These shoes weren't made for walking.

August 15, 2009 1:40 AM

Are there any durable men's dress shoes that can withstand long distance walks?

I've been doing a lot of walking to and from work since I started a new job a few months ago. Soon, I realized a drawback to this, the heels on dress shoes that I wear grind down pretty quickly. I spotted this very early on so I started buy cheaper shoes. When buying my last pair I decided to upgrade to a more expensive pair. It's been a few weeks since the switch and that pair looks like it's not going to last.

I am not going 'walk in sneakers then switch to the dress shoe' route that I see a lot of women doing.
Can anyone suggest a good brand of men's dress shoes that can last through these long walks?

posted by Mr_Thirdworld to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (21 answers total)

If you are talking about dress shoes with leather soles, then there's no way avoiding the wear - depending on the use you may have to get them redone after 6 months or a year. You could consider shopping for leather soles with a rubber inlay - I think these can also be retrofitted. For durability I don't think anything can beat rubber soles, but I guess those may not be considered dress shoes by some.
posted by swordfishtrombones at 2:01 AM on August 15, 2009

i wear ecco loafers (men's berlin bicycle toe slip-on)... very comfy & durable. they look dressy to me but i don't know if they count as 'dress shoes.'
posted by jcruelty at 2:21 AM on August 15, 2009

I am not going 'walk in sneakers then switch to the dress shoe' route

Not to question your decision unnecessarily, but why? I wear dress shoes at work every day, but I change when I get there. My year-old, not-too-pricey shoes are basically immaculate - they've never been rained or snowed on, haven't been kissed by delicate flakes of nasty road salt, and have never experienced the indignity of walking on something as abrasive as concrete.

And resoling your shoes is a relatively inexpensive way to preserve the life of shoes which you love. A bit of money every few years can extend, for a looooong time, the life of a quality pair of shoes - no need to buy a new pair.
posted by mdonley at 2:41 AM on August 15, 2009

I'll second ecco - I had a pair which I loved. I also have a pair of Cole Haan Nike Airs which look great and are extremely comfortable.

I dont know your own reasons, but I can answer mdonley's question for myself: Its a style thing. The clothes I wear when I wear dress shoes, just dont "go" with sneakers.
posted by vacapinta at 2:54 AM on August 15, 2009

Another vote for ecco. Really comfortable and very durable.
posted by fire&wings at 3:57 AM on August 15, 2009

you should be able to get good shoes resoled ... That was what I always did ... and the replacement soles fitted were of rubber.
posted by jannw at 4:14 AM on August 15, 2009

Crockett & Jones do dressy shoes with durable rubber soles.
posted by misteraitch at 4:18 AM on August 15, 2009

Response by poster: Walk with shoes in addition to all the other stuff that I carry? No thanks.

Also, I forgot to mention that I have a budget of $90.00 max.
posted by Mr_Thirdworld at 5:54 AM on August 15, 2009

Look into Rockport's Dressport line. Very comfortable, available in several dressy styles, and rubber-soled. I have a pair of wingtips and I love them.
posted by The Deej at 6:12 AM on August 15, 2009

I'm going with mdonley and Dasein. Back in my suit, tie and train days, I would wear my nice and comfy sneakers for my long walks to and from the train and pull a Mr. Rogers when I got to the office. The nice shoes lived under my desk and always looked spiffy.
posted by Cat Pie Hurts at 6:28 AM on August 15, 2009

Response by poster: Anyone have experience with the Kenneth Cole's line? I know they have rubber soles and look great. But, would they last?
posted by Mr_Thirdworld at 6:28 AM on August 15, 2009

You can buy cheap shoes and replace them frequently or you can buy a pair of shoes that will last for years of walking. White's Shoes and Boots - scroll to Walkers at the bottom of the page.
posted by X4ster at 7:39 AM on August 15, 2009

One more shout out for Ecco. I have two pairs of Century Slip-Ons that have lasted near forever. I've worn one pair about two days out of three for 3+ years, walking a lot, and the heels are still in great shape. Amazing shoes and I'm distressed that Zappos doesn't have them any more. There's a bunch of other Ecco slip-ons, though, that I imagine are pretty similar.
posted by Nelson at 7:45 AM on August 15, 2009

I have two pair of Deer Stags that I walk in for long distances and also work in. They are quite inexpensive and super comfy. I just completely replaced the soles on one pair (talked the cobbler down from $75 to $50 by telling him he had to beat the price of a new pair) so they will be good for a few more years.

In the longer term, if you are wearing down heel regularly it may be a sign of problems to come with your feet. Investing in custom orthotics has made walking much more enjoyable for me and easily doubles the lifespan of my shoes.
posted by quarterframer at 7:57 AM on August 15, 2009

The Clarks UnStructured line has a range of dressiness and are the most comfortable walking shoes I've found in recent times.
posted by jimfl at 1:47 PM on August 15, 2009

I've had bad luck with Kenneth Cole. I've only had one pair that could really stand up to the amount of walking I do. I bought a pair of Bass dress boots that lasted for several years and only cost $30. I think I bought them in '05 and they finally gave out on me last month.
posted by HSWilson at 2:35 PM on August 15, 2009

I have not had good luck with Kenneth Cole, either shoes or clothes.

I have had very good luck with Magnanni shoes, which I think are made in Spain. I've bought them at DSW and Filene's Basement before, and they are very durable and very well made.

However, they are rather more expensive than your budget.
posted by dfriedman at 5:53 PM on August 15, 2009

Eccos baby. Slip-ons. Can live in a pair 5 days aweek for a year walking a lot. On my feet eight hours a day walking eight hours a day. About 160 bucks. You will NEVER wear out the heel and sole but the leather will start to come apart at the heel and generally begin to break down and look tired after a solid year. This will take SERIOUS effort. Fascinating watching thse tough shoes break down. Takes daily hardcore beat walking for a year. Polish them with old style kiwi polish once or twice a week. My Ecco tie ups look like they will last a lifetime WITHOUT needing a sole replacement. Same sole that eerily doesnt wear even at the heel.
posted by Muirwylde at 1:37 AM on August 16, 2009

I have to agree with the Eccos recommendations. Shoes shouldn't have to be "broken-in" to be comfortable. Eccos don't. They are comfortable from minute one.
posted by Taken Outtacontext at 4:36 AM on August 16, 2009

I had some Florsheim shoes that lasted quite a long time in that sort of usage scenario.

I'd probably either go with a shoe with a hard rubber sole (and a nice comfy insert), or a shoe with replaceable soles.
posted by gjc at 6:58 AM on August 16, 2009

Eccos. For all of the reasons everyone else has said: durable, comfortable out of the box, and great range of styles. For the $$ you pay, you are getting great long-term value.
posted by webhund at 7:35 PM on August 16, 2009