The Best Walking Shoes for Men, Chosen From What the Listings Say
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Our picks at a glance
- Best OverallSkechers Men's Slip-Ins: Go Walk Flex Hands UpCheck price on Amazon
- Best for Motion ControlNew Balance Men's 928 V3 Lace-Up Walking ShoeCheck price on Amazon
- Best Rollbar AlternativeBrooks Men's Addiction Walker 2 Walking ShoeCheck price on Amazon
A walking shoe is sold on comfort and support, and most of what a listing can tell you is how the brand builds for that: cushioning, a stability feature, the upper material and how the shoe goes on. Two of these call themselves walking shoes, Amazon ranks the third #1 in Men's Walking Shoes, and all three meet our ratings floor.
How we picked
We searched Amazon for men's walking shoes, set aside sponsored results, and kept only listings rated 4.3 or higher across at least 200 ratings. Plenty of the results were running shoes, so we kept to listings that call themselves walking shoes or that Amazon ranks in Men's Walking Shoes. Then we saved each finalist's bullets, specification fields, seller and return terms. Comfort and support claims below are the brands' own.
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Best Overall: Skechers Men's Slip-Ins: Go Walk Flex Hands Up
The highest rated and most rated of the three, and Amazon ranked it #1 in Men's Walking Shoes when we checked. Skechers builds it to go on hands-free: the listing describes its Slip-Ins design and a mesh upper with elastic bungee laces that work as a slip-on. Skechers describes the ULTRA GO cushioning as lightweight and responsive and pairs it with an Air-Cooled Memory Foam insole. The listing also says the shoe is machine washable and should air dry. The size we checked was an extra-wide fit.
What the listing says
- Hands Free Slip-Ins design (per Skechers)
- Mesh upper with elastic bungee laces; fabric type 100% synthetic
- ULTRA GO cushioning and an Air-Cooled Memory Foam insole
- Machine washable, air dry (per listing)
- Sole material: Rubber
Best for Motion Control: New Balance Men's 928 V3 Lace-Up Walking Shoe
New Balance pitches this one at walkers who want extra support. The listing describes a motion control design, a ROLLBAR stability post that New Balance says reinforces both sides of the midsole to reduce rear-foot movement, and ABZORB cushioning at the heel and forefoot. The specification fields list a 100% leather upper and a rubber sole, and New Balance says the leather gives a polished, professional look.
What the listing says
- Motion control design (per New Balance)
- ROLLBAR stability post in the midsole
- ABZORB cushioning at the heel and forefoot
- Fabric type: 100% Leather; sole material: Rubber
Best Rollbar Alternative: Brooks Men's Addiction Walker 2 Walking Shoe
A lace-up walking shoe that Brooks says is designed for long days on your feet and suits both casual and work outfits. The listing describes BioMoGo DNA cushioning and an Extended Progressive Diagonal Rollbar that Brooks says guides your stride. Two things to know: its 4.3 rating sits right on our floor, and the listing disagrees with itself on material, with the bullets and the outer material field saying leather while the fabric type field just says fabric.
What the listing says
- Bullets: full-grain leather upper; outer material field: Leather
- Fabric type field: Fabric
- BioMoGo DNA cushioning (per Brooks)
- Extended Progressive Diagonal Rollbar
- Sole material: Rubber
Side by side
| Shoe | How it goes on | Upper (as listed) | Seller |
|---|---|---|---|
| Skechers Men's Slip-Ins: Go Walk Flex Hands Up | Hands-free slip-on | Mesh, 100% synthetic | Zappos |
| New Balance Men's 928 V3 Lace-Up Walking Shoe | Lace-up | 100% leather | SportsNetStore |
| Brooks Men's Addiction Walker 2 Walking Shoe | Lace-up | Leather (bullets) / fabric (fabric type field) | Montaro |
What to look for
Walking shoe or running shoe
Searches for walking shoes return many running shoes. Check what the listing calls itself and which category Amazon ranks it in.
Stability features
Some walking shoes add a stability post or rollbar in the midsole. Check whether the listing names one.
Upper material
Mesh and leather uppers look different, and listings describe them differently. Read the specification fields as well as the bullets, since they do not always agree.
Width and fit
Some listings come in several widths; the Skechers we checked was an extra-wide. Confirm the width selected before you compare.
The bottom line
- Best Overall: the Skechers Go Walk Flex Hands Up, the highest rated and a hands-free slip-on.
- Best for Motion Control: the New Balance 928 V3, with a ROLLBAR stability post and a leather upper.
- Best Rollbar Alternative: the Brooks Addiction Walker 2, with a diagonal rollbar; rated 4.3, and check the material fields.
Frequently asked questions
Which of these is a slip-on?
The Skechers Go Walk Flex Hands Up. Its listing describes a hands-free Slip-Ins design with elastic bungee laces. The other two are lace-ups.
Are these walking shoes or running shoes?
The New Balance and Brooks listings call themselves walking shoes, and Amazon ranks the Skechers #1 in Men's Walking Shoes. We left out shoes listed as running shoes.
Which ones have a leather upper?
The New Balance 928 V3 lists 100% leather. The Brooks Addiction Walker 2 describes a full-grain leather upper, though its fabric type field says fabric.
Can the Skechers be machine washed?
Its listing says machine washable, air dry. Follow the care line on the listing for the pair you buy.
Why are the ratings different from what I see on Amazon?
Ratings change over time. The figures here are what each listing showed on the date at the top of this page.
Ratings and listing details were checked on Amazon on the date shown at the top of this page. We have not worn these; everything above is from their Amazon listings.
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