7 Best Walking Shoes

Motiva is Nike’s first dedicated walking shoe and it impressed us greatly in our lab and wear tests, making it our top choice among all walking shoes we've tested so far! Its design stands out from the rest, yet its luxurious cushion, smooth transitions, and robust outsole make each walk truly enjoyable.

We felt like we were on cloud nine as we stepped into the thick and squishy cushion. The stack rises to an above-average 34.9/25.6 mm with a light composition that provides exceptional relief. Our durometer confirms it’s 40.0% softer than average. The wavy sole also levels up the compression for added underfoot protection.

At first glance, Motiva's pronounced rocker stands out. However, wearing the shoe amplifies its effect, offering seamless heel-to-toe transitions with each stride. To maintain the forward momentum, we expect the midsole to be quite stiff. Our bend test confirms it’s 43.1% stiffer than average.

Motiva shows unwavering support from dry to wet pavements, offering traction with its waffle-like pattern. It barely shows any wear after our tests so we expect it to last hundreds of miles. Motiva combines a 21.4% tougher-than-average 92.0 HC outsole with a thicker-than-average 3.0 mm rubber, cementing its durability.

Visually, we noticed the sole tends to crease easily because of its softness. However, we believe this won't significantly impact its performance, except for heavier runners who might experience premature cushion compression.

Allbirds Tree Runners is unparalleled in being the superior walking shoe out there and its maximum-extent functionality is what won us over. For all-day wear, work, travel, and everything in between, this walking shoe is definitely the most comfortable. As if that isn’t enough of a reason, Tree Runners also stands out in sustainability and easy-to-slip-on convenience!

A forever and a day didn’t feel like a long time when we were in Allbirds Tree Runners. One reason we found for our painless long walks is its delightfully firm midsole. We validated what we felt through our durometer, which reflected a 29.6 HA hardness that’s slightly softer than the 31.2 HA average. 

Another factor that got us through the day with ceaseless comfort is the shoe’s breathability. While Allbirds Tree Runners only scored 3/5 on our breathability test, our bright light revealed its very porous upper, which allowed our feet to feel superb airflow. Correspondingly, this shoe is also super lightweight. With a weight of 8.6 oz (245g), it is 22% lighter than average.

Although our caliper measured the shoe’s insole to be 7.2 mm, which, by the way, is 38% more cushioned than average, we still felt like it lacked arch support. That being said, we do not recommend this pair to people who require extra supportive shoes.

In our search for the best walking shoe for standing all day, we looked for a shoe that feels amazingly soft yet secure on foot. Based on our time spent in the shoe and in the lab where we thoroughly tested it, the Hoka Transport is just that! It does all this with its perfectly balanced cushioning which comes in a very secure package.

We found it perfect for spending full days on our feet. It's plush underfoot but not squishy at all. Our lab tests confirmed this: we pressed a durometer against its midsole foam and it scored 21.9 HA, making it 23% softer than an average walking shoe while still providing a sufficiently firm platform to stand on.

What seals the deal when it comes to this well-balanced cushioning is that we felt no wobbling! No wonder, given that it is 45% stiffer than the average walking shoe. We tested this with our force gauge that showed 30.4N when we bent the shoe to 90 degrees. The semi-gusseted tongue and relatively stiff heel counter also helped us feel more secure in the Hoka Transport.

We do not recommend Hoka Transport to those who live in warm climates. As shown in our breathability test, this shoe is less breathable than average. Hello, sweaty feet!

Countless hours of lab and wear tests allowed us to discover the walking shoe with the best arch support: the Skechers Arch Fit 2.0. As its name suggests, our feet enjoyed the level of support this shoe brings, both in comfort and stability. It surprisingly preserves in-shoe pleasure despite its rigid elements and affordable $90 price.

Our arches are well-cradled inside the AF2’s generous stack. Our caliper reveals above-average measurements, notably its whopping 39.2 mm heel that erased any hint of the ground. To our amazement, it maintains a stable ride thanks to its non-squishy composition. Our durometer confirms it’s 21.6% denser than average, preventing uneven collapsing of the foam.

Allowing us to distribute our weight and secure our footing is the wide platform of the shoe which is 114.5/90.9 mm in the forefoot and heel. Enhancing surefootedness is the stiff midsole, which includes flex grooves in strategic areas so that it isn’t too rigid. Upon counterchecking with our bend test, AF2 stands 15.7% more resilient than average.

However, its lack of durability, specifically in the toebox, heel padding, and outsole, limits the shoe’s lifespan. We recommend exercising caution with these areas as they demonstrated minimal resistance against our Dremel.

On Cloud 5 really set the mark for being an outstanding travel walking shoe, thanks to its wanderlust-ready characteristics! Testing the shoe for a considerable amount of time, we learned that it almost feels like we are walking barefoot: natural strides, terrific airflow, and weightless trips all throughout the day.

Our on-foot roam around with Cloud 5 was just exquisite because we could walk in it with little to no effort. In our lab, we found that it was certainly flexible when we subjected the shoe to bending using our digital force gauge. It hardly resisted bending at a 19.8N force. This might be 10% less flexible than the average, but it granted us fluid foot motions. 

Even when we got out on sunny days, Cloud 5 took care of preventing or drying off sweat on our feet. We looked into it by flashing a bright light to the upper and discovered it is heavily perforated, especially around the toe box, allowing a smooth air passage. Much like air, the Cloud 5 also weighed next to nothing, as shown by our scale. It was 7.94 oz (225g), which was 12.1% lighter than others.

However, we realized that Cloud 5 was more fitting for occasional travels only and not frequent ones because it wasn’t the toughest shoe we tried on. Actually, after using it for a while, we noticed wear in the toebox area. We suggest being easy on Cloud 5 or sporting a more durable shoe if you can’t help being all out on your trips.

Only one pair got us head over heels when we tested for the ultimate slip-resistant walking shoe and that is Hoka Bondi SR. On the bottom surface, it creates an exceptional amount of friction against glassy surfaces that eradicates any chance of missteps and mishaps. Inside, it’s so inviting that we never want to wear anything but Bondi!

To learn more about the non-skid ability of Bondi, we made contact between our durometer and the outsole. With a 73.1 HC hardness flashed on the device, we learned two things: It is equally soft as the average and this allowed the shoe to cling hard on tiles and other smooth floors.

Aside from the slip protection, we also got our feet a home whenever we were out racking up the distance. We once again utilized our durometer, but this time we pressed it to the midsole, giving us a 20.4 HA softness, which is 20% softer than average. We also measured the tongue’s padding and a whopping 11.1 mm was recorded by our caliper. Not only did it surpass the average by 177.5% but the overall padding and cushioning rendered us more than satisfied, comfort-wise.

Too bad the Bondi’s upper did not emit the smoke we filled up its interior. Accordingly, we rated its breathability a 1/5, so if you plan on getting Bondi, make sure to use it bearing this information. Otherwise, we recommend choosing a more air-circulated pair.

At first glance, it’s obvious that KEEN WK400 is the best-rockered walking shoe. Yet what reestablished its title is its performance in our actual walks and lab tests. It smoothly propels us forward, encouraging us to get our steps in by supporting us with a mindblowing amount of cushioning and a robust outsole.

Its striking feature is its KEEN CURVE, similar to a rocking chair. A stiff full-length plate sits beneath the midsole to retain its rocker shape and to stabilize our strides as we move forward. Our bend test reveals it's 60.8% more rigid than average.

With its one-of-a-kind midsole, we couldn’t wait to measure the cut-in-half shoe. Our caliper reveals a whopping 45.7 mm heel, offering generous cushioning for a zero-pain experience. Paired with a 24.3 mm forefoot, the drop results in a never-before-seen 21.4 mm. Such a high drop translates to smooth forward rolls and significantly less pressure on our lower legs. Further making the whole experience enjoyable is its softer-than-average and bouncy foam.

Underfoot, we found a very supportive and durable lugged outsole—12.7% harder and 2.4 mm thicker than the average walking shoe. All our lab results point to its toughness, which means it can handle moderate trails too. 

Unfortunately, it’s also one of the heaviest walking shoes we’ve lab-tested. At 13.4 oz (381g), it sits 40.1% above the average.