your favorite walking shoes

[Brokenarrow]

Hoka- No going back
Most comfortable shoe I have ever found.
Their Hiking boots are great for all around farm use also.

 

[Toulouse42]

You lot in North America (US/Canada) are so lucky that you have such easy access to so many good shoes. Over here I live in a small part of the UK where most shops only sell cheap (or not so cheap) fashion shoes. So many of the shops that sold actual walking shoes have gone out of business due to the effects of internet shopping. When I knew exactly what shoes I wanted, I was happy to order over the internet but bit by bit my old favourites have ceased to exist. I wore a lot of Rockports and "approach" shoes over the years. Now I hesitate to order online as the most common complaint is sizing. If I order and get the wrong size, sending them back is a real pain. However I recently bought some hiking / walking shoes from a brand called Mountain Warehouse and they have so far been great. The only downside is that the Vibram soles squeak like Donald Duck when wet on a vinyl floor. It did make me smile though.

 

[bykfixer]

You lot in North America (US/Canada) are so lucky that you have such easy access to so many good shoes. Over here I live in a small part of the UK where most shops only sell cheap (or not so cheap) fashion shoes. So many of the shops that sold actual walking shoes have gone out of business due to the effects of internet shopping. When I knew exactly what shoes I wanted, I was happy to order over the internet but bit by bit my old favourites have ceased to exist. I wore a lot of Rockports and "approach" shoes over the years. Now I hesitate to order online as the most common complaint is sizing. If I order and get the wrong size, sending them back is a real pain. However I recently bought some hiking / walking shoes from a brand called Mountain Warehouse and they have so far been great. The only downside is that the Vibram soles squeak like Donald Duck when wet on a vinyl floor. It did make me smile though.

I just read not long ago how to stop rubber soles from squeeking on wet floors and the answer was shockingly easy.
Scuff them on concrete in order to obtain a texture that prevents the suction cup affect of new smooth rubber soles.

 

[Toulouse42]

Thanks Bykfixer. I'll do just that.

 

[BrightestBulb]

If you like a lot of cushion like I do Hoka Bondi 7. I believe they have been replaced by Bondi 8.

 

[Mister Ed]

I like the Bondi, but think the cushion adds a lot of bulk. The Clifton line has been really nice for a bit more mobility.
I think Hokas are the best shoes to use when walking on a lot of concrete like or something. So when we need the best shoes for Disney World, we always bring a pair of Hokas.

 

[JimIslander]

For daily walks I wear flip flops and alternate between that and barefoot during the walk. I have a very specific agenda to toughen my feet since I am a surfer. In areas we surf around the world there are rocks with tiny Barnacles that will just cut your feet up if they're not tough. And I would rather not wear booties in hot weather surfing.

For hiking with a pack under 50 pounds I wear Altra Trail Runners. Zero drop, like my flip flops.

Heavy pack, extreme cold, or plans to haul out a game animal, Crispi boots.

 

[troutpool]

I got a pair of Oboz recently and like the shoes but not the factory insoles. I replaced the insoles with a pair that are more comfortable, and I am really happy with this combination.

 

[bykfixer]

For daily walks I wear flip flops and alternate between that and barefoot during the walk. I have a very specific agenda to toughen my feet since I am a surfer. In areas we surf around the world there are rocks with tiny Barnacles that will just cut your feet up if they're not tough. And I would rather not wear booties in hot weather surfing.

As a lad I walked barefoot on hot asphalt in summer and in winter snow and ice. My friends would laugh saying "you've got congo feet". Skateboarding barefoot was a thing then.

Might be why my feet, ankles, knees, and hips pop like a bowl of rice crispies these days when I walk?

 

[JimIslander]

As a lad I walked barefoot on hot asphalt in summer and in winter snow and ice. My friends would laugh saying "you've got congo feet". Skateboarding barefoot was a thing then.

Might be why my feet, ankles, knees, and hips pop like a bowl of rice crispies these days when I walk?

Skateboarding barefoot, definitely an adaptation from surfing. I don't think walking barefoot caused your problems; I think it was walking of any kind for 50+ years. ;-)

Good to be able to handle some temporary discomfort. Pool in winter builds toughness, but breaking the ice is hell on your shins.

 

[vadimax]

Having in mind the war I am getting used to LOWA Z-6N GTX C. In case SHTF... And they are damn comfortable as well.

 

[bykfixer]

I have been wearing Vans shoes for decades but... there was a gap where it was always Simple shoes. Simple went away for a while. Vans almost did, twice. Several months ago I found some promo Vans on clearance. The premium "skate" version of some leather slip on shoes. I really liked them even though it took a while to break them in. Recently I found some Simple suede S1 slip on shoes on clearance.

Both are really nice old guy mall walkers.
The Vans were $50. The Simples $27.
The Vans have removable insoles. The Simples are slightly glued in but can easily be removed and replaced.
The Vans came with water based glue. The Simples recycled water bottle soles and outter areas, algae based insoles, water based glues, and recycled cotton foxing. A little tag said they saved 8 water bottles and 12 something or other of polluted air.

Insoles of the Vans are part of the promo. The Simples are generic.
The Vans insoles are way more shock absorbing. The Simples allow better "board feel" while being nice shock absorbers. Old guy knees will probably prefer better shock absorption.

The clear soles of the Vans have a mega-cool factor. The Simples just plain green.

The Vans have a pull tab. Simples do not

The Vans foxing is vinyl and rubs blisters. The Simples are recycled cotton and extra comfy

The Vans are smooth leather. Read easy cleanup. The Simples are suede. The smooth Vans began to look like alligator skin after a few hours of use. I mean that's pretty cool for a broken in look. The Simple will probably not show wrinkles.

Now time will tell which I'll wear most but the Vans run tight so each time I wear them it takes a time to be comfy. The Simples are just right in size.
The Vans 'seem' to be more sturdy however I have 25 year old Simples that are still going strong. Both using water based glue causes me to wonder if either pair will hold up for 5 years, much less 25.
Both are winners in my view. But I think the Simples were the better value.

The Vans came from Zappos. The Simples from Simple shoes web site.

 

[Ken Lee Photography]

I like Hoka One One shoes. Both the running shoes as well as the hiking shoes. They are made by ultramarathoners for ultramarathoners, and they have tons of cushion and support. They're fantastic even if you don't run but are on your feet all day. They have considerably more cushioning than most shoes and are sort of the OG shoe of the thicker-soled running shoes. They're utterly fantastic and I cannot recommend them enough. In my opinion, they're far more comfortable than Clarks, New Balance, or just about anything else I've tried. I hope this helps!

 

[knucklegary]

My wife (runner) says these Asics Noosa are the best she has ever worn.. Take into account she only weighs 54kg soaking wet, and runs about 5k every morning

 

[bykfixer]

Good gosh man!! Stevie Wonder could see those. Did they come with an on/off button?

 

[knucklegary]

Haha! They reflect under headlamps, so I'm not scraping her off the asphalt

 

[bykfixer]

After a time of comparing the shoes in post #132 I've come to a few conclusions:
- The smooth leather Vans clean up easier than the suede leather Simples.
- The Vans grip wet, smooth concrete and wet floors much better.
- The Simples are more comfortable for casual use, lounge around and that sort of thing.
- On wet floors the Vans squeek squeek squeek, the Simples don't.
- You can feel the ground better with the Simples yet after walking a lap around a giant tile/concrete floor store like WalDepot the Vans don't seem to support as well so that's kinda strange.
- Neither is good at keeping the chill out but the Vans seem to warm up quicker once back indoors.
- Neither would suffice a day at the theme park for high mileage knees.
- Both are great at the 😎 factor. Style-wise the Vans have a light edge in my opinion.
- The Vans offer better traction in mud but the soles of the Simples shed leftover dirt easier.
- Both are made in Asia
- The Vans cost quite a bit less (regular price).
- Vans are available at many retail stores and online. Simples on line only so no chance to try them on before buying.
- Vans supports a bunch of political stuff. Simple avoids politics.
- Neither use electricity or eat food so cost to operate is nothing.
- Overall I'm glad I tried both. At the end of the day I give the Simples a slight edge because of the comfort and support factor.

 

[knucklegary]

I like that Van's slip on/off hands free donning.. How easy do Simple do the same in comparison?
Agreed, some of us old timers need to look the other way concerning Van's (Vanity Fair Corp) polictal views

 

[bykfixer]

Hmmm, good question KG.
When I first got the Vans the right one would fold over in the rear when trying to hands free slide them on. Mainly because the new "skate" Vans tend to fit tighter than the old school (read non supportive slabs) version. But after wearing them 10 or so times they gradually loosened up enough to where they don't fold over unless I'm wearing thick socks.
The Simples fit looser in general. That and the padded collar around the ankle is cloth covered, which strangely enough slid over socks better from day 1 than the vinyl ones inside the Vans.

I wanted to try the new "skate" version of Vans slip on shoes and the Simple S1 slip on but had no intention of paying the money both shoes cost regular price. The Vans were on clearance at Zappos for like $45 iirc. The Simples went from $90😱 to $27 at Simple's online store.

 

[Toulouse42]

In Nov I posted that I had just bought some shoes of the "Mountain Warehouse" brand (in the UK). Current judgement is not so good. despite quite gentle wear for a couple of months, I find that now my feet hurt and that the inner sole is already sagging under the ball of my foot. These weren't cheap (around 85 uk pounds). And I'm not a big guy so I can't see a reason for this. My earlier shoes , MEINDL approach shoes were much better in this respect but just wore out after a few years. Like I said earlier, I can't get these anymore as the outdoor store I got them from has stopped trading.