I'm not one of those people who struggles to get in their daily 10,000 steps. Although New York City has a great public transportation system, I once walked nine miles through Queens to get to Central Park. Of course, it helps that I only wear the best walking shoes. I don't think I've ever spent less than $75 on a pair. So, when I discovered these bestselling Amazon sneakers for only $38, I was skeptical. However, I wasn't wary enough not to try them.
Slow Man Mesh Slip-On Sock Sneakers
Thousands of women love them
Don't be fooled by the name of the brand. The "Slow Man" mesh slip-on sneakers are currently ranked on Amazon's list of bestsellers in the Women's Walking Shoes category. They also have a four-star average rating from more than 100,000 total ratings.
I think the $38 price tag is one reason these Amazon walking shoes are so popular. It also helps that they come in over 25 colors and two styles: slip-on shoes and bungee laces. I love how sleek the laceless style looks, so that's what I got. However, if I was going to run in these shoes, I'd want the bungee laces so I could tighten them and have more support.
They're so comfy, I forget to take them off
Normally, the first thing I do when I walk in the door is kick off my shoes. When I'm wearing these shoes, though, my feet are so comfortable that I often forget to take them off. For starters, because the mesh feels like a thick pair of socks, I don't always wear socks with them. Sometimes, I even think of them as my socks and forget I'm wearing shoes altogether.
Second, while they're not as lightweight as my Crocs, they're a lot lighter than traditional sneakers. They have a noticeable platform heel, but there's an air bubble in it so it's not heavy. It's similar to the air bubbles in another popular pair of shoes that I paid $100 for.
The platform heel is the Goldilocks of heights
I've never worn a walking shoe with a heel before, so I thought it would drive me crazy or be uncomfortable (like some reviewers had said). However, within five minutes of wearing this shoe, it felt like I was literally walking on air. The .78-inch heel platform isn't high enough to feel like I'm going to twist my ankle. Still, it's high enough that I look two inches taller and 10 pounds lighter. I think they also make my legs look longer.
Great for pavement, cobblestones and even sand
I wore these many times while living in Porto, Portugal, a city that dates back to 1123. (Thanks to the uneven cobblestone streets, I never forget that fact.) Fortunately, I was able to slip on these shoes and comfortably cover seven miles of ground — including several stretches of cobblestone.
I also liked wearing these on my beach walks around Porto. In the summer, my go-to beach shoes are my beloved OluKai flip-flops that I've had for six years. But since we're still in the middle of winter, it's too cold for flip-flops. These shoes are perfect because I can easily slip them on and off, and I don't need to wear socks. And because they're made out of mesh, they also dry quickly.
I used to think a good pair of walking shoes had to cost at least $75. Now I know better, and I have more than 56,000 five-star Amazon reviewers and satisfied shoppers to thank.