How to Buy Walking Shoes
From LoveToKnow Buy
Walking is one of the best forms of cardiovascular exercise you can take up. Doing just a few miles a day keeps your heart in great shape and helps you stay (or get) slim. If you’re thinking about buying a pair of shoes specifically designed for walking, read the below tips on how to look for and successfully purchase a pair of kicks.
Tips for buying walking shoes
- Head out to the sporting goods or walking and running specialty store closest to you. Peruse the selection, take note of walking shoes you like the look of, and if you don’t know your shoe size, have your foot measured by a salesperson. You should also have an idea about how much money you can afford to spend on new walking shoes.
- Look for shoes that are light in weight. Also try to find a pair that match up well color and style wise with the clothes in your wardrobe.
- One of the most important things to look for in a walking shoe is a low profile heel with a slight angle to the outside of the heel. This will help steady your foot and ankle while in stride.
- Flexibility is important in a walking shoe. Look for a walking shoe that has flex grooves across the bottom. Also try to find a walking shoe that’s made of both leather and synthetic mesh. With this combination, your foot will get the warmth and protection of leather on cold, rainy days, and the breathability of mesh on warmer days.
- Inspect the toe area of the walking shoe before buying. Make sure you can fit your thumb between the tip of the shoe and your longest toe when trying the shoe on.
- Do not be too concerned with finding a walking shoe that has thick cushioning in the sole. While thick cushioning can’t hurt, you won’t need it as much as a runner or jogger does, for walkers don’t need as much support as runners and joggers do.
Caution
Try to avoid purchasing walking shoes that have an excessive amount of bumps and grooves on the bottoms (i.e. look for walking shoes that are for the most part flat on the bottoms). You don’t want to trip and stumble on something your walking shoes could tread across while walking.
Where to buy walking shoes
Below are some good spots online to go shopping for a pair of walking shoes.
Zappos.com has long been one of the most popular shoe stores on the web. Their selection of walking and comfort shoes is broken down by gender and brand.
Shoebuy.com is “the world’s largest site for shoes.” Search for walking shoes in the men’s and women’s departments by price, length or width.
Onlineshoes.com has walking shoes for men and women in such categories as Velcro, travel and all-weather. Be sure to check out the sale sections in both the men’s and women’s departments.
Resources for walking shoes
Adventure Sports Online: How to Buy Walking Shoes
Sports Authority: How to Buy Walking Shoes
Learn More
This page has been accessed 685 times. This page was last modified 00:04, 12 April 2006.
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