Walking shoes

Anyone who has done a lot of walking, for work or pleasure, knows the value of a good pair of walking shoes. Nurses and waitresses, for example, drop the fashion factors and go for the comfort of good walking shoes. If you've suffered from blisters and a tight, uncomfortable fit in a pair of good looking, but painful shoes, you'll see the sense soon enough.

Whether you're a traveler hoofing it around seeing the sights, or someone with a job that involves more or less constant walking, you'll soon forego a “fashion” shoe in favor of a pair which does not result in painful feet.

This is not to say that a good pair of walking shoes must, of necessity, be ugly things you wouldn't wear for anything else. In the United States, people don't generally walk as much as people in other countries. Walking shoes can actually border on the stylish, but with the benefit and value of true comfort.

Once you've returned from an outing hiking around the hills or parks and find you need to soak your feet to relieve the pain of your afternoon's enjoyment, you'll be in the market for a pair of good walking shoes. So how can you know what to look for?

A soft leather, shaped like your foot is your best bet for the traveler who will be walking miles in the course of their vacation. A slipper style is best suited to this type of walking. This means the shoe should have a firm last and rounded toes with a proper fit in length.

If your requirements involve hiking over hill and dale out in the country, you'll want walking shoes with a higher cuff to give the support you'll need. Depending upon how often you engage in this activity, the relative softness or stiffness should stand up to the wear you'll give the shoes. If you'll be trekking through the wilderness and camping in the snow, you'll want a thicker leather with waterproofing. This type of walking shoe may require that you break them in on short jaunts before subjecting your feet to miles of walking in a brand new pair of walking shoes.

If your profession requires that you be on your feet for a full eight hours every day, such as in the case of the nurse or waitress, there are shoes designed especially for the purpose. These styles of walking shoes tend to be more utilitarian and less fashionable. However, they are also carefully designed to give you the comfort you need to avoid foot problems over time. Again, soft leathers with firm support and toe sections which are rounded, just like your foot, are de rigeur. Besides, if you're in one of these professions, it's unlikely people are focusing on your shoe style quotient.

Whatever your walking activities may entail, if you walk extensively, be sensible and look for an attractive and above all, comfortable pair of walking shoes. Your feet will thank you!