How many pairs of comfy walking shoes do you have? - YouLookFab Forum

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How many pairs of comfy walking shoes do you have?

Gigi

Veteran

I have to admit that I really like fashionable shoes. Of course, they're not all that comfortable for walking around in! I was making a spreadsheet of my wardrobe, and it dawned on me that I have only three pairs of really comfortable shoes: a pair of sandals, a pair of mary janes, and a pair of knee-high boots. Everything else has some kind of high heel (at least 2.5"), so it's OK for short errands and the like, but not for doing heavy-duty walking.

This got me wondering, how many pairs of comfortable walking shoes/sandals/boots do other fabbers own?

General

38 replies

Latest reply was from Gigi

Sal

Veteran

Excluding sneakers and trainers I would say four. Two pairs of boots for winter, and two pairs of sandals for summer.

I have several other pairs I could last the day in easily, but I would avoid the, on a day with a lot of walking.

Joy

Veteran

I don't keep any shoes that are uncomfortable and all my shoes can take me at least a mile. Maybe there is something that you can do to make some of your shoes more comfortable, like stretching, adding arch support or cushioning and/or using the glide product that Angie mentioned in her blog.
http://youlookfab.com/2013/07/.....bodyglide/
http://youlookfab.com/2014/06/.....bodyglide/
http://youlookfab.com/2014/03/.....bare-feet/
http://youlookfab.com/2013/07/.....appy-feet/
ETA: I have 5 pair of athletic slip- on Mary Jane flats and 4 pair of sneakers. I have also worn some of my comfortable ballet flats for brisk 2 mile dog walks and all day city walking. I don't have walking sandals but do have a couple pair of short boots.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Almost all of my shoes are "walkable." For me, I mean. Especially the winter footwear. Basically, if I can't imagine walking at least a couple of miles in it, I don't buy it -- and that includes heels.

Now you know why I don't actually wear a lot of heels, LOL.

But getting down to the nitty gritty:

If you mean a proper walking shoe, like a gear shoe -- well, I have trail runners, a pair of lighter walking/ running shoes, and an "athletic style mary-jane" -- plus a pair of gear hiking snow boots. But I don't wear those with my non-gear clothing.

When it comes to regular footwear, I do hear what you are saying about "errand running" shoes vs. "all day walking shoes." And even though I'll only buy shoes I can walk in, some are definitely more walkable than others.

For summer, at the moment i have 2 pair that I consider heavy-duty walking shoes -- my Cons, and my Bernia sandals. I'm tempted to add my VC cage sandals (with the 3 inch heel) which are surprisingly stable and comfortable -- but to be honest, although I've worn them to walk in for a full city day and walked well over five miles on that day with no ill effects, I'd probably hesitate to put them on for a heavy walking day most of the time, simply because they are so high. There's more risk of tripping, etc.

I also have a pair of wedge sandals from last year that should theoretically fall into this category but for some reason they aren't as comfortable this year. (They were terrific last year, so I'm not sure what the issue is -- they seem to pinch the tops of my arches this year.)

My winter shoes (mostly booties and boots) are even more practical; there are only three pair that I would hesitate to put on for a heavier walking day. All are dressier shoes that really wouldn't be practical outdoors in my winter anyway.

MsMaven

Veteran

I have several pairs of walking shoes and none of them are really comfy. They range from a C+ to B-. I have problem feet these days and I keep trying to find a really good shoe for me. I do have a fairly new pair of Beautifeel sandals that are working pretty well and don't look too bad.

I love to walk and have travelled thousands of miles on foot, but no longer. I rely on Superfeet berries, padding and metatarsal supports such as Footpetals, and heel pads.

I keep hoping to find a great pair, but shoe brands that worked for me in the past have been disappointing.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

ETA: I would think our numbers might vary depending on the amount of walking we do. And also how fussy our feet are! So there's probably no "right" answer here -- for some people, having walkable fashionable shoes isn't really a priority, while for others (like me) it's a total necessity.

deb

Veteran

I am unable to wear heels so all of my shoes are wearable all day.

Suz

(website)

Veteran

Deb - you have the best collection of flats ever!

If I tried to wear flats all day every day I would be in complete misery.

I mean my feet would.

My challenge is finding a low heel -- the heel that is between 1.5 and 2.5 inches is perfect. Much easier to find this in booties than regular shoes.

April

Veteran

I'm really miserable when my feet hurt (which is much of the time), and I do a lot of walking, so just about every pair of shoes I buy is part of the quest to find comfortable, good-looking walking shoes. This quest has very rarely been successfully fulfilled.

At the moment, I have flat boots that are comfortable but not right for summer, and one pair of "sporty luxe" athletic shoes that are good for summer but not winter. The rest of my shoes are all not quite comfortable enough for a ton of walking -- even though I had hoped they'd be.

Echo

Veteran

Although I have been aiming more at comfortable shoes lately, "comfy walking shoes" means to me that I could as easily wear the shoes for a workout walk as for a day at work, and those are few and far between. I have been leaning more towards flatter, more comfortable shoes, but I still wouldn't wear them for a three + mile walk. They will do for a day at work and not make my feet hurt, but that isn't the same as walking three miles consecutively, KWIM? So I wonder how much differing definitions are playing into responses here. I have lots of shoes that will comfortably get me through a day at work (at an elementary/middle school), but that I still don't consider "comfy walking shoes".

MuseumGal

Veteran

Assuming you mean city walking, and not gear type shoes, for summer I only have 2 pair of Dansko sandals and 2 pair Keen Mary Janes. For winter I have a lot more including a pair of knee high boots (Duo), 2 pair of ankle boots (Ariat cowboy boots and Dansko chelsea boots), and 3 pair of Mary Janes (1 Dansko, 2 Docs). Some of the shoes that I have bought specifically to be comfort city walking shoes have been big failures, most notable my Cons, my Dansko Vedas, and my Bass brogues, which are all reasonably comfortable for work or errands, but not comfy enough for, say, a two hour walk on city streets or a day at a museum. I have stopped buying any shoes that don't seem like they will be able to take me through a couple of miles on city streets.

Diana

Veteran

Well, excluding a few pairs of dressy shoes, ALL of my everyday shoes can go at least 1 mile each way as part of my daily commute. I do add arch supports (power step or super feet) to many of them. So that's probably around 25 pairs. Of those, maybe half are good for walking around the city (think sightseeing) all day.

Caro in Oz

Veteran

I don't keep shoes I can't walk in either. I only have 3 pairs of dressy heels & two of them are versions of the SE Okalas so not very high

columbine(erin)

Veteran

Thanks for the chuckle. I've walked around with size stickers on my clothes before. More than than once, probably. And dinosaurs stickers in my hair from my toddler who loves to share treasures with me.

Neel

Veteran

Most of my shoes are comfy walking shoes which are flats of all kinds (I could probably run a mile in those too). With 2 under 6 in tow I can't imagine fidgeting with my achy feet! I only ever wear heels when I need to be really dressed up.

Gigi

Veteran

Haven't been able to read all the replies yet (have to get to bed early tonight!), but I probably should have been clearer about what I meant by "comfy walking shoes." I'm referring to the shoes you would reach for if, say, you were really tired because you hadn't gotten much sleep the night before and now have to spend four hours or more on your feet walking around, like when you're "doing the city" (like spending the day at a museum, etc., as MG noted above). Even though I have some heels that are comfy and don't hurt, it still requires an additional energy expenditure to walk around in them as opposed to, say, Cons (at least it does for me).

For some people, these "comfy walking shoes" might be gear shoes, but for others not. I suppose it will all depend on what we need to reach our comfort level.

I will be back tomorrow! Thanks for contributing to my thread! Sorry to post and run.

Gaylene

Veteran

After ruining my knees wearing my vanity heels for teaching, I was forced to switch to "walkable" shoes about five years ago. My only "fashionable" heels now are a very comfortable pair of Beautifeel 2" heels, a pair of Okalas, and bootie with a 2" heel. The rest of my shoes, boots, and sandals all fall into the 6-8 hour walking shoe category.

Although I know I won't convince anyone under the age of 40, wearing "fashionable" heels that make you hobble after a few hours will come back to haunt you. I was actually quite lucky because even though I messed up my knees, my feet are still in quite good condition--no bunions or other foot issues even though I'm in my mid sixties--so I don't suffer nearly as much as some of my friends who have a myriad of foot issues. Enjoy your fashionable shoes, if you must, but consider yourself warned.

Laura

Well Gigi, it sounds like you have at least one comfortable shoe in each of the important categories. 1 sandal, 1 shoe, 1 boot

Desmo April

(website)

Veteran

I have two pairs of shoes that I can't walk all day in--A pair of black simple wedges with a 2-inch heel and a pair of T-straps with a 2.5-inch heel. Even those I can at least walk a mile in. Everything else I can walk all day in. I have mainly flat boots, gear sneakers, cons,assorted flats and danskos,

Laura

Would you consider Uggs as a comfy walking shoe? I ask because I have a gigantic collection of Uggs!

Laura (rhubarbgirl)

(website)

Veteran

In Angie-language, I don't have too many 12-hour shoes. Probably the ones I have are sneakers and/or boots. Most of the rest of my shoes are 8-hour shoes. I specifically try to avoid any shoes that are not at least 4-hour shoes, and I only have a few of those.

Thinking back to the trip we took to Europe last year, I wore sneakers on the days when we were going to be doing tons and tons of walking. But the rest of the time I was fine with reasonably supportive flats. Unless you are hiking or doing something else active and not just sightseeing, I find that there are usually breaks to sit down and you're not literally on your feet all day long.

(Side note: when I had a job where I was literally on my feet all day long, I wore sneakers. I don't know how salesladies and such do it, when they need supportive shoes but they are supposed to look dressed up.)

I should also say that I've never been a naturally elegant heels wearer, but I could get away with them easier when I was younger. As I get a bit older, I'm less and less willing to have the chance that I'll be uncomfortable by the end of the day, unless it is a very special occasion indeed. I no longer own heels above 2 1/2" which is my drop-dead cut off. Any heels over 1 1/2", even if they're wedges, are special occasion/going out to dinner/going to an interview shoes, not all-day shoes.

Adelfa

Veteran

Using your definition, Gigi, I have a lot.

2 gear workout shoes
2 Converse
1 classic Ugg boot
1 low wedge tall boots (Corso Como)
1 Frye 12R Harness boot
1 Lucky bootie (2" cowboy heel)
1 AGL ballet flat
1 SE Trina sandal
2 Birkenstock
2 dead-flat leather sandals (Frye and Matt Bernson)
1 Beautifeel pump (they really are that comfy)
1 wedge bootie (TOMS)

I have far fewer shoes that do not meet the definition, however all of these are all-day-in-the-office-with-no-pain shoes:

2 Okala
2 3" wedge sandals
2 3" heel booties
1 sequin flat
3+" heel tall boot

MRL

Veteran

Excluding sneakers, only boots are comfortable for me to walk in all day. I have tried so many other pairs of shoes, flats, sandals and have found that I can walk for awhile on city streets and then...
I am trying to find something that will fit my narrow feet, look good and can go the distance for an upcoming trip. Not sure that is going to happen.

Anonymous

Five. Three dress shoes that I can wear all day ... no matter how much walking/standing I might be doing. Two casual pair for weekends. Again, the casual shoes have never let me down either.

Although I own a lot of other shoes in all styles/colors. I always resort to these five pair when I need to look good and actually get things done. The other shoes are "sitting at a desk shoes" and even then by mid-day I may switch to more comfortable shoes.

Aquamarine

Veteran

My goal is to have most of my shoes be comfy but honestly probably 4 pairs across seasons do it for me. I am not counting sneakers.

Thistle

Veteran

Every pair I own is comfortable. I am unwilling to compromise I that, hence no higher heels in my wardrobe.

As for walking around a city sightseeing, that is a smaller number. Going shopping at the mall 90%+. Again, I am unwilling to suffer for fashion and Angie regularly has picks that make sure I don't have to.

UmmLila (Lisa)

Veteran

I like heels and mostly buy my shoes for how they look, though I rarely will go over three and a half inches. However, my days don't involve walking long distances in them.

I've got two pairs of oxfords (Born and La Canadienne) for city walking, plus flat sandals.

I have New Balance shoes for running in the morning and dog walk shoes (at present some slip on supergas and no names from asos) for my afternoon walk, so those count as my main comfortable shoes. I also usually go lower on the heel for winter boots, because we have snow and ice on the ground throughout the winter and it's necessary to exercise extra caution on most days.

carter

Veteran

The vast majority of mine fit your definition. I don't wear anything over a 1" heel because of arthritis in my toe joint. The absolute best non-sneaker, if I could only wear one shoe for the next 30 days...Anne Klein Sport sandals. I have 3 or 4 pair. Walked all through Europe in them...10+ miles (25,000+) steps one day alone.

Aubergine

Veteran

I generally don't buy shoes if they seem like they can't hold up for a few miles of walking. So, except for some dressy heels and a few pairs that I misjudged or bought in a moment of weakness, almost all of my shoes are good for a day with commuting, errands, walking a mile or so to have dinner somewhere, etc.

In terms of all-day city walking shoes, I usually have a few pairs at a time. I'd probably have more, except that I do so much walking that the pairs that can handle the most usually get worn down really quickly. For cold weather, I have a pair of short black Frye moto boots I've worn for a few trips where I was walking something like 10-12 miles a day. (I also have a taller brown pair of Fryes that can do this as well, but they're a little less versatile in terms of what I can wear with them, so they don't really go on trips.) For summer, I have a pair of flat Clarks sandals that I just wore over the weekend when I was out of town visiting friends and doing lots of sightseeing, although they're now worn out to the point where you can see the fabric under part of the sole. I also can walk all day in most of my flats, as long as they have a little support and don't pinch or rub anywhere. Again, I have to be careful not using the same pair for too much walking because they can wear through pretty quickly. Which maybe just means I need more flats!

I do have one pair of "presentable" gear shoes. They're black mary janes with a sneaker sole. I bought them to wear for my honeymoon, mostly because my mom was convinced I needed something made just for walking, and haven't worn them since because they look kind of dumpy.

Janet

(website)

Veteran

I must say that even though I have a sizable footwear collection, and I don't think any of it is from a "comfort line," the majority of it will handle at least a half-day on my feet. Since I got a fitbit last fall, I've been incorporating more walking into my days, and my standards for comfort in shoes have gone up. I still have some 3+" heels, but they either get worn on days when I don't have as much going on, or they're not getting worn as much as they once were. Frankly, all of my footwear purchases in the last 6 months have been lower or very walkable heels -- nothing that I can't imagine being able to walk a few miles in.

I have running and biking shoes and hiking boots, which are strictly worn for exercise, and Teva type sandals that only go on camping and beach trips.

If I'm really in tired feet mode and want the easiest to walk in shoes, I probably have a good half dozen or so options in either the warmer or colder months. Slip-on sneakers, Sperrys, and low-heeled or flat sandals in summer, and low-heeled or flat booties, tall boots, and cowboy boots in cold weather. I don't have particularly fussy feet, but I will tolerate less discomfort now than I would have a few years ago, so in general, my heel heights are going down and the quality of shoes I buy for day-to-day wear is going up. I want MOST of my shoes to get me through a day that includes four or so miles of walking.

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