OUR TESTERS

Country Walking always tests products for both men and women. Our reviewers Philip Thomas and Sarah Ryan have notched up thousands of miles on foot, so they know the value of good kit at the right price. This test took them on quiet paths close to home, through Northamptonshire woodlands and along the North Norfolk coast.

LL SHOES ARE MADE for walking in to some degree or another (even the daintiest of Jimmy Choos). So when we say ‘walking shoes’, we mean it in the miletotting, ‘off-road’ sense. These are shoes for hiking, rambling and trekking; for occasions when you don’t need a hefty pair of boots. When the walk doesn’t call for full-on ankle support or mountain-proof protection, the most comfortable and practical option can be a good pair of walking shoes.

But what sets a ‘walking’ or ‘trail’ shoe apart from a gym trainer? Lighter, low-cut and less inhibiting than a boot, they’re still built for the outdoors. Unlike trainers, they’re usually waterproof and more robust, equipped with multiterrain soles and offer better arch support. And also like boots, they come in a range of styles to suit different needs and levels of walking: be it regularly beating the bounds of your home patch or clocking up miles on a long-distance trail. We’ve tested 10 pairs representing the variety of styles on the market: from ultralight and airy summer shoes, to sturdier footwear for demanding mountain paths. Some are a hybrid of both. We’ve tested shoes for a range of budgets too. Whatever you want from walking shoes, the right pair are probably here.

ACOUNTRY WALKING