What are the most comfortable and healthy sneakers and casual shoes?

I've read online Z-Coil are popular with nurses because they're on their feet all day.

Hush Puppies

I’ve been wearing Altras after my foot started swelling last year. Lots of room in the toe box.

They didn’t work for me but lots of people like Hokas.

I swear by Oncloud.

I live in NYC and when I have a lot of walking I wear my Veja V12 sneakers. They’re kind of old school and fairly structured and need to be broken in a bit at first but they give a lot of support and your foot doesn’t roll around like those marshmallow-sole styles.

Brooks

Anyone who wears the shoes R1 posted should be shot.

I wear basic black...

you're better off getting fitted or consulted on what your real size is, and get some kind of molded ortho insert. When I lost a bunch of weight it became a nightmare to find shoes that didn't hurt me, my feet are long and slender and my right foot is somewhat bigger than the left, getting an insert made a world of different and I can wear most shoes within my size range comfortably now.

DeLiso Debs

I've had these for 30 years and still wear them to do yardwork. This is not my ad, but the only link I could find with a good pic.

I usually wear Dansko walking shoes, but I just got a pair of these and they are very nice.

New Balance running shoe brands. And Sketcher slip-ons (no-lace).

Anything with a Vibram sole. I d had everything from Prada loafers to Danner hikers with those soles, and my feet are grateful. Currently sporting some Dunhill City Sneakers with these soles, and they're great.

Orthofeet. Seriously. You will never want to wear any other shoe.

Hoka One One

[HOKA ONAY ONAY]

Pumas are comfortable

OP are you comfortable waking barefoot / in stocking feet? I’m 60, live in NYC so do a lot of walking and I’ve pretty much worn canvas Converse high-tops every day since the mid 80s. Inside I go barefoot as much as possible. I know they’re an ancient design that offer no “support” but that’s what I like about them. They weigh nothing and the thin rubber sole lets you completely flex your foot as you walk - lifting your heel and then push off with the ball / toes with each step. You can also really feel what’s underfoot - cracks / unevenness in the sidewalk, etc. I miss both those things as soon as I put on any stiffer, thicker soled shoe.

I’ve never had any foot pain - I’m obviously conditioned to wearing them, but I do have flat feet. I had custom arch supports made about 25 years ago and used them in the Converse for about a year, but they really made no difference for me.

I've noticed aching legs and back ever since I got hardwood floors. I started wearing Nikes around the house and the padding helps. I'm talking Nike slip on sandals.

Another vote for Hoka. I have plantar fasciitis and they seem to help.

I wear Hoka and Saucony. Both help my arthritis.

Not Sketchers. I can't believe anyone over 40 wears them, they have no support. Literally shoes for teenagers.

I'm a Hoka convert this year. Amazing sneakers. Wore my first pair once and immediately order two more and replaced all my New Balance sneakers. I can walk for miles, stand for hours, on the hardest surface, with no foot, joint or back pain like I regularly experienced before Hokas. Just amazing.

OP, I don't think it's so much the shoe as it is being properly fitted. And to have a properly fitted shoe, you need to avoid self-service big box stores and go to an independent athletic shoe store that has real sales people to assist you with your purchase, including measuring the length and width of your feet, then observing how you walk run in them to insure a proper fit.

I bought two pairs of running shoes at one of these stores last fall. I paid more but the extra money was well worth it. There are areas in life where it's okay to scrimp, but properly fitted athletic shoes isn't one of them.

I like trail runners.

Salomon and Hoka

Thanks for all these suggestions everyone. I bought a pair of Onclouds. Love them so far, so thank you, r4! I hope this thread has helped others who are looking for better sneaker options.

Second Sketchers slip-ons.

Check out hey dudes footwear, casual, not very expensive , comfortable.

I’m another elder gay who has been having a lot problems the last few years with finding comfortable footwear.

A bunch have people have already mentioned Hoka, and I couldn’t agree more. I’m not in love with the way they look, but I’ve found them to be very, very comfortable. I wear them all day every day — although over the summer I had a very brief affair with Birkenstocks.

Converse All-Star sneakers. I'm on my eleventh pair in a row. I alternate between grey ones and denim. I received a pair of red ones last Christmas and people look at them and love them.

My husband got turned on to Hokas from me, and my son is a chef, so I got him some for work. It’s been a little over a year, three pairs total are falling apart — my husband is a big dude (fitfat) and he likes to use the heel strap to pull them on. His pulling actually tore the heel piece out of the sole. On two pair!! And my son’s souls came unglued. And Hoka will only warranty if we purchased from them, but our shoes were purchased at a retailer.

Sooooo….I’m going back to Salomon. I think some models of Keen, Merrell, Clark’s, and Teva, can be ok, but it’s hit or miss, you really need to test them well and steer clear of soft mooshy kid-leather. I try to lean in toward trail boots, hiking shoes, because the support is sooooooo much better. Clarks used to be decent, but it seems like everyone is making shoes that are knit or mesh, including Clark’s. That offers zero support so I stay away from anything that doesn’t also have ample, thick leather in the design too. A trail-runner can offer excellent support too. When I was young, I would buy the best running shoe possible, which was Saucony and New Balance. I’ve heard good things about Brooks.

In 2000 I wore a brand called Tsubo that I loooved for their soft but thick rubber souls. Skechers are shit if you have flat feet. I am definitely interested in trying OnCloud. I do think the other way to go is to buy top of the line, with a brand known for treating feet well. $200 Hokas are not top of the line, sad to say because that isn’t cheap, but $200 is no longer a high-end shoe. I suspect that to get a shoe that will hold up well and not make my feet hurt, I probably need to spend $300 - 400+ per pair. I’m so desperate for no-pain, I would even consider having a custom pair made IF I knew they would feel good. A thin leather sole won’t cut it, the some must be thick and I don’t know that custom shoes with a thick sole are even out there. Anyone know a good tinker? Isn’t that what they used to call shoe-makers lol?

I’ve even looked at these atrociously ugly European shoes, I think they are made in maybe Finland. They look awful.

Oh! During hot months, my feet need to breathe, which means I wear Birkenstocks. I would never wear them year round, but I do ok in the summer. I bought one of their lace up shoes, and while my feet look like duck feet they’re so goddamn wide in the Birk design, they do feel incredible.

Now you know everything there is to know about feet and aging. This is coming for you too kids.

I wear Crocs around home all the time and I'm retired so that's a lot of time. And there's nothing more comfortable. How can such a simply designed shoe, entirely made of sculpted plastic feel so good?

I also wear flip-flops by Crocs in the hot summer months and while they're mostly comfortable, my feet need a little more support which the regular Crocs give but not their flip-flops.

Brooks Adrenaline running shoes are very comfortable. I like Superfeet All-Purpose Support High Arch (Green) Insoles, but you may not need them with the Brooks.

r26 hope you like them!