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looking for a bit of advice regarding walking shoes.
for years i have worn Keen targhee shoes for anything outdoors, walking/bike riding. and they have always been pretty spot on.
but recently on our last few walks, i seem to be suffering a fair bit in my fused right foot. it feels like i need a shoe with a fair bit of cushioning. as i walk i can feel my duff foot landing and jaring back up my leg.
i use superfeet or specialized green high arch insoles, which are fine in my left foot but not now in my right.
so i was thinking of trying some curved well cushioned walking/trail shoes.
read a few reviews, Hoka clifton 9 and Altra provision seem to both be well recommended.
the shoes are for low level offroad walking up to about 13 miles or so.
any input will be greatly appreciated.
I tried some hoka clifton last year, found the toebox rather narrow and pointy (I think that even might have been a wide fit, but can't remember for sure).
I got some Altra outroad 2, which for me are a much better fit. The altra are zero drop which may take a little getting used to, and in reviews the durability of altras has been getting some criticism in recent years, but mine seem to be holding up no problems.
The word you are looking for is rocker.
Going to Altras will need a fair bit of getting used to, and probably a couple of pairs...
Wife works for Arcteryx, we got their rockered trail running shoes to try. While very comfortable we both found they were too high and it was easy to roll your ankle. Stopped using them on any technical terrain because of this.
Madame Edukator and here sister both swear by Hoka trail shoes for walking. Both found them excellent from the moment they put them on. Just walking around the shop should give you a good idea of whether they are going to suit your needs.
MBT is another brand: https://uk.mbt.com/men/fitness-walking.html. I've no personal experience - in fact the last looks too pointy-toed for me, but if that suits your foot shape they might be worth a try.
Hoka Clifton are more of a running than walking shoes, plus aren’t going to last too long - the sole is a few pads of carbon rubber glued to a blown EVA midsole.
I’ve had multiple pairs of Hoka Tor Ultras - they are super soft and nice to wear but I’d only really get a year out of a pair. OK when you’d buy them in a sale for £100, less so at £220/pr.
Currently got some New Balance Fresh Foam X-Trail - they are very soft/squishy but yet to be convinced by their durability.
I had a pair of the Keen WP400 for a few weeks - highly rockered sole, but holes wore in the uppers within weeks - only worn doing retail shop work - went back for a refund.
The adidas Terrex mids with the Boost-type soles, as used in their running shoes and some SQlab saddles - sorry, I can't remember the model name off the top of my head, Free Hiker 2.0 I think - are nicely cushioned without being quite as oversized as Hoka One Ones.
I think the issue you might have, as a big lad, is that the EVA foam used in super thick padded soles like HOKA is softer than normal and may not be supportive enough for you.
I've done altra Olympus 5s. Very comfy all day, thick soles so mega cushioning. Amazing grip off road, very stable
Downside is wear and tear, if you got 500km from them I'd be surprised. They showed signs of wear after a couple of days
I went straight into a big walk with them, apparently they are zero drop but I couldn't tell.
I have duff feet and Hoka have been a revelation for me. I have them for work and walking boots and they mean I can walk longer and not get any pain. As a "husky" gentleman I've had no problem with the support.
Go barefoot shoes.
Most natural way of using your foot.
I'm a bit of a bare foot evangelist, but barefoot is probably not the solution for someone with a fused foot.
Down market compared to all the above fair enough they may not last as long, but Mountain Life do a range of trail shoes with a particular in-sole construction (can't remember the term they use) but the arch support is sublime . May or may not be of any use to you but worth a look?
I just popped in to recommend MBT.
For Hokas, I'd suggest the Anacapa.
do you need different shoes to walk in circles?
i'll get my coat
@ton I think Keen do some rocker sole stuff so you might not need to change brands.
I have never tried a rocker but if you find Keen shoes work for you (do for me) at least fit might be ok out of the box.