The 8 Best Walking Shoes for Men

Although the Swoosh’s newest walking-specific shoe was designed for women (which we applaud and definitely would like to see more balance in design choices), it has plenty to offer for men as well. The Motiva was built to reduce disruptions in the physical flow of walking, meaning the strike from step to step is less taxing on your feet and legs. It’s a wider, more comfort-driven fit that feels like a new direction for Nike, aiming more for longer-duration wear as opposed to something more geared for running a specific distance.

HOKA can seem to do no wrong at the current moment, and its newest hiker is no exception. There’s a certain ideal blend of GORP and “dad shoe” here, with the Vibram Megagrip outsole as a good excuse to retain the extra cushioning HOKA is known for. There’s also a compelling movement here into more responsible materials with a partial sugarcane midsole, recycled yarn meshes and 70% recycled polyester face fabric. For those humid walks where the clouds start to look angry, this is a great go-to walking shoe.

Traveling with shoes is always kind of a pain, but companies are finally catching on and producing decent-looking sneakers actually meant to fold down to take up less suitcase space. This is an ideal walking shoe for long days on the pavement, especially if that pavement is chopped up and old (such as a summer excursion to Europe). The shoe also happens to look great and could be somewhat dressed up if needed.

The loafer is going through a bit of a renaissance, ditching hard old-school soles in favor of something closer to a casual bottom while retaining the dressy look. The Tailored Traveler is a nice take on this trend with four color choices and classic styling.

There’s a lot to love about powerwalking, and you could do much worse than taking on a new sport with the latest iteration of the Glycerin. This is a shoe with great flexibility, a comfy upper and all sorts of colorways to match your fit. It’s a shoe that doesn’t require much break-in, either. Just get up and walk.

Ecco’s reputation for comfort is even better when it’s built into a handsome pair of casual shoes like these. These sneakers will flex with you, and you don’t have to sacrifice any cushion to get a pair that will match with whichever outfit you had in mind for the day.

The Cascade is an all-around great hiking shoe. The mid just takes that excellent base and adds some ankle support up top. It’s waterproof, yet breathable, light on the step and comfortable for longer treks. It also has proven durability with this writer still using an original pair from a few years ago with not much change at all from how they fit out of the box.

After all that walking, you’re going to need a bit of recovery time. If you have any hard walking surfaces in your home (wood, tile, etc.), you’ll want to wear something indoors to protect your feet, and let them bounce back on something softer. That’s where the Kane Revive comes in. A not-so-insignificant amount of time and research went into crafting a recovery shoe that actually does what it says — helps your feet recover. The brand also has a great post-use return program when a pair of Revives reach the end of their useful life.