The 10 most comfortable walking shoes for women, tested over 50 miles of concrete and trails
If you’re wearing fashion sneakers, thin flip flops, or even overly-cushioned running shoes on your walks, you’re not supporting your feet as best you can. The best walking shoes for women will feel supportive for your specific foot structure and help minimize the impact on your joints, protect your foot tendons from feeling strained, and lower your chances of developing a stress fracture, which women are more prone to, says Elizabeth Daughtry, DPM, FACFAS, podiatrist with Foot & Ankle Specialists of the Mid-Atlantic.
I put 20 walking shoes and five walking sandals to the test over 50 miles to determine the 10 most comfortable options. From walking shoes on a budget to street-style sneakers, each pick proved to be supportive and worth your money. My top overall pick is the Adidas Ultraboost Light, which you can read about in detail below.
Best overall: Adidas Ultraboost Light
Of the 20 walking shoes I tested, the Adidas Ultraboost Light were the pair I kept reaching for when headed out the door to run errands time and time again. These shoes weigh just 9.2 ounces and have a soft, textile upper, which Daughtry says is crucial in a great walking shoe as it offers more space and breathability for your foot.
The midsole is well-cushioned, which Daughtry also highlights to help with shock absorption and minimize added stress. After walking all day in these shoes, my feet felt pain-free and well-supported. The BOOST technology in the midsole offers a little bounce with every step. Though they are technically a neutral shoe, my high arches also felt well-supported on long miles, so they seem to be a good fit for all pronation types.
While I enjoyed walking in these shoes the most of everything I tested, it’s a bonus that they’re good-looking. They’re also made from at least 20% recycled materials, sometimes more depending on which color you buy.
I know some people with wide feet who’ve found the plastic lace closures in this shoe dig into the top of their foot since that upper isn’t rigid, but my feet are on the regular-to-wide side of the spectrum and I didn’t find any issue with this. Otherwise, the major downside is these shoes are pricey (unless you catch them on sale).
