Cushioning and Flexibility

Once you have determined your arch type the two most important characteristics of the best walking shoe are cushioning and flexibility. Most of the cushioning in every walking shoe brand comes from the shock absorbing material in the midsole. Some brands have roll bars, or bridges, or gel-pads or some other proprietary name for extra support and stability in the midsole region. One example of a very well cushioned shoe is the Saucony Grid Omni Walker Walking Shoe in women’s and men’s sizes. This Saucony is also a stability walking shoe which makes it suitable for both normal and floppy feet.

Flexibility is a measure of how easily the sole of the shoe bends at the ball of the foot. The normal walking motion rolls the foot from heel to toe so an excessively stiff sole would inhibit the natural motion of the arches and place extra strain on them and your calf muscles. A well known consumer testing organization recently tested the flexibility of several brands of walking shoes in the laboratory and from personal evaluations and concluded that with the exception of a couple models no longer offered for sale that all major walking shoe brands rated very good. The two brands that rated excellent for flexibility were Saucony (again) and New Balance. Flexibility is determined by the shoe sole material and by the thickness of the sole. If your walking route is over rough ground you may want to trade off a little flexibility for thick-sole protection against the bruise you could get from a sharp rock.

Consumer testing also found that, in general, dressy walking shoes did not rate as highly as sneaker type walking shoes in either cushioning or flexibility. However, none of the dressy walking shoe brands rated poorly in either category, just not as high, in general, as the sneaker or athletic types. Nurses have been wearing Propet walking shoes to work for years. If you are looking to buy some walking shoes you could wear to work or slip on during your lunch break then you can confidently go ahead and do so. Rockport has a reputation for classy and comfortable walking shoes. Some New Yorkers claim that Rockport Blackville Touring Shoe are the best city walking shoes period. Other popular brands for comfortably schlepping around town or even around the house are Crocs Cayman Sandals and Easy Spirit Walking Mules.