. I wear orthotics, they make getting the right size shoe a pain in the butt and have their own issues a lot of the time.

Some of the latest EVA midsoles are so soft they negate the orthotics when I wear them. Then what also happens is when I walk/run I set my foot down on the outside of my foot and roll in. The EVA midsoles seem to collapse first on the outside of the foot which then exaggerates the arch support of the orthotic and/or any built in arch support in the shoe.

The EVA midsoles seem particularly problematic for weight lifting. Even though I theoretically "need" orthotics with some of these shoes I'm better off lifting with no shoes versus the shoes + orthotics.

I was wearing Saucony Ride 14s for a year or so and they were working well, the Ride 15 they made the shoe bigger and wider and drastically softer. My Ride 14s were about 300g/shoe for a 12.5, the Ride 15s are so soft and airy they are 240g in a 12 and are actually too big. The Ride 15 is basically as soft as a croc or a flip flop. I tweaked my knee really quickly the first time I ran in the Ride 15s.

A lot of these midsoles are toast in like 2 months of daily wear and walking around for me. I wonder if they don't increase the density of the foam as the sizes go up. Theoretically a larger person ought to have heavier density foam.

A lot of the shoes with EVA midsoles also seem incredibly hard to ride a bike with flat pedals for casual use. They're so darn soft they distort when pedaling.

[XXtwindad]

Still on the hunt for great walking shoes. Flat feet suck. The two companies that always seem to be at the forefront of the “pain mitigation” discussion are Hokas and Kuru.

Hokas seem to be the most popular choice. Everyone I’ve talked to swears by them, including the UPS drivers I’ve randomly queried. The downside: they’re pretty damn ugly. At least for my tastes.

Kurus also get great reviews, although they seem to be a little more under the radar. They’re a lot more aesthetically appealing as well. They also seem to be a bit more expensive.

For my feet, I think perhaps the Hoka Arahi and the Kuru Atom/Chicane are the most intriguing.

Anyone owned both? Or at least is endlessly and totally devoted to one of them?

Thanks for any feedback!

[nmrt]

Shoes are like saddles. Personal preference.
The first time I owned Hokas was in 2011. Hated it. Made them my dog walking shoes. Still hated them. Made them my snow shoveling shoes.

Then swore off Hokas...until 2021. Hated the new ones too. Donated them to the local running store.

They just do not engage the same feet muscles like other shoes. Feels like I am not walking/running but rather wallowing.

As I said, but YMMV.

Originally Posted by XXtwindad

Still on the hunt for great walking shoes. Flat feet suck. The two companies that always seem to be at the forefront of the “pain mitigation” discussion are Hokas and Kuru.

Hokas seem to be the most popular choice. Everyone I’ve talked to swears by them, including the UPS drivers I’ve randomly queried. The downside: they’re pretty damn ugly. At least for my tastes.

Kurus also get great reviews, although they seem to be a little more under the radar. They’re a lot more aesthetically appealing as well. They also seem to be a bit more expensive.

For my feet, I think perhaps the Hoka Arahi and the Kuru Atom/Chicane are the most intriguing.

Anyone owned both? Or at least is endlessly and totally devoted to one of them?

Thanks for any feedback!

[jonnyBgood]

I've been using the Ultra Mont Blanc lately... good stability with a good toe box

[jm714]

I recently picked up a pair of NNormal (that’s the way it’s spelled) Kjerag’s for walking on the trails by my house. They are a trail running shoe and have good cushioning but not crazy cushioning like Hoka’s.

[robt57]

Socks with padded heal and ball always. I used light hiking sock all the time, and medium in winter daily. Feet thank me.