Women's Walking Shoes

I like to think walking is a style of athletics, sports or adventure

I think the variation in women's walking shoes really proves the point. Before you go looking for a pair of these shoes, you need to work out what type of walking you will be doing in them as the variety of shoe available is really geared towards the method of walking. Here are some examples:

• Casual Walking - As in with your dog.
• Competitive Walking - As in with that funny gait.
• Trekking - Offroad, enjoying the outdoors.
• Everyday Walking - No special effort, just as you go.

For casual walking and everyday walking, all you really need is a comfortable shoe that will not leave your feet tired, sore or aching. If you are only going short distances, or to the beach, you may consider different styles of shoe such as flip flops or sandals. If your strolls have a bit of distance in them though, cross trainers or joggers may be a better idea.

Obviously though if you are competitive walking, it is a different story. Your shoes will start to take on the characteristics running shoes have. Not only will comfort be important, but so will foot support, the weight of the shoe and the durability of the shoe over the many miles you will be covering.

You really need to go to a quality running shop in these cases and look at the shoes on offer there. Some pointers on testing the shoe include:

• Shoe flex - Where does it bend. It should be flexible at the ball of the foot which is the widest part of the shoe. It should offer more support at the arch though, so it should be more rigid there.
• Depth - The heel of the shoe should be slightly thicker than the toe, but not by a whole lot
• Support - The inside of the heel should be a little more rigid than the outside. This helps support your walking style, avoiding pronation
• Ensure the sole of the shoe is made of a durable substance. You will be spending a lot of time in these shoes and you do not want them to wear out.

If you are going trekking or hiking and are looking for a pair of women's walking shoes to suit this style of activity, once again you need a completely different style of shoe. You need to think about where you will be wearing these shoes. Namely in an environment where the terrain, environment and climate is less controlled and predictable. So some of the things you need to consider include:

• Support - As the terrain will be less stable, you need to think about protecting not just your feet but your ankles too. Look for shoes which give support through your ankles.
• Dirt and Water - Try and get shoes which are resistant to dirt and water to some extent. They will get dirty obviously, dirt resistant shoes are easier to maintain over time. Water resistance is more important though, you do not want your feet soaked through at the earliest signs of bad weather
• Comfort - All other things being equal, pick the comfortable shoe. Once again you will spend a lot of time on your feet when hitting the trails.