I’ve done a bunch of reviews running in Hoka shoes, but there were a lot of questions about walking shoes. One thing many folks may not realize is that I take walks every single day too! So over the last 10 years, I’ve spent a lot of miles walking in HOKA shoes and I’m here to give you a low down on how different models feel and what’s best for you.
Whether you’re walking for a workout or taking a quick mid-day break or even standing for work all day, we’ve got a good option here.
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One of the reasons that I love Hoka for walking or standing all day is the design of the shoe provides more stability to the foot for leg alignment without sacrificing cushion.
If you’ve had that aching feet feeling after a day of standing around or a long day of walking on vacation, it’s time to make sure you have the right walking shoes. Over the last decade I’ve had a chance to spend time using a TON of HOKA shoes and here’s what I would pick as the best Hoka walking shoes.
Don’t just take my word for it, they also have the American Podiatric Medical Association’s Seal of Acceptance.
Is it bad to wear running shoes for walking?
You should absolutely have shoes that are for running and shoes that are for your walks.
The footstrike is different in running than walking. Your heel will absolutely hit first and then roll through the forefoot to push off the ground. In running, your heel might hit first, but it’s super quick before rolling forward and the way your foot rolls likely changes between a quick paced run and a walk.
You also don’t want to break down your running shoe faster than necessary or ingrain a foot pattern that might cause your foot to pronate.
Why are Hoka Shoes Good for Walking?
Walking shoes are often heavier because they focus on arch support and aren’t as focused on creating a breathable shoe as you might find in running. But HOKA is going to provide you with both the support, the lightweight feel and the cushion.
Additionally, while we tend to recommend a lower heel to toe drop for runners, we really like it for walkers.
As noted, your heel will hit first so we don’t want to exaggerate that even farther. Hoka shoes all tend to be in that 4mm-8mm range, which is perfect for enjoying the cushion without a too high heel.
Not only do I often use HOKA, but as a coach I’ve recommended them a ton over the years. The platform is just enough wider that it feels more stable and it’s one of the reasons it makes for such a great shoe for walking or standing all day.
And finally, I’m a fan because most walking shoes have a lot less cushioning and that’s fine as walking it not high impact, but for long days on the feet sometimes it just feels freaking nice!
- Options for different cushion levels
- Wider base provides more stability to the foot, preventing knee and low back pain
- Roomy toe box helps as the foot swells to prevent blisters or hot spots
- They are a durable shoe that will easily last 500+ miles walking
Rarely are the best running shoes also good walking shoes, but that’s exactly how I feel about these models.
In fact, there are a number of podiatrists who recommend HOKA One One shoes!
“With a broad-based practice here in the Midwest, HOKA has been our go-to footgear for competitive athletes, charity runners, and exercise walkers for many years.” — Mark Mondul – DPM, FACFS
Best Hoka Walking Shoe
Let’s start by focusing on shoes for exercise. Those days where you are aiming to get in 10,000 steps as a workout! Do you know how many steps are in a mile??
These are not my recommendations for hiking rugged trails that require a lot of traction, if you want that checkout my best HOKA trail running shoes. These recommendations are for walking around the neighborhood, the track or a non-technical gravel path and of course long days at work.
While I have seen other shoes listed by another site as “the best”, they aren’t and I know that site hasn’t actually taken the shoes out for a spin. So just know I’ve checked these out for your foot health as a walker.
#1 Best for Walking Workouts – Hoka Clifton
The Clifton is my top pick because as noted walkers don’t need quite the level of cushion as runners (though I absolutely run in this shoe!). I have run and walked in many iterations of this shoe and I like where it’s at currently!
The Clifton features an updated midsole that provides a softer and smoother ride, making it perfect for long power walks.
The shoe also has a lightweight design, which makes it ideal for those who are looking for a shoe that won’t feel too heavy (most walking shoes are heavier). Truly not always easy to find a combination of cushion and low weight!
The Clifton also has a breathable engineered mesh upper, which helps to keep the feet cool and dry, making it a good option for workout out in hot and humid conditions.
- Neutral shoe
- Natural stability to prevent overpronation due to the wide base of Hoka shoes
- Fits a wider foot (I have a narrow foot and don’t find the shoe to be sloppy)
- 5mm heel drop
- 7.2 oz women’s, 8.9 oz men’s
- Available in 14 colors
- Available in Wide in some colors
- See all sizes and widths on Hoka
See current Hoka prices at REI >> See current Hoka Clifton prices on Amazon >>
If you see an older version that is on sale, 100% snag it! You will likely be just as happy and save some $$.
#2 Best For Maximal Cushion – Hoka Bondi
For the walking who wants to feel clouds under their feet, I give you the HOKA Bondi. In over 13 years of gear testing, I still believe this is the plushiest shoe that I’ve ever put on.
The upper is designed to be lightweight and breathable, while the outsole is engineered for maximum durability and grip. The Bondi is perfect for those who LOVE cushion and whose body will benefit from the added reduction of ground impact.
Sometimes it’s noted that a heavier walker may appreciate the additional cushion, but I think it’s more about what feels good to you. And if you have to stand on your feet all day long, the cushion really does help with those leg aches.
While this is not a stability shoe, you will hear people mention that it provides great stability. This goes back to the wider platform that we talked about at the beginning.
This shoe is MUCH MORE plush. That might feel amazing to you or you might find that you get lazy with it. What does that mean? It means that while standing you could allow your posture to sink a little bit in to the shoe over time and get some low back pain. Again this means knowing yourself and how you move.
- Neutral plush cushioned shoe (truly softest shoe I’ve ever tried on)
- Similar fit to the Clifton
- 4mm heel drop
- 8.9 oz women’s, 10.2 oz men’s
- Available in 12 colors
- Available in Wide in some colors
See current Hoka Bondi colors and prices on Hoka >>
Compare with prices on Amazon >>
Best Hoka Shoes for Standing at Work
If you’re standing all day long you might want to consider wearing compression socks, along with finding great shoes.
The idea is something that will help you maintain good alignment so you don’t have hip, knee or back issues along with tired feet.
#3 Hoka Elevon
Designed with more support in the midfoot and forefoot, this shoe is super comfy, but provides the support that will aid your body in staying happy all day long. If your arch starts to collapse from fatigue then your body moves out of alignment, creating aches.
I would still put this in the workout shoe category. Not a running shoe, but great for doing a lot of long walks! Maybe not the shoe you want to travel in based on the style.
This is also an all gender shoe, which means you aren’t getting any of the specific women’s molding. That usually involves a more narrow heel and a few other changes. For many that could be a good thing, giving it an overall roomier fit.
The large tab on the back makes pulling these on and off a lot easier.
- Another plush cushioned shoe, but with more extra arch support
- Wider toebox in Hoka can help prevent bunions
- 5mm drop
- 9.1 oz for all – heavier due to the additional stability
Unlike a traditional stability shoe from other brands, these are not super hard or stiff. Another reason I like this brand!
See current Elevon colors and pricing on Hoka >>
#4 Best Stability Walking Shoe: HOKA Arahi
I tend to think of this more as a running stability shoe, but the truth is it’s also a great option for walking.
This shoe features a J-Frame technology that helps to guide the foot and reduce overpronation, while the foam midsole provides a cushioned and responsive ride. Truly it’s not often you find a shoe with this amount of cushion that’s also designed with stability in mind.
If you know that your foot falls inward with each step, this shoe is going to provide more support to help prevent that and save your knees and ankles from pain. When your foot or knee is falling inward, that’s going to create a repeated pressure that could lead to knee pain while walking. As always, my first reminder is that you need to do some strength work! But this is a good support while you are building.
It’s also got enough grip to be good on a variety of terrain.
- Stability Running shoe
- Moderate Cushion
- 5 mm drop
- 7.6 oz women’s, 9.3 oz men’s
- Available in 11 colors
- Available in Wide in some colors
- $140
- See all HOKA Arahi models
#5 Best HOKA Workplace Shoe Hoka Bondi SR
This is their slip-resistant version of that plush Bondi designed specifically for the workplace. That means you’re getting that plush feeling from the EVA midsole, nice padded tongue and all the features I mentioned above, but they’ve added things for those who are at work and may need more safety.
A few upgrades on this model for work:
- Slip-resistant rubber outsole
- Tested on surfaces with water, oil and soap for slip-resistance
- Water-resistant leather upper
- Neutral shoe
- Available in white and black
- 11.5 oz for women’s – it’s heavier than the breathable mesh version listed above for exercise
See the current Bondi SR details >>
Casual Hoka Shoes for Travel
Both David and I wear Hoka’s when we travel. It’s a shoe that can look casual, but give us the comfort we want knowing that we often crank out over 20,000 steps on vacation.
#6 Hoka Solimar
Unlike the other shoes listed I would not run or do an intense workout in these shoes, but love them for simply moving around all day doing errands or exploring and feeling comfortable.
My husband and I both and a pair of casual HOKA’s and his have gone with us on many a European trip because he knows they look a little more stylish, but are going to keep his feet happy as we put in 30,000 steps a day.
Previously they called this shoe the Huapana (hence the graphic at the top of the page). When my husbands were recently stolen in a car break-in, he immediately said I want those shoes again. No interest in looking at others, he knew these felt great.
- The slip on I have is no longer offered, but laced versions are
- Comes in black/grey to make it a daily shoe
- Neutral shoe
- Least cushioned of the shoes listed, yet still comfy
- Available in wide
- 6mm heel drop
- 6.7 oz women’s, 8.5 oz men’s
#7 Trail Walking Shoes – Hoka Challenger
If you’re really looking for a trail shoe for walking I would probably start with the Challenger over the Speedgoat. While the Speedgoat is my go to for running, I think the Challenger feels better as a walker.
The HOKA Challenger ATR is a popular all-terrain shoe that’s designed for both road and trails. It has a cushioned midsole that provides a comfortable and stable ride, and a Vibram outsole that delivers excellent traction on a variety of surfaces.
I love the cushion in this shoe, while it still doesn’t become to heavy.
- 5 mm drop
- 7.7 oz women’s, 8.9 oz men’s
- Available in 6 colors
- Available in Wide in some colors
- $145
- See all HOKA Challenger models(including low and waterproof GTX)
As noted, checkout my complete HOKA trail runner shoes article to get more details on other trail shoes. I found that information like lugs and GTX are not something most of you seeking walking shoes wanted to hear about.
Final Tips For Picking the Best HOKA Sneakers
Checkout Hoka’s Return Policy, so you can test out which shoes work for you.
As always the best walking shoes are the ones that feel good on your foot! You can find most of the models at any running store, so head in and test them out.
Trust me they want to help you and don’t care that your primary focus is walking. We know that runners need walks and that lots of us runners started as walkers!
You can take them for a walk around the block to see if there’s any discomfort and see how that eva foam midsole feels for you. Remember that even if you buy them, take them home and go for walk to discover you dislike them, YOU CAN TAKE THEM BACK!!
Whether you’ve decided to start walking to help lower your stress, work on high cholesterol or diabetes, your feet deserve good shoes!
If they feel better then you’re more likely to want to wear them and keep going.
👉Checkout this guide on How to Lace Running Shoes, you’ll be amazed at how you can make most shoes fit better!
Looking for more walking tips?
- Tips for walking a marathon
- How to walk a half marathon
- What is the run/walk method?
- Couch to 5K plan to go from walk to run
- How many steps in a mile?
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Category: WHICH
