What To Look For
It's important to look at your old walking shoes to see how your feet have worn into them. This will tell you if you lean toward your inner arches when you walk, which means you will need to buy a shoe with stability and proper arch support. Finding professional-level walking wear should focus on comfort for your foot type. You should also look at the arches on your feet. You can examine them by leaving a wet footprint on a dry surface. If you have a high arch, there will be a space in your footprint between the ball of you foot and your heel, and you should look for shoes with a lot of arch support. If you have a minimal arch, your wet footprint will leave a wide and oval shaped mark from you foot, which means you should look for shoes with a lot of support and motion stability.
Common Pitfalls
People often think that the more you pay for a shoe, the better it is. It is actually much more important to find a perfect fit than to pay for the most expensive walking shoes. Sometimes shoes may fit well when you try them on in the store, but as as soon as you get outside and start walking in them you realize that they are not comfortable or they give you blisters. Try the shoes on in the store with the same socks you plan on wearing when you walk, and make sure to take a walk to test them out, even if it is just around the store.
Where To Buy
Certain stores specialize in fitting people for comfortable shoes according to the shapes of their feet. Go to a shoe store that can take a mold of your feet or a video of you walking, and they will be able to pick out the shoes that have the right amount of support and stability for your feet.
Cost
Walking shoes cost between about $50 and $150, depending on the brand name and what the shoes will be used for. Shoes meant for day hiking and long walks may offer more ankles support and traction, but they will be more expensive than walking shoes meant for dry, flat streets. Shop around online and get an idea of price ranges before you go into a store and get fitted for a shoe, and make sure to be vocal about how much money you are willing to spend on your shoes.
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