I've been walking 4.5 miles a day, 5 days a week since Jan 2nd. As of today, I have lost ~53 pounds, gone from being pre-diabetic to normal levels, lost my entire wardrobe in the process, and finally my Vans died. They have been loyal a.f.
Glad they helped me on this journey to better health.
that is amazing but now you should get padded shoes to save your joints
Rwcent research shows more padding is worse as it promotes weakness in all the muscles that should be supporting joints.
I'll see of I still have a link to the research, it's rather surprising.
Ergonomics is complicated, sometimes it can be hard to draw the line between what's a necessary support and what's an enabling crutch.
Thank you. I'm debating. I like the Vans cause I like the feel of the ground, but age is a thing.
Trust me, check some other shoes as well. Your knees deserve all the support. And you deserve some pampering, just try one a few pairs. Depending on your region, i'd recommend something like Salomon, Hooka, Brooks, On or Dynafit, all of them gave more casual stuff next to the super sporty things. And then get a pair of Vans as well!
We shall see. I want to hit the store early in the morning and get whatever works for me.
If you want to stick with Vans, they make versions of most of their classic shoe styles with a "pop-cush" insole that's pretty springy and adds a lot of shock absorption. I also really like the less structured feel of the classic Vans, but the difference in how my middle aged joints feel with the extra shock absorption is totally worth not being able to feel quite as much of the ground.
I've been trying to walk a lot more too, as I've found it's better for my mental as well as physical health.
Have gravitated toward "trail" shoes, for a nice mix of padding and being able to feel the ground.
Current pair are these: https://www.newbalance.com/pd/dynasoft-nitrel-v6-gore-tex-/MTNTRGV6-47467.html
I also hate buying shoes (which is its own whole thing), but have found the people in the sports stores also seem to be monumentally less interested in bugging you compared to a shoe store, so can be left in peace to try some things.
Best of luck on the hunt!
(also if I did my maths right, 5 days * 4.5 miles between Jan 2 and today is damn near 1000km / 600mi, so congrats on that!)
FYI Goretex is an awful chemical that is probably best avoided for future shoes
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gore-Tex#Environmental_and_health_concerns
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Polytetrafluoroethylene
Or if videos are more your thing: https://youtu.be/-ht7nOaIkpI
I hadn't done the math like that, but dang, that is a lot. Its the best thing to do. I walk, clear my mind, solve problems, talk to myself, be one with my maker, and just have me time. If I don't go, I feel weird. Walking is the best. I highly recommend. My best was to try keep a solid 4 miles in an hour, but that is no longer feasible. I do maybe an hour ten minutes so the whole walk is around one hour twenty minutes if I am struggling.
Once you find a brand and make of shoe that suits your feet, check online for stores that hold previous models. In the UK there's sportsshoes and startfitness. Previous models will be as good (unless you're a competitive athlete), and can be half the price.
It's entirely possible to walk in a way that's not striking your heel against the ground, in which case a thin soled shoe is fine. I do all my walking, hiking, and running in very thin soled barefoot shoes and my knees are rarely sore or injured.
I've hiked 1000 miles of the AT over a 4 month window that way, and walk a few miles a day on sidewalks. I'm training for my first half marathon. My partner is an ultra runner who does 50 mile races in thin barefoot shoes.
You just have to slightly adjust how you step so your toes act more like a shock absorber. You want them to touch the ground about the same time as the heel or slightly before. I've heard it described as "fox walking". It's a little awkward but it is possible.
However, my only complaint about vans is just how super heavy they are. That would fatigue me so fast. If you can afford an upgrade or can find some used, I'd check out shoes from Xero. They last a good long time. The real sweetness is how they are super light. If you want a bit more cushion the Altra Lone Peak is also excellent.
How the hell are your toes doing that? I can land on the ball of my foot and roll back a bit to land on my heels but you've completely lost me with the landing on toes and absorbing the shock.
My understanding is the ball of your foot (the part you would spin on just behind the toes) is well connected to the muscles and can act as a spring and a shock absorber. The toes are there for balancing and spreading the weight around. The ball of the foot is usually the first part of my soles to wear out.
My advice to OP is to look for a shoe they find comfortable but with a bit more sole than vans so they can take a better beating on walks.
I've done a bad job explaining it, it's just kind of like running on your toes but with a smidge of heel on the ground