Whether you're slightly obese or way overweight, shoe discomfort, and pain while walking is one thing that'll always be certain. This pain has been especially prevalent for me as an overweight walker since I'm on my feet most days. And by the fact that you're reading this article, I'll assume you have this same issue too.
Look:
While feeling feet pain is a normal part of being overweight, it doesn't have to be permanent since all you need to solve is the best walking shoes for overweight walkers. It took me six years to realize this, and I'm hoping you didn't take as long as I did.
Here's a shocking fact you might not be aware of:
If you are overweight, you are at a greater risk for many issues with your feet, such as developing plantar fasciitis, fallen arches, and you may even develop knee problems.
As such, it is highly recommended that you make regular walking/exercise a part of your routine. However, if you already have these problems or want to prevent them, you'll need to get yourself a pair of the best shoes for overweight walkers. And in this article, I've put together the top 10 options you should consider getting after months of research.
I've split them into recommendations for men and women, so it's easier to find one that suits you.
Best Shoes for Overweight Walkers:
- Skechers Women's Go Walk Smart
- Slow Man Women's Walking Shoes
- Gravity Defyer Mighty Walk for Obese People
- Saucony ProGrid Integrity ST2 Walking Shoes for Overweight Women
- VIONIC Women's Walker for Overweight
- New Balance 877 V1 Walking Shoes for Overweight Men
- Propét Men's Stability Walker Sneaker
- Saucony Men's Grid Omni Walker
- Rockport Men's Eureka Walking Shoe
- Rockport Men's Rock Cove Walking Sneaker
Ladies before Gentlemen, so I'll start by going over women's options first:
Best Walking Shoes for Overweight Women Reviews
Skechers Women's Go Walk Smart
Click Image to View More on Amazon
The first and possibly one of the most comfortable walking shoes for overweight women is the Skechers Go Walk Smart. These shoes feature a mix between fabric and synthetic upper with a rubber sole that provides truly impressive comfort. Moreover, it's a Skechers sneaker, so you already know that it'll be a high-quality shoe for heavy women.
In terms of comfort, the Skechers Go Walk Smart has a lot to offer. It has a soft, breathable upper that is fairly stretchy. And it has an Air Cooled Goga Mat insole that'll provide great cushioning for your feet. When paired with the dual-density outsole that features their smart flex design, you get a perfect shoe for walking.
Even more impressive is that this shoe is available from size 5 - 13, with each size offering a .5 or wide option. So regardless of what size you wear as a woman, you'll have an option that fits comfortably. You also won't need to worry about style either, as it comes in 12 different styling options.
Why I liked It:
Slow Man Women's Walking Shoes
Click Image to View More on Amazon
If you've got plantar fasciitis or high arches, these walking shoes are one of the best options to consider. They offer great comfort, style and are incredibly cheap so that you could buy multiple pairs. However, there's one downside, as it only runs to a size 11. But most women won't require a larger size either way, so it's still one of the best walking shoes for overweight women to consider.
This walking shoe impressively features 25 styling options that have made it one of the current crowd's favorite as it's currently the best seller(at the time of writing) on most sites. It features a breathable upper material that feels just like socks and has a lot of flexibility. Moreover, it has an outsole with a niche air cushion and a perforated arch and rubber soles that make them great for persons that walk-on stands all day.
If you are a nurse or do anything else that requires lots of walking and standing, you'll be pressed to find a more inclusive shoe than these.
Why I liked It:
Gravity Defyer Mighty Walk
Click Image to View More on Amazon
If you've got any foot pain, whether it's Achilles tendonitis, plantar fasciitis, heel pain, arthritis, or anything else, these shoes might be your solution. They are incredibly comfortable shoes for walking or standing all day. Moreover, they are available from size 6 to 11.5 X-wide, so they offer more inclusivity for obese women with fat feet.
The Gravity Defyer Might Walk features a neat design with7 style options. It fuses a fabric and synthetic breathable upper design and uses their patented VeroShock insert that does a wonderful job of relieving pain in your knees, lower back, and ankles. It also features a front rocker sole that offers great support to the midfoot, which will relieve plantar fasciitis or arch pain.
And due to the wide available options, it'll be a great shoe option for persons with bunions or wide feet. With the Gravity Defyer walking shoes for overweight women, you'll also get a free orthotic insole that could be considered one of the best insoles for overweight persons.
Why I liked It:
Saucony ProGrid Integrity ST2 Walking Shoe for Women
Click Image to View More on Amazon
The Saucony Progrid ST2 is another excellent pair of walking shoes for heavy women. They feature a classic sneaker design that will make them blend well into any situation. Moreover, various size options are available from size 5 to 12 with extra narrow to extra-wide sizes. With this much diversity in sizes, you'll find the perfect fit for your feet.
While these shoes' style isn't anything to boast about, it makes up for it with impressive comfort. Thanks to the full-grain leather upper that features a forefoot stretch zone, you'll have plenty of comfort in the toe box area. Internally, the Saucony Integrity ST2 utilizes a nicely cushioned insole that provides decent support for neutral walkers. Moreover, it also comes with their Walk-Trac comfort outsole paired with the XT-900 material to ensure that the sole is durable enough to last years of daily use with hours of standing or walking.
If you have pronation issues or don't have a high need for a shoe with high arch support, then these are a good go-to option.
VIONIC Women's Walker
Click Image to View More on Amazon
This Vionic walking sneaker for overweight women is another classic style shoe that isn't all that appealing in looks. But it makes up for the downside of looks with the impressive comfort and supports it'll provide your feet. It comes in various sizes from 5 - 13 with wide or narrow options in between each.
While the styles aren't fancy, there are still plenty of options to choose from, and you can even get it with a leather or suede upper. These shoes use Orthaheel technology for comfort, so it has a podiatrist-designed orthotic built into the footbed. This feature will allow natural alignment of your feet, which helps relieve foot, lower back, and knee pain.
They also have a .5" outsole that offers good cushioning and heel to toe elevation for walking. Internally, the Vionic offers a breathable mesh upper that does a great job keeping your feet cool and comfortable throughout the day.
Overall, these are the best walking shoes for plus size to help with heel pain, plantar fasciitis, high arches, and people with knee problems.
Why I liked It:
Best Walking Shoes for Overweight Men Reviews
New Balance Men's 877 V1 Walking Shoe
Click Image to View More on Amazon
For anyone looking for the best walking shoes for big guys, you don't have to look much further than at the New Balance 877 V1. These shoes feature a 100% suede upper with a mesh design and a comfy rubber sole. It is also available from size 7 to size 15 with a wide and x-wide option in between. As a big guy with big feet, having a wide and x-wide size option helped in getting the right fit for my feet.
The New Balance 877 has a sporty design that makes it a great walking shoe that you can wear anywhere.
Why I liked It:
Propét Men's Stability Walker Sneaker
Click Image to View More on Amazon
These Propét sneakers are another excellent pair of walking shoes for overweight men. They look great and are offered in 7 styles that will allow you to find the perfect option. What makes this one of the best walking shoes for big guys is also the available sizes.
Unlike the others that only offer an x-wide option at most, the Propét Stability walker offers up to a 3X-wide option and goes all the way to size 17! So it doesn't matter what kind of foot you have; you'll find a pair from this brand that will wrap your feet up comfortably.
These shoes also offer plenty of cushioning thanks to the molded-EVA midsole and a rubber outsole. It also has a removable cushioned orthotic insert inside that you can later replace if you need a little more comfort. Plus, it features a speed-lacing closure setup that makes it easy to put on and take off.
Why I liked It:
Saucony Men's Grid Omni Walker
Click Image to View More on Amazon
The Saucony Grid Omni Walker is one of my favorite walking shoes for big guys of all time. These shoes are great for big guys with plantar fasciitis. And they offer a good deal of comfort that'll allow you to wear them all day without issues.
They come in sizes from 7 to 15, with wide sizes available for persons with wide feet.
Why I liked It:
Rockport Men's Eureka Walking Shoe
Click Image to View More on Amazon
If you need the best walking shoes for overweight men to wear to work, the Rockport Eureka shoes are the best choice. These shoes come in three colors of black, brown, and chocolate nubuck. Moreover, there are plenty of sizes available, from 6.5 to 14 inches, with wide and extra wide options.
They feature a genuine leather upper that makes it easy to polish and keep clean. They've also included a Fatigue-Fighting footbed that uses latex foam cushions to provide comfort and relieve fatigue as you walk or stand all day. It also has EVA midsoles that make the shoe flexible so you can walk with more comfort.
These shoes are great to wear right out of the box and are the perfect choice if you've been having trouble finding work shoes for big guys.
Why I liked It:
The Bottom Line
The best shoes for overweight walkers are the Skechers Go Walk, Gravity Defyer Mighty Walk for women. While for men, the best shoes are the New Balance 877 V1 Walking Shoe, or you could get the Skechers Go Walk for men.
What to look for when buying heavy-duty walking shoes for overweight persons?
The most important thing to look for when getting shoes for overweight walkers is a wide variety of size options. More size means better chances to find a comfortable shoe. As such, you should always look for shoes with multiple width and size options.
You should also ensure that they offer good sole technology that will be able to withstand your weight. A good sole will allow you to walk and stand for longer without all the pain in your heels.