I was just wondering if anyone has invested in proper walking shoes and what their ideas on them are?
I have hiking boots, still getting worn in a bit, because I find them good for uneven surfaces but not the best for pavement walking. I got some decathlon speed walkers a couple of years ago but I found that they didn't live up to my expectations. I'm looking for a good pair of shoes to walk 15km+ on tarmac.
Anyone got any good ideas.
I like ankle support for walking so I have boots. Mine are Vivobarefoot walking boots bought at the same time as my Vivobarefoot trail running shoes (both much reduced) They have been excellent and I like the light weight and lack of a heel. I once bought very expensive serious vegan hiking boots and eventually had to give them away because they were just too heavy for me.
They look like very interesting shoes. I often wonder if I've gone too far the other way with cushioning for my feet.
I don't have great balance and a neurologist described me as walking like a duck. I do much better if I can feel the ground.
However a long walk on a road or pavement... maybe a bit of padding *is* required (I did the Bogle Stroll as a Manchester University student many years ago and only managed 20 miles or the 55 much of which was excruciating)
Oh and no-one tells you that as you age you lose the natural padding under your feet!
I have a couple of pairs of hiking boots that I use on walks with the dog, longer walks in forests, hill walking as well as big mountain days. I agree with GoogleMe some hiking boots are heavy and feel particularly heavy after wearing running shoes or trainers a lot! I think it is good to have ankle support where the terrain is uneven/rough but usually opt for my lighter pair unless the route is boggy or involves river crossings. For longer walks on pavement I think I might use my 'old' running shoes but I tend not to walk for great distances on tarmac. I will be interested to see what others think.
That's my problem a bit with hiking boots the really hold the ankle and then I get calf ache because of the way the boots have held me. I use old runners at the moment but I wonder if that is right.
The boots I mention in my post are really light. They do have good support though; I have thinnish legs and cannot stand anything too heavy on my feet.
It depends where it comes up - the ones I got rid of were too high on my calf and dug in.
I've done a few longer walks on pavements - (half marathons and 25km through central London) - to be honest I have just used a cheap but comfy pair of trainers. In fact, the ones I wore for my last 25km walk last September are the same ones I have been running in since starting Couch to 5k!
I am hoping to train up for a 25km pavement walk, so far I'm just using old runners, maybe that's all I need.
I bought some new ones when my old ones started to feel uncomfortable - just looked for some I liked the look of on SportsDirect and then broke them in over the 4 weeks leading up to the walk....
I wear my walking boots...I like having good ankle support. Got them from Go Outdoors for a very good price.. current model is ;
Hi-Tec Altitude Lite II Waterproof Women's Walking Boot
They are light, look not too bulky for lanes and road walking.. have walked on average 45 miles Mon to Fri, each week, pushing new granddaughter in her pram, since November! Very comfortable indeed...
PS I am sure my legs are getting shorter with all the walking though!
You can get walking boots without the ankle support - I used mine for a road walking HM a few years ago and they have been great. A word of warning...they have breathable uppers so if you do go off-piste with them you might get wet feet! Mine were very cheap - Karrimor from Sports Direct - but they have lasted six years and I am just about to replace them. They get a lot of use as well, so I was really pleased with them and will replace them with another pair from the same place. (It's not my favourite shop tbh.) My next pair will have ankle support, because I am walking more cross-country these days.
Sketchers is the one I wear it has a memory imprint for support.I find it is good for support and soft comfort.You can also forget any socks that you don't need!🏃🏿
For all you walking critter lovers …. „Big Butterfly Count“ 14 July to 6th August
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