11 Best Walking Shoes That Actually Look Good

We are a sucker for a Salomon XT style, even if we’re a few years past the XT-6 hype wave. We love this XT-4 pair for walking. Yes, they are made for the great outdoors, not for the coffee shops we’re seeing them in. But that durable, breathable, abrasion-resistant design is exactly why we like wearing them wherever we please, thank you very much. The underfoot feels supportive around the heel and midfoot, and we love how the mesh upper is designed to swipe off dirt and debris. The Very Outdoor sneakers are infiltrating the fashion sneaker market in a big way—lugged soles, quick laces, and all.

Sometimes, the best walking shoe is a classic running sneaker. The Adidas Adizero Evo SL is this exactly. This sneaker has some great cushioning and support but feel more responsive than something with a huge cushion stack. The shoe is super lightweight, too, if you don’t like the feeling of a chunkier, cushioned, often heavier walker types. It’s a great training shoe (speed runs especially) and feels like it never runs out of steam.

New Balance Fresh Foams are also made for running but thanks to the tapered cushioned foam, we also love them for walking. They’re made with a breathable mesh upper and have a secure fit across the top of the foot. The cushion and overall shape feels like a nice middle ground between a thick Hoka rocker and, say, a standard tennis sneaker. We also appreciate the widths available, though we wish there were more colorways.

Shoes designed specifically for walking often have a ton of cushion and a rocker design, which is meant to cushion any shock and push you forward. Still, this design can feel too thick or heavy for some. If you prefer a walking shoe that’s a little bouncier, we like the Cloudflow 5 AD. It has a great heel lock and arch support, though the sizing tends to run small. These are designed to look like the standard Cloudflow race shoe but they are more practical for daily wear.

Saucony’s Omni is one of our current favorites as a cool alternative to Hoka or New Balance. They are just as comfortable and have a bit of chunk to their look, but they’re not crazy thick or heavy. They run in the same aesthetic circle as a dad shoe, but aren’t quite as abrasive. They’re comfy to wear and walk in, have a bit of chunk without feeling too heavy or weighed down, and look cool worn casually.

If you’re getting one shoe that works across environments, we like the Gore-Tex Pegasus. The Pegasus is a beloved Nike running sneaker with its signature lightweight design, stretchy upper, and strategic cushioning. But done up in waterproof Gore-Tex, the shoe is even better. You get all of the support while staying dry in most conditions.

New Balance’s 990v6 is beloved for all of the things that it is: they’re American-made, designed with heft and durability, they’re soft underfoot and hold your feet in without ever feeling tight or constricting. While you can’t go wrong with any 990, the v6 is especially nice for giving your stride a little forward motion. They’ll last you a lifetime, as any true love should. We love that there is a ton of width options and wide size ranges, though there are not a ton of color options.

Reebok and Obey teamed up to make this cool, streetwear-style sneaker that performs well, too. It’s made with a foam midsole, with some extra cushion toward the heel, a reinforced toe, and a TPU plate for easy forward motion.

For a more style-heavy sneaker that is still very comfy, Golden Goose’s low-top dad sneakers are hard to beat. They are beautifully made with high-quality suede and leather detailing, and they have a wide, cushioned support base. We would wear them for travel in particular—when you want to have on a real outfit but don’t want to destroy your feet.