Get Sky-High Step Counts in Comfort & Style With These Top Walking Shoes
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If there’s one easy-to-adopt habit that could radically change your life for the better, with minimal effort, it’s walking more. Ditch the car or the subway or the electric scooter and hit the pavement. You’ll get more sunshine (hello, vitamin D!), burn more calories and shed excess body fat without even realizing it.
And in the era of fitness trackers, it’s easier than ever to measure and track your progress. Are you regularly getting 5,000 steps a day? Aim for 7,000. Set goals for yourself that push your step counts northward week after week, month after month, year after year.
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One thing you’ll absolutely need, though, if you’re going to stick to this new habit, is a great pair of walking shoes. If you’re going to start accumulating miles, you’ll want to preserve your feet, and that means shoes that are comfortable, breathable and cushioned. They should fit you well, offer excellent stability, and be durable enough to withstand your high-step lifestyle.
To help get you started, we’ve picked out seven of the best walking shoes for men in 2023, across a variety of designs and price points.
Saucony Ride 15
Lightweight, versatile and available in a wide range of vibrant colors, the Saucony Ride 15 are the perfect hybrid shoes, fully capable of taking you on a distance run or a quick walk to your local grocery store. The highly flexible forefoot and cushioned midsole offer great comfort, while the cozy sockliner minimizes interior chafing.
Under Armour HOVR Phantom 3
A slip-on design, ultra-breathable sockliner, full rubber outsole and Under Armour’s patented HOVR cushioning all make the Phantom 3 one of the most livable daily wearers you can buy. It may have been designed for runners, but the lightweight construction, comfortable ride, fast-lacing setup and eye-catching styling all make this a great choice for avid walkers.
Allbirds Canvas Pacers
In 2023, Allbirds is no longer a best-kept-secret, the hidden gem of the minimalist shoe world, but a heavyweight contender whose best designs are often copied and seldom equalled. Case in point: the Allbirds Canvas Pacers, a canvas take on their famous walking shoes. They’re available in five colors, all of which sit on a natural rubber outsole that does a wonderful job insulating your feet.
Reebok DailyFit DMX Shoes
A walking shoe should be comfortable, of course, and ideally stylish, but one underrated quality is speed. People want to get out the door and start their day without dealing with cumbersome lacing systems, which is just one reason why we love the DailyFit DMX shoes from Reebok. The use of recycled materials helps to lower the carbon footprint, while the heel-to-toe DMX cushioning keeps the ride comfortable on all surfaces.
On Cloud 5 Combo
The aptly-named Cloud 5 Combo will really have you feeling like you’re walking on clouds thanks to its extra-thick midsole, closed-channel forefoot, and proprietary, multidirectional CloudTec foam design that adapts to your movements. If you’re someone who likes to get out the door quickly, you’ll love the integrated speed lacing system, while the environment appreciates the use of vegan suede.
ASICS GEL-KAYANO 28
ASICS has built an entire brand around making affordable, comfortable running shoes, so you better believe they make the list. The GEL-KAYANO 28 boasts their maximum cushion setup, while the minimal, 10mm heel drop and ultra-light, 10.9 oz weight all contribute to making these shoes highly wearable, even on hours-long walks through cities. The shoes were also specifically designed to accommodate both neutral and overpronated walkers, with cleverly placed cushioning helping to neutralize discomfort from off-center strides.
The North Face Summit Series VECTIV Pro
Designed for the intense and unpredictable hobby of trail running, the VECTIV Pro shoes from The North Face might seem like overkill for walking, but if all-day comfort is your goal, they can’t be beat. The high-rebound, full-length foam midsole makes walking on concrete feel like walking on clouds, while the ultra-wide design keeps even wide-footers comfortable while adding stability.
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