Looking for a good pair of walking shoes. Suggestions?
Walking Shoes
Pgolden
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In NYC, all shoes are "walking shoes". On the casual side, desert boots are very good. Almost all of my nicer shoes are good walkers because they have been converted from leather soles to rubber or Dainite. Leather gets chewed up fast around here.
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Some years back I found a rubber-soled Alden plain toe blucher at Sierra Trading Post and bought two pairs, tan and dark brown, and for tromping around in a variety of conditions they are superb.
But I have never seen them since, not even at Shoe Mart or other Alden sellers. Which helps you not one bit.
How about the AE Wilbert?
But I have never seen them since, not even at Shoe Mart or other Alden sellers. Which helps you not one bit.
How about the AE Wilbert?
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I have most lickely walked every block below 125th Street in Manhattan and the A&E Leeds with leather soles have been my choice. A police officer once told me that they always had double soles on their shoes. I don't know if those "diamite" soles would work on some of the Park Avenue side walks.
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There's walking and then there's walking. If you are talking about tramping around the city and its puddles and obstacles then you can go with Alden's plain toe walker with some sort of crepe sole, or with the leather soled plain toe blucher in cordovan which, once broken in, will absorb the miles, the puddles and the pounding and look good in the bargain. If you are walking paths in the country you might consider Tricker's country line for shoes like the Keswick or Burton both of which are stout and very comfortable. I have walked all over Manhattan island in Alden ptb cordovans as well as in Brooks Brothers Peal cap toes. The Aldens will give better support and will go more miles before having to be resoled. Frankly all good quality leather soled shoes are pretty good for walking as they are designed for it.
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I don't know. If you check out the associated threads (at the bottom of the page) you will see lots of suggestions for "walking shoes", most of which don't involve leather soles. That's because concrete makes short work of leather.
And leather is slippery when wet.
And leather is slippery when wet.
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I can cover a lot of miles in my Alden Longwings with the double leather sole. I try not to do so when the streets are wet, and I am pleased with the durability of the soles.
On the more casual end, I no longer wear Clark's DB's as (for me) they lack support and sufficient heel cushioning for long walks. In the past they did perform well, and I tramped all over Trinidad and Guyana in a pair years ago. I guess I must be getting old and need more support.
My Mephisto Hurricans boat shoe are very good for a walking shoe. For a less expensive alternative, I am quite pleased with the Rockport Perth. I think those are still on sale at . They feel more like a sneaker with the look of a fairly standard boat shoe.
On the more casual end, I no longer wear Clark's DB's as (for me) they lack support and sufficient heel cushioning for long walks. In the past they did perform well, and I tramped all over Trinidad and Guyana in a pair years ago. I guess I must be getting old and need more support.
My Mephisto Hurricans boat shoe are very good for a walking shoe. For a less expensive alternative, I am quite pleased with the Rockport Perth. I think those are still on sale at . They feel more like a sneaker with the look of a fairly standard boat shoe.
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Depends on what you mean by walking shoes. That term is commonly used to describe a particular type of English country shoe. If that is your interest the S&H Boston model I acquired last year certainly is good example of the type. -
https://askandyaboutclothes.com/community/showthread.php?t=91256
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For leather soles, the suddently wet streets are the kicker. And the wet slick floors of office lobbies and metal grates, etc.
But these are mainly NYC concerns.
But these are mainly NYC concerns.
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You don't normally think of boat shoes when you think of a "walking shoe", but I can testify to the fact that 3-6 mile walks in the Rockport Perth boat shoe are no challenge whatsoever.
You would never know it by looking at them, but they have some sort of proprietary "airsole" technology in the outsole that makes it feel a lot like a streamlined, cushioned running shoe to walk in.
If you want supreme comfort (and cost), you can check out the New Balance 2002 running shoe. It is like the 993, only twice the price, with softer cushioning. Only $250!
Seriously, try on the Perth if you are at all into boat shoes.
tt
You would never know it by looking at them, but they have some sort of proprietary "airsole" technology in the outsole that makes it feel a lot like a streamlined, cushioned running shoe to walk in.
If you want supreme comfort (and cost), you can check out the New Balance 2002 running shoe. It is like the 993, only twice the price, with softer cushioning. Only $250!
Seriously, try on the Perth if you are at all into boat shoes.
tt
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The most comfortable first time on, and the most reliable on walks and marches are Doctor Martens. Many troopers on the Nijmegen march used to swap their military issue boots for DMs just for the march. I wear a pair of high 10-hole Docs for hiking and wood walking and have never had a problem. On foot patrol in London, I always wore either 3-hole Black Gibson Dr Marten shoes or 11-hole Solvair Highlander boots. The Airwair "bouncing" sole is so called for a reason. And nowadays Docs do some very nice shoes. I own 4 pairs in total that I wear regularly. Cool in the summer, warm in the winter. Currently I'm wearng a pair of 8-hole 1460s, classic black DM boots.
If you want a pair of shoes that you can safely & comfortably walk in and still look good in the office, these look good, I think: https://www.dmusastore.com/p-2551-berto.aspx
If you want a pair of shoes that you can safely & comfortably walk in and still look good in the office, these look good, I think: https://www.dmusastore.com/p-2551-berto.aspx
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ALDEN of NYC carries a special make-up series of rubber soled Alden models that Patrick refers to above.
They are however expensive for a rubber soled shoe.
They are however expensive for a rubber soled shoe.
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Patrick, is this the alden you had?
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I used to wear Doc Martens, but the city chews 'em up pretty good. Other boots such as Red Wings are more durable with tire-like rubber soles. But none of these boots we're discussing look very good with tradly gear.
+1 on the Mephistos, they are great for walking, but somewhat ugly!
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