Walking is an excellent way to keep fit and to release the tensions accumulated during the day or the week. To do it in total comfort, however, you need to wear the most suitable shoes, and in this short article, we will explain how to choose them.
If you have already spotted a model online, but you have doubts about the size, here you will also find a guide that will help you choose the right size.
Right below we had selected some of the best models of the best Ryka walking shoes.
- BEST FOR: High-performance fitness walking
- PERFORMANCE TECH: Skeletal Guidance System for exceptional built-in support under the arch and midfoot
- MADE FOR WOMEN FIT: Designed for a woman’s unique foot shape, muscle movement, and build with a narrower heel, roomier toe, and...
- MATERIALS: Breathable mesh + durable leather overlays and toe cap
- CLOSURE: Lace-up front for a secure fit
- BEST FOR: High-performance fitness walking
- PERFORMANCE TECH: RE-ZORB responsive cushioning for shock absorption + impact protection
- MADE FOR WOMEN FIT: Designed for a woman’s unique foot shape, muscle movement, and build with a narrower heel, roomier toe, and...
- MATERIALS: Breathable engineered mesh + soft Lycra-lined tongue and collar with built-in cushion
- OUTSOLE: Eight-piece rubber sole for increased traction + durability
- BEST FOR: High-performance fitness walking.
- MADE FOR WOMEN FIT: Designed for a woman’s unique foot shape, muscle movement, and build with a narrower heel, roomier toe, and...
- MATERIALS: Lightweight breathable mesh, leather and faux leather overlays for extra durability, + Padded collar for extra...
- INSOLE: Anatomical insole with extra arch + heel support.
- OUTSOLE: Non-marking rubber sole for traction + durability.
- Breathable mesh and iridescent flex upper
- Breathable fabric linings
- Padded collar and tongue
- Anatomical Precise-Return cushioned insole with additional arch and heel support
- EVA midsole with RE-ZORB active foam for additional cushion
- BEST FOR: High-performance fitness walking
- PERFORMANCE TECH: Full-length RE-ZORB responsive cushioning for shock absorption + impact protection, plus extra RE-ZORB in the...
- MADE FOR WOMEN FIT: Women’s sneakers designed for a woman’s unique foot shape with a narrower heel, roomier toe + softer...
- MIDSOLE: ACTIVfoam EVA for soft cushioning + built-up cushion in the midfoot for stability
- OUTSOLE: Eight-piece rubber sole for grip + built-in compression channels for shock absorption
- BEST FOR: Sport agility and cross-training workouts + High-intensity workouts and classes
- PERFORMANCE TECH: RE-ZORB responsive cushioning for shock absorption + impact protection
- MADE FOR WOMEN FIT: Designed for a woman’s unique foot shape with a narrower heel, roomier toe, and softer foot cushioning
- MATERIALS: Breathable engineered mesh + soft Lycra-lined tongue and collar with built-in cushion
- OUTSOLE: Durable eight-piece rubber sole for increased traction, flex grooves, + Pivot Point for smooth and easy turns
- Breathable engineered mesh upper with partially recycled linings
- Soft Lycra-lined tongue and collar
- Anatomical Precise-Return cushioned insole with additional arch and heel support
- Women's specific fit: narrower heel, roomier toe, and softer foot cushioning
- EVA midsole with RE-ZORB active foam for additional cushion
- BEST FOR: High-performance fitness walking
- PERFORMANCE TECH: Exceptional cushioning throughout for standout comfort
- MADE FOR WOMEN FIT: Designed for a woman’s unique foot shape, muscle movement, and build with a narrower heel, roomier toe, and...
- MATERIALS: Breathable mesh with durable faux leather + Padded collar for extra cushioning
- CLOSURE: Lace-up front for a secure fit + Pull tab for easy on/off
- Custom engineered mesh and knit upper in a cross training sneaker with a round toe.
- Lace-up front with back pull tab.
- Cushioned EVA midsole with maximum comfort.
- Marbled rubber sole for extra traction.
- BEST FOR: High-performance fitness walking
- MADE FOR WOMEN FIT: Designed for a woman’s unique foot shape, muscle movement, and build with a narrower heel, roomier toe, and...
- MATERIALS: Breathable mesh with durable faux leather + Padded collar for extra cushioning
- CLOSURE: Lace-up front for a secure fit + Pull tab for easy on/off
- INSOLE: Memory Foam for all-day cushioning + Soft jersey lining
Buying Guide to Select the Best Ryka Walking Shoes
Comfort
When it comes to footwear, we cannot be too rough in the choice. These items must always be comfortable for our feet. When it comes to walking shoes, which will, therefore, be worn for several hours, some parameters must be carefully considered before proceeding with the purchase.
Parameters such as the quality of the materials with which they were made, which must be light and comfortable, to make the walk pleasant and not tiring. It is good that these materials are breathable, especially in the hottest periods, to allow the feet to breathe, thus reducing sweating and bad smells.
Some people take it for granted that breathable shoes are not waterproof, wrong consideration, since the latest models are capable of ensuring both comfort and excellent protection in case of sudden showers.
Difference Between Walking and Running Shoes
Sometimes there is a bit of confusion between the two types of footwear, only apparently the same. If you think about it, it is two different activities, and the right shoe must be carefully studied to perform one function or the other best.
In walking shoes, for example, the heel has a more noticeable angle to guarantee the heel an adequate impact on the ground. Looking at the soles of the two types of shoes, you will notice that the walking feet have grooves that become denser as they get closer to the toes.
On the contrary, in running ones, the distance increases. And do you know why? Because when walking, the foot remains as much as possible on the ground, we do not lift it until the step reaches the fingers.
Even the tread, i.e. the final rubber part that touches the ground, should be more resistant in walking shoes, especially if sporty because during this activity it undergoes more pressure and tends to deteriorate quickly compared to when running. As for the upper, however, we can say that there are no particular differences since in both cases, they must be breathable.
Online Shopping and Sizes
Online purchases have their merits, but when it comes to shoes, we can be a little skeptical because we are afraid that they might not fit comfortably.
There are many production companies and retailers who also make the shoe length measurements available, information which, as we will see shortly, is fundamental. Instead, when it comes to different sizes,
it is better to look for the conversion tables since the values about the type of person are also indicated. For example, the European 38 (therefore Italian) in the USA corresponds to 8 for women and 6 ½ for men’s shoes, while the measures correspond to 24.5 cm in length. Seems complicated? Just at the beginning, you will see that with practice, things will become much more straightforward.
The first thing to do is to define the length of your foot, that is the line that goes from the heel to the longest toe (be careful, because it is not always the big toe).
To do this, place your foot on a sheet of paper and with a pencil draw a mark on the longest toe and heel. Do this with both feet, as they may have considerably different lengths and, if so, consider the larger size.
Check the conversion card and proceed as follows: add 3 to 6 millimeters if the longest toe is the big toe; if it is the second finger, add 2 to 4 mm; if it is the third finger, the longer one adds 3 to 6 mm.
Performance
Walking shoes must ensure maximum comfort, an advantage that not all models can guarantee, especially if worn for many hours consecutively.
Taking a look at the reviews that consumers make of it is always a good idea because interesting aspects can emerge that the manufacturer does not always emphasize.
Another thing that we should try to understand is the quality of the building materials which should always be light to make walking more comfortable and less tiring. At the same time, they should ensure maximum resistance and not show signs of wear already after a few months or at the first impact suffered.
Today, new technologies allow the creation of high-level materials that not only present these characteristics but, also, also ensure proper responsiveness and the right cushioning, qualities essential for an athlete but also crucial for those who want to take a right and pleasant walk—the days.
Sweat is another factor that should never be missing in a good pair of walking shoes, especially in the height of summer. The foot must be left free to breathe as much as possible.
In this way, the shoe does not overheat becoming unbearable and, also, it reduces sweating and bad smell. A pair of breathable shoes can also be waterproof, a property, indeed, indispensable for those who do not want their feet drenched if a sudden shower breaks out.
Design and Price
Often the best brand of walking shoes for many consumers is not the one that ensures excellent comfort, resistance, or breathability, but the one with the most intriguing design. This is, in fact, a terrain on which manufacturers challenge each other by launching new and fashionable models every year.
Not all, however, have a sufficiently wide range of colors to choose from. Yet, often this represents a decisive element because it is necessary to create the right combination with your outfit.
Some models are more versatile than others because they can be worn on several occasions. After the walk, for example, you can go to friends for a visit, an aperitif or a small party without having to go home to change them.
Another fundamental aspect to consider is the cost of the various models which often appear high, higher than the materials used and the overall quality of the model. Therefore, it is not easy to find a pair of shoes with the right relationship between performance and price. Below we have selected a few, take a look.
Women’s
When you think about walking shoes, sporty models can come with a rubber sole and a fabric or breathable upper. Of course, it is so but, as far as women’s models are concerned, the options available are more numerous because even a pair of high or heeled shoes can be considered as a walk.
In this case, therefore, other aspects must be taken into consideration, such as higher or lesser stability and if it is a summer or winter model, a problem that in regular walking shoes does not arise, since these have a decidedly more sporty cut.
Revisable Design
The shoe will indeed not be chosen for its design. It is not a wrong shoe, as users who bought it confirm, but if compared to more current models, its shape is a bit too retro and therefore not in step with the fashions of the moment.
Anesthetic value, however, exists and regards the variety of colors that Puma makes available for this model, so that anyone, at least, will be able to find the chromatic variant that best suits their needs.
Even the strings are offered in the primary color used to give a touch of liveliness to the shoe. The price is undoubtedly reasonable, beautiful for a shoe that is destined to last over time and that satisfies the primary use for which it was conceived.
Light and Breathable
Also, not to be underestimated, is the tech fabric that covers the outside of the shoe. This allows the foot to breathe and therefore not to get wet with sweat even after many hours of wearing shoes, thus preventing bad smells but also the formation of annoying blisters.
The use of this material allows the shoe not to be particularly heavy, all to the advantage of comfort when wearing it. Still, on the subject of support, the part that wraps the ankles and the tongue, both padded, does not escape this logic. The only problem could derive from the fact that if it rains very hard, the water could wet the foot.
