The Best Walking Shoes, According to Podiatrists, Fitness Instructors, and Our Own Tests

Like a rain jacket or a good pair of jeans, walking shoes are a non-negotiable closet staple. Since walking is the body’s natural movement, you’ll want a supportive pair that’ll protect your feet and keep up with every step.

Whether you’re looking for a walking shoe perfect with a cushy toe box or something that can handle periods of walking and running on a walking pad or outside, we’re here to help. We tapped physical therapists, board-certified podiatrists, fitness experts, and performance specialists and researched and tested dozens of walking shoes ourselves, carefully considering design, durability, fabric, and fit.

Keep reading to learn more about the best walking shoes, according to 18 experts and our own testers.

Our Top Picks

Best Overall

Hoka Women’s Bondi 8

If you’re looking for comfortable sneakers, the Bondi 8 more than meets the high standards that typify Hoka’s best shoes. During our testing, we found them to be the perfect weight and cushioning for walking, with a heel that’s cupped perfectly and doesn’t rub against your ankles. The padded heel notch helped prevent any blisters from forming during the testing period. Because of the thick sole absorption, we also would recommend these to anyone with plantar fasciitis in need of walking or running shoes.

One of our editors also swears by these shoes as her go-to pair and has worn them almost daily for six months, noting that they are some of the most comfortable sneakers ever. We also love their wider fit, which gave our tester’s toes plenty of space to sprawl out and made them all the more comfortable.

A favorite of a virtual fitness trainer and nutritionist Vanessa Liu, this shoe provides plenty of cushioning and a grippy sole without being too bulky. Plus, Liu says it can handle a variety of surfaces, including grass, dirt, gravel, and tarmac — which we found true in our tests, despite not technically being categorized as trail shoes.

Experts Say

Size Range: Women’s 5–12; men’s 7-16 | Material: Engineered mesh construction, recycled content lining mesh, Ortholite hybrid sock liner, Durabrasion rubber outsole | Fit: True to size | Colors: 23

Best Budget

Saucony Women’s Cohesion 13

With excellent arch support, the right amount of cushioned comfort, and durability, this pair of walking shoes supports your ankles with each step, according to Lara Heimann, a physical therapist, yoga instructor, and creator of LYT Method. “This is a great technical athletic shoe for stability and cushioning,” she says. Besides serving up support, Heimann says this pair has the edge of being made by a company with a proven record of producing high-quality shoes that address needs.

Experts Say

If you’re looking for a great Hoka shoe, you’ll appreciate these bold and beautiful walking shoes with lightweight cushioning that makes you feel like you’re stepping on clouds. They are also a favorite of Carrie Dorr, CEO of O44 and founder of Pure Barre.

And if you’re looking for comfortable sneakers, the Cliftons also earned high praises in our testing, being one of the most comfortable shoes we tested. The fit was perfect, and they felt flexible, supportive, responsive, and super stable. Our tester experiences plantar fasciitis, walks with overpronation, and has flat feet, and she found that these provide tons of cushioning and excellent support for long-lasting comfort. Bonus: The shoes are ultra-lightweight. Because these are lighter than the Hoka Bondi, we recommend them for longer distances — both walking and running.

Size Range: Women’s 5-12; men’s 7-16 (regular and wide) | Material: Breathable upper mesh, EVA foam, high abrasion rubber sole | Fit: True to size | Colors: 21

Best Arch Support

New Balance Women’s Fresh Foam X 880v12

For an everyday walking shoe for flat feet, we also love these Keen sneakers. The shoes fit true to size, but there is a bit more wiggle room in the toe box. This felt weird at first — and made us think that it actually wasn’t a good fit — but after a couple of wears, we’re convinced this is what makes them so comfy. The shoes are also designed with a high-rebound foam that provides shock resistance and helped prevent pain throughout the entire testing period.

The rubber soles are also constructed with an all-terrain design so they feel incredibly durable and sturdy, no matter the weather or pavement condition. The padding in the soles also provides a spring back effect and extra cushioning that feels supportive and comfortable on the feet, even after walking miles.

Size Range: 5-12 | Material: Foam strobel board, all terrain rubber, mesh | Fit: True to size | Colors: 5

Best Slip-Ons for Flat Feet

Orthofeet Francis Walking Shoe

When shopping for comfortable shoes, the fit is everything. These Orthofeet sneakers left a lasting impression on us thanks to their impressive size range — which includes five different widths — and additional spacers to customize the fit.

During testing, we immediately noticed a difference in overall comfort and found that the sneakers help with motion control and keep the feet snugly in place for better alignment while walking. This ultimately prevents aches and pains, especially if you walk a ton.

Size Range: 5-12 (narrow, medium, wide, X-wide, 2X-wide) | Material: Synthetic | Fit: True to size | Colors: 5

Best Cushioned

Nortiv 8 ActiveFloat Walking Shoes

As a long-time Hoka wearer, when PEOPLE shopping editor Madison Yauger received a pitch saying the Nortiv 8 ActiveFloat shoes were a budget-friendly alternative with similar quality, she was curious. “I’ve been wearing the ActiveFloat walking shoes for almost a month, and I’m sold,” she says. “These feel like the ultimate stylish grandpa shoes with immense cushioning that cradles my problematic feet. They are so comfortable, and I wear them daily for dog walks, errands, and literally any time I leave my apartment.”

The design balances fashion and function, with a highly shock-absorbent EVA midsole, a rubber outsole that grips the pavement with good traction, and a bunch of whimsical and neutral colors, depending on the aesthetic you’re going for.

Size Range: Women’s 6-11; men’s 7.5-13 | Material: High-bounce EVA midsole, durable rubber outsole, mesh fabric | Fit: True to size | Colors: 7

Best Waterproof

Allbirds Wool Runner Mizzles

Promising comfort and exceptional waterproof protection, this stylish pair will take your rainy day workouts to new heights. Sure, they are technically running shoes, but because they provide arch support and traction while keeping your feet dry, they take the winning slot for this category. Their stylish design also makes them a favorite of fitness expert Dr. Robin Barrett.

Size Range: Women’s 5-11; men’s 8-14 | Material: Merino wool upper, water-repellent Puddle Guard technology | Fit: True to size | Colors: 15

Best Traction

Merrell Women’s Moab Speed 2

These sneakers from Merrell boast a versatile design with moderate traction for stability and comfort. Constructed with Lightweight FlexPlate technology and Vibram TC5+ outsoles for the best traction on most terrain conditions, we were highly impressed by how well the sneakers gripped onto the floor while also supporting the soles with extra cushion, shock absorption, and arch support.

The fit is our least favorite thing about these shoes, as we found the toe box a bit too snug and would have preferred to size up. However, this surprisingly didn’t impact comfort levels, and we were still able to walk miles without foot, sole, or joint pain.

Editors Say

Editors Say

Best Everyday (Cheaper)

Brooks Revel 7

“Brooks shoes are good for daily wear because they offer a versatile traction sole that makes them durable and ideal for a variety of surfaces,” says Lalitha Bhowani-McSorley, a lead physical therapist at Brentwood Physio. “Additionally, their construction provides ample support and cushioning, perfect for people who tend to walk long distances or who have joint pain.”

Because nurses spend more time on their feet than most people, a walking shoe that can handle walking and periods of running is best recommended, says physical therapist Jessica McManus. While this Altra pair is relatively expensive, it offers a true-to-size fit and has a nice, wide-toe box, making it one investment shoe not to pass up. “These features can help prevent things like bunions and keep the muscle around the ankles, knee, and hip working more efficiently and effectively,” McManus tells PEOPLE.

Size Range: Women’s 5.5-12; men’s 7-14 | Material: Ultra-lightweight and breathable upper, Altra EGO Max midsole foam, Max cushioned interior, and Rubber outsole | Fit: True to size | Colors: 5

The More You Know

With four width sizes (including wide and extra wide), thick cushioning, plus a handy heel cup, this walking shoe is essential for those with wider feet, according to Liu.

During our tests, we found this to be true; these sneakers fit snugly without feeling constricting, and they indeed did cup the feet perfectly without leaving any room on the sides for the feet to slide around. Because the midsole of this walking shoe has soft and thick cushioning, Liu suggests these can be great shoes for over-pronation, what happens when your feet roll towards the inside as you walk.

Experts Say

Behind the Scenes

To discover the best walking shoes on the market, we first interviewed 16 doctors and health and fitness experts for their professional shoe recommendations. Experts also dished the important qualities to look for when shopping for walking shoes: cushioning, responsiveness, comfort, stability, waterproofing, blister protection, fit, arch support, and more.

We also gathered insights from several PEOPLE tests, including walking shoes for flat feet, running shoes, comfortable sneakers for seniors, best shoes for bunions, and cushioned running shoes. We chose top performers from these tests that matched expert guidelines to ensure consistency and reliability. Finally, we included a few pairs our editors have personally tested, keeping the same evaluation process and product attributes in mind.

Why Trust PEOPLE?

Courtney Leiva is a contributing writer for PEOPLE and has written for publications such as The Daily Beast, Buzzfeed, HuffPost, and more. When researching the best walking shoes, Courtney spoke with physical therapists, board-certified podiatrists, fitness experts, and performance specialists to learn more about what defines a good walking shoe and what standout features to look out for as you shop.

Senior Shopping Editor Erika Reals updated this article to include more insights as well as PEOPLE Tested recommendations. She has over five years of experience in writing and editing shopping content, specifically in the style and fitness category. She gets in her steps via walks in Central Park and also uses an under-desk treadmill in her home office.

Contributing writer Jessie Quinn also added some of our latest tested picks to this story as well as a new editor favorite shoe.