Ultimate Best Walking Shoes For Women Buying Guide

That is why they always need to look for the best walking shoe for women which support their feet, alleviate their energy levels, and keep them comfortable in a stylish way. Women need to stay away from fatigue and pain in muscles but they still cannot avoid getting into a daily exercise routine when it comes to maintaining their fitness routine.

To find the best walking shoes for women, it is necessary to analyze the shoes against the most desired criteria and features that every woman need.

For a perfect walking shoe, the most important things include the perfect arch support, posture maintenance, comfort and fitting along with a durable sole and upper of the shoe.

What Type of Walking Shoes For Women is The Best?

Women need an extra touch of comfort and stability when it comes to selecting walking shoes. Due to the fact, their feet may need some support during the walking session and that is only possible with some of the best and the most comfortable walking shoes for women.

Quick Overview: Top 5 The Best Walking Shoes For Women By Customer Rating

The Things That Are Considered Important Are:

Quick Table of Content

Flexible and Lightweight Shoes

Flexibility, durability and lightweight materials are the key concerns when it comes to choosing the best women's walking sneakers. You must choose the shoes that are flexible enough to support the gait cycle without exerting pressure on the feet rather keeping it lighter and easier for the foot to transition between the foot positions during the gait.

Lightweight shoes are always preferred because they will not exert extra pressure due to weight and this lowers the fatigue level and keep it easier to walk.

Breathability and Good Fitting

Another feature that women need in their shoe is the level of breathability. Mesh fabric upper and air-flow channels across the shoe keep the foot dry and comfy and help in avoiding sweating issues.

In addition to the breathable construction, having a good fit also helps in keeping the foot snug-fitted for better protection and comfort as well.

A shoe with a good fit is only possible when you buy the exact size or choose the appropriate width for better keeping the foot in shape. Customized fit is achievable when you have stretchy upper with bungee straps or laces that can keep the upper fitted comfortably on the feet.

Know How To Properly Size Your Shoes

This is the major issue people have to face when they are buying the perfect walking shoes online. Since they cannot try them before purchasing, it is hard to decide which is the perfect size based on the given options. So, it is best to decide as follows:

• Measure your foot’s length from heel to toe make sure you get a proper measurement with the measuring tape.

• Measure the width of the foot but make sure to make the measurement exactly or some cm larger to make sure the shoes fit with the socks as well.

• You may also make the pattern of the foot on white paper and measure the length and the width.

• Match the measurement with the standard sizing chart given and choose the right size.

• Measuring the circumference of the foot from the top circling the top in the middle. This will help you know if you need a wider shoe or not.

• Always try to go for a wider shoe if there are any options of your foot is bulkier or else if you have narrow feet, the exact size may fit better. For narrow shoe construction, it is always advised to get a bigger number

Can walking shoes be particular to walk on a specific place or all are good to use anywhere you walk?

When you start looking at the various types and brands of walking shoes that offer high-quality walking shoe, you can observe that most of them claim to have the capability to let you walk easily on any kind of ground surface. Though, it can be true for most but not for all.

For a shoe to be compatible with the ground on which you will be using it for most of the time, it is better to look for the kind of support it provides, the arch type and the outer sole that is made to deliver the maximum performance on a particular type of ground

So, we can say that shoes can be chosen based on the type of ground you will be walking on. Rough surfaces and bumpy tracks need sporty shoes and with more clinging shoes with grooving on the outer sole. Whereas if you will be walking on slippery surfaces, you may need better tracking and slip-free outer sole that will help you balance on smooth surfaces.

Sporty shoes with good arch support and more cushioning work well on rocky grounds whereas flat, soft cushioned shoes are good for a flat surface walk.

Choosing the right shoe as per the ground conditions make sure you will walk easy and will not have a hurting effect on your foot and leg muscles.

Buying Guide For The Best Walking Shoe For Women

Buying the best walking shoes for women is a process that should be backed by some facts and figures and features that are to be analyzed carefully. Here is what you can do for better selection and buying the best among the many available options:

• Look for the top brands and make sure which of the top products they offer. If you can find the best sellers in the walking shoes you may shortlist them and start comparing the features.

• Compare the features in detail by looking at their exterior and interior design, components and special features like the comfort cushioning, support for the foot, the closure, and different aspects that make the shoe better than others.

• Choose the right size so that you can wear them easily. Look for right width and length so that your feet as comfortable inside the shoe while walking.

• Choose the right materials and type of the shoe. Make sure to choose the ones that are specialized for walking on the specific grounds you will be walking on

• In case if you are on a budget, make sure to filter the shoes that lie within the range of your budget. You can find plenty of options with better cost and features as well.

• Go through the reviews and not just the best ones, go on to read the most critical reviews and weight the feature based on the feature they describe the most.

The Criteria We Used For Our Evaluation of Suitable Walking Shoes

Now that we have gone through some of the best available options on the market, we also have mentioned the basic steps that are necessary to take on when buying a walking shoe, here we’ll discuss how we have selected and analyzed our selected shoes so that they fit the needs of the user:

• Materials and Durability

It is best to know which materials are used in the making of the shoe that you have shortlisted because there are many options like, leather, synthetic materials, and mesh fabric that are used in the making of the walking shoes. Look for the high-quality materials that are lasting and durable. To make sure the shoes would last longer with regular use, we have made sure to suggest the ones with durable, high-quality material.

• Closure and Easy Wearing Shoe

Easy to wear shoes with the custom fit design is always good. Lace-up shoes, slip-on shoes, and one step strap closure are the most common types of closure styles that are easy to wear on and will give better-fitted comfort. Either lace-up or strapped closure, we have analyzed which is the easiest and the best for the user.

• Cushioning and Comfort

Some shoes come up with a medium level of cushioning, some have memory foam footbed, some have double cushioning on the neck of the shoe and the tongue making it fit better and provide more comfort, whereas some have a thin lining of soft foam for comfort and support. We have assured to sort out the most comfortable and padded shoes that are best to support the foot.

• Breathability

Breathability is a major concern. For regular walking needs, the shoe needs to be breathable so we have tried our best to enlist the walking shoes that either has perforated upper or there is a mesh upper on it to keep the inside of the shoe airy and breathable.

• Style and Technology

We have chosen the best style with a low arch, comfortable footbed, easy wearing, and latest design so that they come out as the best walking shoes for the women

• Versatility

Versatility is also one of the important features women look for and we have analyzed this aspect as well so that no features including style and versatility are compromised.

• Flexibility In The Soles

Just as we have selected the ones with a padded interior, we also haven’t ignored the flexibility of the sole. So, here we have analyzed the durability and flexibility of the shoe so that you find the ones that support natural gait in a comfortable manner.

• Other Important Factors To Think About While Shopping Around

Since we have tried our best to give our best advice based on the features and comfort aspects of the walking shoes, we have to make sure that you will be able to find the best solution or your walking needs. So you might even look for other options like choosing the shoes with EVA midsole, heel support, shock absorption and other features like that so that you may end up with the best of the best.

• Make A Selection Based On Your Environment

Sometimes it is also important to understand the requirements of the environment in which you live and will be using the shoe to walk around. Humidity, high-temperature and extreme weather conditions required to wear shoes that have a moisture-wicking insole and airy, perforated upper.

If you are going to use them in a rainy season, waterproof materials are the best ones to use and wear on to keep the water away from soaking the shoes.

For colder climatic conditions it is better to look for heavy cushioning inside and leather materials on the outside with better tracking outsole for more reliable performance.

Difference Between Walking Shoes and Running Shoes

Although they may have similar characteristics, there’s no doubt that running shoes and walking shoes are different in their own ways. They are not used for the same purpose. There are some sneakers manufactured basically for running while there are others that are specifically designed for walking. It will be important to understand their differences so you know which one is more ideal for you.

Differences Between The Two Types of Shoes

• Heel Height

Running shoes have a built-up heel to ensure more stability. This is because the impact point is different for runners and walkers. Most walkers stride first with their heel while runners may use different sides of the feet to first strike the ground.

Runners have different levels of built-up heel for their shoes. This is to accommodate the specific strike pattern. On the other hand, walkers should go with the least height disparity between the toe and the heel (usually known as heel drop). In other words, unlike running shoes, walking shoes do not necessarily need higher heels.

• Flexibility

Both walking shoes and running shoes should be flexible. But their differences lie in the centralization of flexibility. Walking shoes are more flexible at the forefoot because of the forward rolling motion of the walker. However, running shoes flex most at the mid-foot or the arch to create the right balance.

• Cushioning

Obviously, walking requires lesser cushioning than running. Runners have a heavier impact on the ground and their shoe soles may flatten quicker if they have the same cushioning as walking shoes. The impact of the runner’s body weight is twice more than that of walkers. 

As a result, there is usually more cushioning at the forefoot and heel section for runners. On the other hand, walkers do not need additional forefoot cushioning since they don’t press much of their weight to the ground compared to runners.

• The Shape of The Heel

Runners will benefit most from a flared heel because of the increased stability. But for walking, the heel usually impacts the ground before any other section. Because of this, most walking shoes usually have straight or undercut heels.

There is a good reason why it’s important to get the right type of shoe whether you need it for walking or running. It provides more comfort to you and helps prolong the lifespan of the shoe. Whenever you are out to shop for the most ideal shoe, select the right shoe that will provide more comfort to you as well as stand the test of time.

Different Types of Arches In Walking Shoes

Your foot arch determines the type of walking shoe that will be more comfortable for you. It will provide balance and prevent pains when walking or running. This content will help you understand the different foot arches and how they are relevant when selecting the right type of walking shoes.

What Is The Foot’s Arch?

The arch is the curved portion of your feet that makes contact with the ground when you walk. It generally begins just below the ball of your foot and extends towards the heel. While some people have a low arch, others have a high arch. Yet, some other people have a neutral arch (between high and low arch). Your type of arch will most definitely determine the type and shape of shoe you need.

Why Is The Arch Important?

The arch plays a very important role for your foot and entire body when walking, running, or standing. When standing or walking, it is responsible for distributing the weight of the body throughout the feet bones.

Some parts of the arch also play a very vital role in propulsion and shock absorption when running or walking. So, it’s evident that the foot arch is a vital component of the body’s balance during these activities.

Benefits of Each Type of Arch In A shoe And How It Helps In Walking Better

1. The Low Arch Shoes

For those with a low arch, the entire feet are usually flat on the ground. Your foot falls in or pronates with minimal stability when standing. Those with this type of arch usually have a flat foot and they will need a heel for support. Their ideal shoes come with a heel for better support on the foot.

2. The Neutral Arch Shoes

For neutral feet, the big toe and ball of your feet are clearly visible in the proportionate measure when you stand. If you have a neutral arch, it means your foot isn’t too high-arched or too flat. This means you have a lot of options when it comes to different types of running shoes. Almost any type of walking shoe will feel comfortable on your feet.

3. The High Arch Shoes

Those with high arch have the ball of the feet and a tiny fraction of their heel visible when they stand. Those with this type of arch will be unsafe to wear heels. They may also find it uncomfortable wearing boots or slip-on shoes. For these sets of people, lace-up walking shoes that provide stability and cushioning will be best for them.

There are different types of walking shoes meant for different foot types as seen above. It’s important to understand what type of foot you have when buying a walking shoe. This will help you avoid pains or other conditions that may result from wearing improperly fit shoe types.

Overall, it’s clear that there are different designs for walking shoes for different types of feet. Getting the right type of walking shoe will most definitely help you prevent pains and discomfort when walking. You can easily choose best walking shoes for women with the help of proper knowledge base and understanding of the required features.

It is better to go for the durable, well—cushioned and relatively flatter shoes for simple walking needs instead of highly rugged or high arch shoes which are better for running and hiking.

We have discussed the most desired features and the shoes that come up with most of these features, to facilitate our readers towards a better choice. Hopefully our detailed guide will save you a lot of time and will help you get the best walking shoes for women you need.