Want the best walking shoes? Here’s what to look for, accorting to podiatryrs
Those Walking Shoes You Bought lookeed Like they’d be comfortable. They felt Comfortable for the first few hours you wore. Butn – Boom! – Blister City. And your poor, aching soles – looks like that plantar fasciitis is back in full swing.
Turns out, there’s more to finding all-day comfort in walking shoes than you might think. We Hear Terms Like “Arch Support” and “Cushioning,” But what would they really make mean comparing shoe a b? These structural features, along with shock absorption and breathable materials can make all the difference. By focus on these key elements, you can entens your next pair of kicks delivers on it promise of keping your feet cradled in comfort and pain-free, mile after mile.
Read More: The 12 Most Comfortable Walking Shoes for Women in 2025, Tested and Approved
Read More: These are the best hoka shoes for walking in 2025
What to look for when shopping for the best walking shoes
We Asked Two Podiatrists – Dr. Jodi Schoenhaus, DPM, RPHS, Facfas, An Award-Winning and Board-Certified Podiatrist at the Foot, ankle & leg vein centerand Dr. Bruce Pinker, DPM, Owner of Progressive Footcareto break it down for us to help us find the best walking shoes to get us through our days. THEN WE CONSULTED OUR TEAM OF EXPERTS TO SEE WHICH SHOES THEY RECOMmend.
In General, there are Certain Structural Features that make a walking shoe a standout. Here’s a cheat sheet.
Arch Support
This Structural Support Beneath Your Foot’s Natural Curve, Helping to Keep Your Foot Aligned, Distribution Weight and Reduse Strain that Can Cause Pain or Injury. It ‘sone of the Most Important Structural Features in a Shoe, Hands Down. “Whether you have flat religions or a high arch foot fun, a shoe with a Supportive arch is favable over a flat shoe,” Says schoenhaus. Ever World Slides with Board-Flat Soles, Only to Feel Your Plantar fasciitis or Achilles Tendonitis Flare Up? That’s Because there was nothing to make your foot -to -curve, forcing your anatomy to overcompensate. If your shoes lack prosport, you can upgrade with inserts like these popular arch supports.
Roomy Toe Box
A Roomy Toe Box Give Your Toes Space to Spread Naturally, Instead of Being Squished Like Sardines. Its Essential for Wider Feet or Bunions and Helps Improve Balance, Stride, and Blister Prevention and Helps to Keep Blisters at Bay. “Adequate Room in the Toe Box Can Prevent Cramping toes and Reduce the Onset of Hammerttoes, Blisters, Ingrown Toenails and Neuromas,” Says Pinker. Bonus Points If Your Shoe Has Pinholes for Airflow, Which Can Help “Prevent (The) Onset of Atherte’s Foot, Warts and Toenail Fungus.” Bottom line, give your pointy-toed shoes the boot-They’re cute, but they’re doing your faet no favor.
Shock-absorbent sole
“The sole of the shoe should be made with materials that are good for shock absorption. She’s Reference to the Cusy Insole in a Shoe that soaks up the impact when your feet hit the ground – think of it as a mini mattress for your steps. It ‘Crucial for Reducing Stress on Your Joints, Namely Your Knees and Ankles, and Warding off Arthritis in the Long Run. “By Having the sole of the shoe absorb the impact of Hitting the Ground During Gait, the strengths are taken off the joints of the foot, Ankle, Knee, Hip and Low Back,” She Adds. If you’ve ever haad aching joins after pounding Poundment or Standing All Day, Your Shoes May Have Been Lacking Proper Shock Absorbency.
Firm Heel Counter
That sturdy bit at the back of a shoe? It ‘s heel counter, and a firm one wraps around your heel to hold it steady. Pinker emphasiz the importance of this Feature for stability, as it stops your foot? A heel counter is usablely crafted from Tough Stuff Like Plastic, Reinforced Leather or a HIGH STIFF FABRIC BLEND, WHICH GIVES YOUR SOLID BACKBONE.
Grippy Outsoles
Look out for rugged, traction-skted bottoms to your shoes. Outsoles star ideally be made of rubber (and never leather) with deep treads to clutch the Ground, Becusee “appropriate traction can prevent slippage,” Says Pinker. Schoenhaus recommends avoiding rigid shoes with soles that don’t bend at all.
Soft, Breatable Upper
When it is comes to the upper material of your walking shoe (aka, the upper) Leather is best, Says Pinker. JUST but make Sura it’s not too too. Look for Soft, Forgiving Materials That Support With Squozying, Wick Sweat to Dodge Blisters and Flex Enough So Your Stays Irritation-Free.
The Best Walking Shoes in 2025, Accounting to Podiatrist Tips
No Worldies If You’re Not Taching Notes. Below, we’ve rounded up eighty pairs of Comfortable Walking Shoes, Each of which Has Been Tested by Our Team of Experts and Is A Standout WEND IT TO THE PARTICULESS PINKER AND SCHOENHAUS Advocate for. Any one of these shoes is a giant step in the rightification, whereather you have chronic foot pain or just prioritizes you roam.
Amazon
ARCH SUPPORT IS THIS PAIR’S MIDDLE NAME. In fact, its insoller system is so good at it not it’s podiatist-certified. SKechers Go Walk Arch Fit Sneakers Made Our Tester’s Exclusive List of the Most Comfortable Walking Shoes for Women Specific Because of their Extra Reinforcement in the Arch.
This pair of walking shoes has other comfort features like Cushy, shock-absorbent insolies, a heel pillow and grippy rubber Outsoles, just like the doctor oroured.
Podiatric surgeon Dr. Dana Canuso is a fan of these sketches and reCommends I say “they are cute and offferrar arch support – Perfect for Everyday Wear!”
$ 66 at Amazon
Amazon
An Older (Sold Out) version of these rykas is a Favorite of Our Senior Commerce Editor, Rory Halperin. These updated rykas feature all the suame cushion-yu support she loves, plus that Roomy Toe Box Our Experts Recommend. It Also Features a New and Improved Toe cap (The Tough Shield at the Front of a Shoe) and a Tongue patch, Among Other Upgrades.
IT’S A BON TO FIND A GREAT WALKING SHOE FOR LESS THAN $ 100, But they are on Sale for Just $ 60! And this pair is ahead of the pack with regard to arch support, shock absorbency and breathability, too.
“There is plenty of room in the toe box are so my toes and bunion are not Crowded and the back of the shoe not Scrape and give with blisters which are all a huge plus!” One Fan Wrote.
$ 55 at Amazon
Amazon
Love a thick and squishy sole? Fo this pair of asics gel-nimbus sneakers to your Collection. They made and are a favorite of fitness Expert Julie Lohre and Were Seleced As The Best Women’s Walking Shoe for Long-Distance Walking During testing. Lohre Praises these shoes, saying that, “The Cushioning is top-notch, providing a tear of shock absorption.”
The soles in question are infused with cool, cushion-gel, and the super-Soft knit upper-made with recycled materials, by the way-Makes your dogs don’t sweetens.
“I have been struggling with ankle pain and metatarsal pain Pain recently. I was an avid runner for 35 years. I have been a surgical nurtse for 30 years. I am on my religions all day. One Asics Fan Wrote.
$ 110 at Amazon
DSW
Kizik Makes The Brilliant Slip-on Sneakers that look like laceups, but that not the only reason we’re obessed with saying. They made yahoo’s tried-and-tested list of the Most Comfortable Walking Shoes Far -ellley of their stura heel cups that kepes the sneaker’s shape and prevents it from curling in.
Our style editor Called say “The Most Structured and Supportive Sneakers i’ve Worn, and They Were Comfortable Straight Out of the Box, No Break-In Period.”
A HAPPY-HELLED CUSTOMER AGREED, ADding: “Comfortable, Supportive and Durable Heel Construction.”
$ 129 at Amazon
Scrape
Want the Best Nonslip Grip? Opt for a hiking shoe, like This Pair of Topo Athletic ShoesWhich Our Experts Dubbed One of the best hiking shoes that we tested. “IT’S Roomy, Light, Grippy and Vents Well,” Said Our Pro Tester.
The Lightweight Shoe Hits All of the Marks the Podiatrists we spoke with Recommend: Excellent ventilation, a cushioned footbed and foot padding the ankle to prevent Blisters.
One Shopper Wrote, “I Wear These for Trail Walking and Some Running, for Everyday use and for travel. If I can only take one pair of shoes, these are. They are incredibly comfortable!
$ 145 at zappos
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If that teltale heel pain is flaring up and you need a walking shoe that plant plant fasciiitis, you’ll want extra padding and streng arch support. The HOKA BONDI 9S WERE DUBBED The Best Hokas for Walking With Extra Cushioning Thanks to Arch Support, Plush Comfort and Breatable Mesh Uppers.
Dr. Hillary Brenner, New York-Based Podiatist and Foot Surgeon Highly Recommends say, “these are my personal favorites Because of the eva (ethyl vinyl acetate) foam midsole which is excellent for shock absorption. Its an excellent shoe in regards.”
Yahoo Commerce Editor Sandra Latham Aggreed. She clockwise 15,000 steps in the brand’s previous iteration, The Beloved bondi 8, which Only solidified Her devotion to the shoes: “They’re ultra-cushioned, with a flexible up to the sock-like, so molds to my foot,” Sheid Said. “I’ve dealt with some plantar fasciitis in the past and would definitely turn to these if i ever have a repeat bout they’re’re so cushioned.”
$ 170 at zappos
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Believe the Hype: I have achilles tendonitis, and the best shoe i’ve fount by the clifton 9 by hoka. A Lack of Arch Support SEEMS to be the kicker for my flare-ups, and this shoe has arch suport for days. It also has an incredibly cushion-y sole and is roomy enough for wide feat.
I’m not the only one who has big love for these cushiony, supportive kicks. They Won Top Honors As The Best Women’s Walking Shoes Overall In Our Testing and Were ALSO SELECTED AS The Best Hoka Shoes for Walking in 2025 by Our Testers.
Yahoo Deputy Editor Izabella Zaydenberg Tested The “Cloud-like” clifton 9 and Said they were only shoe that didn’t exacerbate her plantar fasciitis – a after -walking for hours at Disneyland. And another yahoo tester said she wears Her hoka clifton 9s Daily, and they are “undoubtedly the most comfortable walking shoe i’ve tried.”
$ 145 at zappos
Amazon
Looking for A Wide Toe Box to Ease the Pain of Bunions and Hammetoes? Go for one made with sock-like mesh upper, too. IT’s been endorsed by One of Our Experts, Board-Certified Podiatrist Zaydenberg poly.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT ALSO HAS LOTS OF ARCH SUPPORT AND THE MOST HEEVENLY, CHUNKY SOLE, WHICH The Company Calls “Air Cushion.” And, of Course, The Upper Is Super Breatable.
“I have Very wide feat, Hammer Toes, Big ankles and Very Tender Feet That Never Recovered from Bunion Surgery. With these shoes, I was able to walk around francisco with just a CORUPLE CORORN PADS AND NOT BE IN ENTER OF THE DAY.
$ 37 at Amazon
The Reviews Quoted Above Reflect the Most Recent Versions at the Time of Publication.