Meet the winner and finalists in our comfort shoes category. Some are built with great cushioning to prevent fatigue and pain from standing or walking long hours. Others are minimalist shoes to let your feet get back to a natural feel. The finalists were nominated by readers and selected by our expert panel of walkers, then the readers voted. Voting polls were audited to produce the final results. For more information see our FAQ. The prize: bragging rights.
Winner: Joya Shoes
© Joya International AG
These are touted as the "softest shoe on Earth." They are designed by Karl Mueller Jr., whose father, Karl Mueller Sr., invented the MBT Footwear. Their patented sole technology gives a soft, light, comfortable feel. One nominator said, "Absolute comfort, arch support, conformity to foot, massaging interior." Another said, "No pressure on anything!" For standing and for walking, nominators loved these shoes.
KURU Aalto Chukka
KURU ©
These shoes work great as casual shoes for work or school or out doing errands on the weekends. One nominator said, "Super comfortable, go great with jeans. My wife will let me wear them without complaint on the weekends or casual Friday." Others noted they could walk all day in them. They come in both men's and women's versions.
OOFOS
© OOFOS
OOFOS sandals are designed with OOfoam, a new cushioning material that the manufacturer says is 37% more cushioning than the EVA material usually used in footwear. Their flip-flops and slides can reduce fatigue at the end of a long day. They come in fun colors as well as basic black.
Orthaheel Walker Shoe
Courtesy of Pricegrabber
Great arch support and a patented orthotic footbed to help prevent foot stress and fatigue. The built-in Orthaheel motion-controlling footbed has arch support and a deep heel cup.
ECCO Biom Lite
Courtesy of Pricegrabber
These minimalist shoes are very lightweight and ultra flexible. They let your feet return to a natural feel after a long day in standard footwear. They have a glove-like fit and are made from yak leather, yet are breathable. They come in a shoe version and and sandal version.
