How to choose the right kind of walking shoes for happy feet and an enjoyable walk!
If you do not get much regular exercise – and, according to doctors, that’s the majority of us – there’s no time like the present! Walking is an activity that most of us is physically able to do, even if only in short jaunts. It’s also pleasurable. Walking is great for your cardiovascular system, your muscle tone and to strengthen your joints. Due to the circulatory benefits, even your complexion will advertise the benefits, in the form of a healthy, rosy complexion. You don’t need any special equipment, but you utterly need a good pair of walking shoes! Here, we take a look at what to search in a pair of walking shoes that will transport your feet down the road in comfort.
All the fresh air and beautiful scenery in the world will not make up for an uncomfortable pair of shoes. On the other hand, with a comfortable pair of shoes, you will soon find the miles melting away painlessly as you gain the health benefits that walking provides.
Too many people believe that a good walking shoe must also double as a fashion asset. This is probably the number one mistake for consumers who choose to take up walking. Any woman can tell you that stylish shoes are usually not what you would prefer to walk in for any distance. Your closet is probably packed with shoes for day wear, office wear and a night on the town – not one of which you’d wear for walking shoes! So, you are well advised to put ‘fashionable’ at the bottom of your list of desirable features in a shoe designed for walking.
Of course, you will want to consider the season. If wet weather is still persisting, a waterproof shoe with a solid traction treads sole can be an excellent option. My personal favorite winter walking shoes are made by Danly and could never be considered fashionable, even with jeans and a sweater – at least, not in my perhaps fussy definition. What makes them winners? They are waterproof, with excellent traction and are just a tiny bit loose all around. They are not so loose as to feel as though they don’t fit, but do have enough room to wiggle my toes, even with a heavy pair of socks. They are ankle high, with a leather trim topping the rubber shoe, with a nice heavy breathable fabric around the ankle. These walking shoes are never too warm, nor do they make my feet swell, even after walking miles! I hope they never fall apart! I just hope that, when they do give up the ghost, I can still find this same shoe with the same construction. If you are walking in hot weather, a good pair of tennis shoes, made of fabric instead of leather, is probably your best bet. The same fitting criteria applies.
When you are shopping for your perfect walking shoes, choose a time when you have not just slipped off a pair of high heels that you walked in all day long.
When your feet are already tired, painful and perhaps a bit swollen, it will be difficult to check the true comfort or discomfort in a pair of ordinary shoes. Go shopping in comfortable flat shoes, while it’s still early in the day. Wear – or bring – the type of socks you intend to wear with your walking shoes. Walk around the shoe store for a few minutes before you make a settled choice. Try on several different pairs. Notice if there are any points that rub, or are just a bit snug. That minor discomfort can turn into a nightmare of blisters and pain after you have headed home and out walking for a mile or two!
Oddly enough, although my favorite walking shoes are soooo comfortable, they are without question the least fashionable ones I own. I begin to suspect that picking out excellent walking shoes is a bit like kissing the frog which turns into the Prince! Good luck and good health to you!
