Best Shoes for Walking to Work: 2025

Expert Advice on Running Shoes
Best Shoes for Walking to Work: 2025

1. Is it good to walk to work?
2. Are running shoes good for walking?

The short answer to both of these is a resounding “Yes!”

A more in-depth reply would include the need to make sure the correct footwear is worn. In the same way that getting the right pair of running shoes is important, so also with shoes for walking. As some of our staff know from all-too-painful personal experience, walking any length of time in 'dress' shoes or old trainers, can be excruciating. Honestly, in our humble opinion life is too short to invite more pain into our lives than is strictly necessary.


What to look for when purchasing shoes for walking?

  • Good cushioning
  • Correct support (neutral or stability)
  • Correct sole flexibility  
  • Soft, comfy upper material/mesh
  • Correct fit around the back of the heel

How do you know which shoes are correct for you?

You don't need to worry, as we offer expert advice through our unique Natural Gait Analysis in-store and also our Online Gait Analysis.

We know how tempting it is to dive straight into picking a shoe out for yourself, but we strongly advise taking a little extra time to visit our expert staff in-store or online. Our team has a wealth of knowledge and in the long run will save you time and possibly money. We often hear sad stories from people who have spent money on the wrong shoes for them after innocently going with a friend's advice. A note of caution... it's always good to remind yourself that just because your best friend loves one particular shoe, it doesn't mean it's going to necessarily be the correct fit for you.

Having said that, here are a few options to whet your walking appetite :)

Best Shoes for Walking on Pavements / Best Wide Shoes for Walking / Best Lightweight Shoes for Walking / Best Socks for Walking / More Accessories for Walking / Benefits of Walking / Lacing Tip

Best Shoes for Walking on Pavements

Shop all Road Shoes

Men's Asics Gel Cumulus 27

Men's Asics Gel Cumulus 27

£140

Men's Brooks Adrenaline GTS 24

Men's Brooks Adrenaline GTS 24

£135

Men's Saucony Guide 18

Men's Saucony Guide 18

£130

Men's Hoka Bondi 9

Men's Hoka Bondi 9

£160

Women's Asics Gel Cumulus 27

Women's Asics Gel Cumulus 27

£140

Women's Brooks Adrenaline GTS 24

Women's Brooks Adrenaline GTS 24

£135

Women's Saucony Guide 18

Women's Saucony Guide 18

£130

Women's Hoka Bondi 9

Women's Hoka Bondi 9

£160

Best Wide-Fitting Shoes for Walking

Shop all Wide-Fitting Shoes

Men's New Balance 880v15 2E Wide

Men's New Balance 880v15 2E Wide

£140

Men's Brooks Ghost 17 2E Wide

Men's Brooks Ghost 17 2E Wide

£135

Men's New Balance 1080v14 2E Wide

Men's New Balance 1080v14 2E Wide

£160

Men's Brooks Adrenaline GTS 24 2E Wide

Men's Brooks Adrenaline GTS 24 2E Wide

£135

Women's New Balance 880v15 D Wide

Women's New Balance 880v15 D Wide

£140

Women's Brooks Ghost 17 D Wide

Women's Brooks Ghost 17 D Wide

£135

Women's New Balance 1080v14 D Wide

Women's New Balance 1080v14 D Wide

£160

Women's Brooks Adrenaline GTS 24 D Wide

Women's Brooks Adrenaline GTS 24 D Wide

£135

Best Lightweight Shoes for Walking

Shop all Lightweight Shoes

Men's On Cloudflow 5

Men's On Cloudflow 5

£170

Men's Hoka Mach 6

Men's Hoka Mach 6

£140

Women's On Cloudflow 5

Women's On Cloudflow 5

£170

Women's Hoka Mach 6

Women's Hoka Mach 6

£140

Injinji Toe Socks

Best Socks for Walking to Work

So what else do you need for that perfect comfy walk to work? The next most important item is a good pair of socks.

You will be wearing socks, so why not make them a super comfy type? These can eliminate any blisters especially if your distance is on the longer end. An old cotton sock can really make the experience a bit miserable.

Just as with running, you want the sock to fit snugly around the foot, but not digging in anywhere. Another key element is making sure the sock is breathable and wicks the perspiration out, otherwise the moisture can create friction between the skin – the sock thus producing hot spots or blisters, none of which are enjoyable. I know the world of socks can be overwhelming as there are so many great options. So let's break it down:

The Classic No-Show Socks

Shop all No-Show Socks

Women's Balega Grit & Grace No-Show Socks

Women's Balega Grit & Grace No-Show Socks

£16

Women's Injinji Women's Run Lightweight No-Show Toe Socks

Women's Injinji Women's Run Lightweight No-Show Toe Socks

£15

Feetures Elite Light Cushion No Show Socks

Feetures Elite Light Cushion No Show Socks

£15

The In-Betweener Anklet Socks

Shop all Anklet Socks

Feetures Elite Light Cushion Qtr Socks

Feetures Elite Light Cushion Qtr Socks

£15.50

Stance Run Light Quarter Socks

Stance Run Light Quarter Socks

£15.99

Injinji Run Lightweight Mini-Crew Toe Socks

Injinji Run Lightweight Mini-Crew Toe Socks

£16

Thorlo Experia X Speed

Save - 30%

Thorlo Experia X Speed

£15.50 £10.80

Balega Enduro Quarter Socks

Balega Enduro Quarter Socks

£15

The Ultimate Crew Socks

Shop all Crew Socks

Stance Run Light Crew Socks

Stance Run Light Crew Socks

£17.99

Injinji Trail Midweight Crew Toe Socks

Injinji Trail Midweight Crew Toe Socks

£19

Pressio EQ Compression Socks

Pressio EQ Compression Socks

£40

Feetures Merino 10 Mini Crew Socks

Feetures Merino 10 Mini Crew Socks

£22

Injinji Trail Midweight Crew Toe Socks

Injinji Trail Midweight Crew Toe Socks

£19

Accessories for Walking to Work

Once you've got the shoes and socks sorted, you can look at fun accessories to help with motivation.

Shop All Accessories

OMM Ultra 8L Running Backpack

OMM Ultra 8L Running Backpack

£50

Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 Headphones

Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 Headphones

£169

Janji Multipass Sling Bag

Janji Multipass Sling Bag

£52

Fitness-Mad Foot Roller

Fitness-Mad Foot Roller

£12.99

FlipBelt Zipper

FlipBelt Zipper

£39

Chia Charge Protein Crispy Bar 60g

Chia Charge Protein Crispy Bar 60g

£2.85

Benefits of Walking to Work

Apart from having all the tip-top gear, we also need the ever-important inspiration and motivation. So here are a few fun facts about the benefits of walking, to help you out the door and on your way...

  1. Improved physical fitness. If you move briskly enough to increase your heart-rate and breathing, walking can be a great cardio workout. A good test of your speed is if you can hold a conversation, but don't have enough breath to sing! Although singing has many benefits too :)
  2. Weight management. Walking may not burn as many calories per mile as running, but just 30 minutes can use around 200.
  3. Better all-round health. Walking not only gives your muscles a workout, it improves circulation and joint health as well. The impact also helps guard against the loss of bone mass.
  4. Better mental wellbeing. Physical activity releases endorphins, which have a positive impact on your mood. Walking to work gives you a chance of some quiet time alone to inwardly prepare yourself for the day; walking home helps you unwind and leave work stress behind. I particularly enjoy the latter.
  5. Takes pressure off the traffic. Walking helps reduce overcrowding on public transport, it saves you money, and is great for the environment.

Needless to say, we all have our own motivations to walk/run/jump, and often it relates to some kind of stress. If we do something and then feel better, the chances are we will do it again. So why not find your unique reason and walk with it ;-)


Lacing Your Shoes for Walking

Lastly... our top lacing tip:

It's really important that when walking you are not experiencing any slipping at the back of the heel. If, like me, you have a wider forefoot with a slimmer heel, then there's no need to sacrifice the width in the front of the foot.

All good running / walking shoes have an extra hole at the top of the eyelet. This can be used to give a snugger fit around the back of the heel, but if you criss cross the lacing as usual then it can cut into the top of the foot, so I like to do the loop lacing system. It's one of those tricky things to explain in writing, so check out my short video:

The Secrets of Running Shoe Laces »


Thank you for reading all the way to the end! As we all know, the benefits of walking are many, and there's nothing better than a great physical and mental release. Walking can be a good wake up to start your day, or a therapeutic detoxing of stressors from your day.

And remember, if you have any further questions, get in touch with our team or leave us a comment below. We are always here to help.

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