After speaking to our editors and countless orthopedic doctors.
If walking is part of your exercise routine, it’s probably doing a lot of good for your mental and physical health. Like any exercise, however, you can miss out on walking’s health benefits—or suffer injuries—by doing it incorrectly or without the right equipment. And the most important piece of walking equipment is your shoes.
Not all athletic shoes are made for walking. Some are designed specifically for sprints and long-distance running. Others are designed for weightlifting or style. Luckily, EatingWell editors and I routinely speak with podiatrists and orthopedic doctors about what to look for in walking shoes. I used the experts’ advice and our extensive testing experience to round up the men’s walking shoes I trust to support feet for miles on the street, trail or treadmill. Here are my top picks, including options from New Balance, Asics and Hoka.
Best Walking Shoes for Men
- Shock-Absorbing Support: Brooks Ghost Max 4, $165 at brooksrunning.com
- For Narrow and Wide Feet: New Balance 1080v15, $170 at newbalance.com
- Fix Overpronation: Hoka Gaviota 6, $180 at hoka.com
- Writer-Loved Recovery Trainer: Asics Gel-Excite 11, $75 (was $90) at asics.com
- Podiatrist and PT Favorite: Birkenstock Milano Crosstown Sandals, $160 at rei.com
Brooks Ghost 18
$150 at Brooksrunning.com
Podiatrists regularly recommend Brooks Ghost shoes, known for having wide toe boxes and moderate cushioning. The result is a pair like the Ghost 18, an update on the writer- and editor-loved Ghost 17. The new shoe is almost an ounce lighter with a new comfy sockliner and flat-knit tongue. The brand also improved the heel counter, which now cups the heel more ergonomically, and it kept the 10-millimeter drop and classic outsole to support your natural heel-to-toe gait when walking
Brooks Ghost Max 4
$165 at Brooksrunning.com
The Brooks Ghost Max 4 is also a recent update to an older model, the Ghost Max 3, that I’m wearing for marathon training and cross-training. Compared to the Ghost 18 above, this shoe has even more shock-absorbing cushion and extra room for orthotic inserts. Plus, it’s shaped to encourage toe-offs, helping you achieve full-foot movement with every step.
New Balance 1080v15
$170 at Newbalance.com
New Balance consistently makes podiatrists’ lists for narrow feet and wide feet. The brand offers many of its shoes in sizes from narrow to extra-wide, including this 1080v15 running shoe with plenty of heel cushioning for walking. Even the upper is well-cushioned but perforated all around to be breathable for folks who sweat easily, like myself.
Hoka Gaviota 6
$180 at Hoka.com
One editor wrote that the Hoka Gaviota 5 fixed her partner’s overpronation, thanks to the H-frame design made to keep the foot landing and striding neutrally. Hoka just released this lighter Gaviota 6 with its enhanced H-frame for extra stability, and several colors are available in wide and extra-wide sizes for people who need more room in their shoe.
On Cloudmonster
$170 at Zappos
I’d recommend this shoe to interval walkers and runners. On your running stints, the sole’s cushion and thermoplastic plate, or “Speedboard,” help with propulsion. When you switch to walking, the shoe—despite its rocker shape—lifts undramatically at the heel, so you can still walk naturally in it.
Asics Gel-Excite 11
$90 $75 at Asics.com
I wore an Asics shoe uncannily similar to this one through Army basic training and for months afterward—it just wouldn’t break. This relatively affordable model is designed for neutral feet and underpronators, or oversupinators, like myself, and it’s designed to help you train while recovering from injuries like plantar fasciitis and shin splints.
Teva Hurricane XLT3 Sandal
$100 at Teva.com
I wore the Hurricane XLT2 Sport sandal for miles at Disney World and on a weeklong vacation to Taiwan, and my feet felt amazing compared to my sneakers. So, I’m sold on the newer walking sandal that has 5 millimeters of extra cushion and the same Teva tread that keeps me stable on both asphalt and dirt paths.
Birkenstock Milano Crosstown Sandals
$160 at REI
Open-toe footwear has a bad rap for being unsupportive, unless you’re speaking about Birkenstock. Podiatrists laud its heel cup and arch-supportive footbed, which molds to your feet as you break it in. Physical therapists have also told me they prefer a heel strap on sandals to reduce stress on foot muscles, so I’d choose the Milano Crosstown for its hybrid, travel-ready outsole and expert-approved support.
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