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COPYRIGHT 2002 Consumers Union of the United States, Inc.
A manufacturer boasts that its $85 exercise walking shoe has "ample but lightweight cushioning in sole, plus embedded TPU shank for extra support and a more stable stride." The maker of a $75 shoe says its "engineered support cage provides mid-foot flexibility and custom fit." The maker of a dressier walking shoe that costs $180 brags of its "comfort, protection, and long life." But do those shoes always perform better than less expensive competitors? No. We found a $20 exercise walking shoe that bested one costing $85. And the $180 semidressy "comfort" shoe? Wearing it, one of our testers said, "felt like walking on a brick." (We'll point you toward a couple of semidressy shoes that feel better and cost less.)
More money-saving news: When a shoe's cushioning compresses but the rest of the shoe is still fine (a common complaint), you can rejuvenate the shock absorption by substituting a new, aftermarket insole. Our tests revealed two good, relatively inexpensive choices.
SEE HOW THEY WALK
We convened five men and three women to test 9 men's and 12 women's shoes costing $20 to $90. Our panelists know shoes, foot anatomy, and the biomechanics of ambulating: Among our testers were two medical doctors, two podiatrists, and one rehabilitation therapist. They tried the shoes on walks ranging from city pavement to trails to treadmills--and rated stability and fit. During many walks over 2 1/2 months, they trod a total of almost 700 miles, burning more than 65,000 calories, we reckon.
We supplemented panelists' judgments with lab tests. Our flexibility apparatus bent shoes 45 degrees at the forefoot, as a walker's foot might, and gauged the force needed. Another machine pounded shoes' insides, simulating the force of a 170-pound man or 140-pound woman striding at 3.5 mph, and measured the compression of the cushioning material.
To evaluate four brands of shoes that might be suitable for a lunch-hour walk, we used a smaller panel of in-house experts (see "Dressed to Walk," below left).
WHAT COUNTS?
Walking shoes--especially those used for exercise--need to cushion your feet, let them flex properly, and keep them from rolling excessively side to side.
Cushioning, provided mainly by a shoe's midsole, relies on foams. EVA (ethyl vinyl acetate) is a common midsole material that is fashioned into various levels of stiffness. Manufacturers also place gel- or air-filled pockets in heels and at the forefoot. In the past, we've found that fancy midsole technologies...
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