7 Best Cushioned Walking Shoes

After logging countless hours in our lab and walking around the city, we finally decided which is the peerless cushioned walking shoe of all: Hoka Transport. To say that its cushioning is heavenly is to put it lightly. But what’s even more riveting is the support, steadiness, and surefootedness we felt while taking our walks, whether on roads or light trails.

While we discovered that our durometer punched in a midsole softness of 21.9 HA (23% softer than average), on our strolls, we felt a hint of firmness. We adored this underfoot as it made us endure whole days of walks without any pain. 

Although the 34.1 mm heel cushioning (3.2 mm thicker than average) noticeably elevated us from the ground, we didn’t sense any wobbly or flimsy feeling from the shoe. Instead, we experienced exceptional stability – thanks to Transport’s stiffness and wide base. Our digital force gauge detected a 30.4N resistance, stiffer than average by 45%! On the other hand, the forefoot and heel base measures 112.8 mm and 92.5 mm, which are 5.3 mm and 7.3 mm wider than the mean values.

The downside is, wearing Transport can get hot. As evidenced by our smoke test, it is not breathable. It scored only 2/5. Looking at the upper under our microscope only confirmed this: the image showed an incredibly interlaced fabric. We hate that we can’t enjoy it during warm weather. Therefore, we do not advise traveling in the Hoka Transport during summertime.

Among cushioned walking shoes we took on wear tests, we found Nike’s Motiva to be the cream of the crop, with its plush and rockered platform delivering effortless strolls. Designed to provide extended comfort and reduce effort, our lab confirms its capability to facilitate pain-free walks. Additionally, Motiva features a durable outsole to withstand extensive mileage.

The bottomless cushioning is our main source of relief, featuring a height of 34.9/25.6 mm with a plush composition. Our durometer confirms its cloud-like sensation with a low 15.0 HA measurement. Further enhancing comfort is the even weight distribution provided by the compression of the wave design underfoot.

Motiva’s unique geometry is undeniable yet it truly comes alive in action, promoting seamless forward transitions with every stride. The midsole maintains a certain level of stiffness to sustain the rocking motion and our bend test confirms Motiva is 43.1% more rigid than average.

Underfoot, we saw Nike’s signature waffle pattern that effectively gripped wet and dry roads. Extensive testing barely scratched the tough rubber compound, which our durometer reveals is a high 92.0 HC. At a thick 3.0 mm, we expect the shoe to outlast the average walking shoe.

However, due to its squishy composition, the sole developed wrinkles early on. However, we discovered that this had minimal impact on function, except for runners on the heavier side.

Revealing what’s to come, Skechers Arch Fit 2.0 lives up to its name, providing maximum cushioning and exceptional arch support that perfectly contours to our feet during testing. This standout feature, and its affordable $90 price, make it our top choice for arch support among lab-tested cushioned walking shoes.

The amount of foam and comfort this shoe brings exceeds its value. Our caliper reveals the heel is elevated to a sky-high 39.2 mm, leaving us on cloud nine with no pain and ground feel. Paired with a 24.0-mm forefoot, this leaves us with a 15.2-mm incline that reduces stress on our heels and arches.

Its reinforcing support is felt through the firm cushion, vast base, and stiff midsole. All these elements work hand-in-hand to guide our foot alignment in a subtle yet effective manner. Our lab confirms our experience with the following results vs. the average: a foam that’s 21.6% firmer, a midsole that’s 15.7% more rigid, and 3.1/1.4 mm wider in the forefoot and heel.

However, if breathability is a priority, we recommend disregarding AF2 as it feels too stuffy for warmer seasons. Our lab reveals its lack of airflow with a low 2/5 rating.

In our search for the best lightweight cushioned walking shoe, we looked for a shoe that feels extremely well-cushioned, despite its weightless build. As we pushed the Allbirds Tree Runners to its limits in the lab and on our feet, we came to realize that it’s head and shoulders above its competition in this regard. What drove us to pick it for this category is its ultralight construction, its soft insole, and its generous amount of cushioning underfoot.

As we thoroughly tested the Allbirds Tree Runners on the streets, we didn’t have any doubt in our minds that the shoe was lightweight. True enough, when we put it to the test in the lab, we measured its weight at 245g (8.6 oz), which makes it 23.1% lighter than the average walking shoe.

Despite all that, it doesn’t skimp at all when it comes to cushioning. Walking with the Allbirds Tree Runners on foot felt amazingly cozy. Its underfoot comfort is what particularly stood out to us, prompting us to take a deeper look into it in our lab. We measured its insole thickness to be 7.2 mm which is 1.7 mm thicker than that of the average walking shoe - quite a significant amount!

When we put in the miles in the Allbirds Tree Runners, we discovered another great thing about it. We found it great for extended walking sessions because of a good amount of cushioning overall. To take a deeper look into this, we cut the shoe in the middle to measure its stack height. With a heel stack height of 31.1 mm, there’s a lot of volume underfoot, considering its much lower weight.

While the comfort afforded by its cushioning makes it a great partner for pounding the pavements, an adequate amount of gentleness is needed when walking on rough surfaces. When we pressed our durometer to its outsole, we found that its hardness was at 62.1 HC, which is 13.6% softer than that of the average walking shoe. Therefore, we don’t recommend this for those looking for a walking shoe to beat around in.

KEEN WK400 is a tough one to beat. With unlimited cushioning and its unique KEEN CURVE midsole, it’s undoubtedly our best rockered cushioned walking shoe in the lab. Other than its visual form, it facilitates smooth forward strides that make us want to be on foot for hours.

With a geometry similar to a rocking chair, it feels more natural once we start walking. It has a stiff plate integrated into the midsole to preserve its shape and maintain our balance. As confirmed by our flex test, it’s 60.8% more rigid than average.

We measured the cut-in-half shoe and our jaws dropped upon measuring the 45.7 mm heel. This is one of the tallest we’ve seen, ultimately protecting our feet from landing impact and fatigue. Combined with a modest forefoot, the resulting drop is a record-breaking 21.4 mm drop—boldly exceeding the average by 10.4 mm. This takes the pressure off our ankles and Achilles. Further emphasizing comfort is its cloudlike foam that registered a soft 22.0 HA durometer measurement.

However, all the extra cushion comes with an extra 3.9 oz (109g) of baggage vs. the average. Those who prefer a lightweight shoe should look for other options.

For us, the best slip-on cushioned walking shoe should be one that provides a nice and pleasant ride quickly and easily. From all the shoes we’ve tested in the lab and on our feet, we found the On Cloud 5 to reign supreme in this regard. Its combination of balanced cushioning, breathability, and secure fit makes paradise for feet available in a snap!

The On Cloud 5’s status as a slip-on makes it a very convenient shoe to have. It's a shoe that can be worn quickly and in a hurry. What made us appreciate it even better is the fact that it secures feet exceptionally well. We didn’t have any experience of heel slips at all! From our experience with it, we’ve found that its fully gusseted tongue is what makes it very reliable in this regard.

Having the On Cloud 5 on our walking sessions made us appreciate the work that a cushioning unit puts in. To push it to the limits, we tested it for long hours, but we still couldn’t feel any hint of discomfort! To look into this further, we pressed our durometer to its midsole. Its hardness places it at a great spot, being only 4% stiffer than the average walking shoe. This firmness - while not exactly marshmallowy plush like other walking shoes, provides excellent comfort and structure underfoot.

As our hours with the On Cloud 5 piled up, we expected some heat to build up in the interior of the shoe. This certainly was not the case for the On Cloud 5. Its upper is well-perforated, letting us literally feel the air between our toes. To test this further, we pumped smoke into its interior and found that the particles had no problems escaping from the vents in the On Cloud 5’s upper and lace section.

While the On Cloud 5 has the cushioning to go the distance, it isn’t ready for long-term wear and tear. We found that its foam scuffs quite easily in the outsole. Its mesh upper also feels pretty flimsy especially when considering the long run. We don’t recommend it for those looking for a shoe to beat around with.

Concluding our search for the best cushioning walking shoe that granted us the most eminent slip-proof experience is the Hoka Bondi SR. We are so unbothered by where we are stepping on because the outsole guards us from stumbling while the cushioning locks the comfort inside. Also, walking on tiled floorings, may they be oily or splashed with water, is a piece of cake with this shoe. 

With a 73.1 HC outsole softness, it’s 1.1% harder than the average. This small difference evinced that the outsole isn’t too hard nor too soft, just right to clutch, and never easily let go on slippery floors. Utilizing our caliper, we gauged how dense the shoe’s cushioning is. With an overloading thickness of 39.4 mm in the heel and 31.2 mm in the forefoot, Bondi SR got ahead of the standard thicknesses by 25.9% and 48.6%. This delivered outstanding support and shock absorption. 

We also used our durometer to determine the midsole’s softness and it turned in 20.4 HA, demonstrating 19% more plushness than average. Our walks are certainly more pleasurable because of this. However, the durability of the outsole is sacrificed. We applied our Dremel to it and it caused a 2.5 mm indentation, which is 56.3% deeper than the average. If you highly require wear-resistant outsoles, we recommend searching for other pairs.