These $34 mesh sneakers make me feel like I’m walking on air
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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 saw Amazon's #1 bestselling pair of Women's Walking Shoes are only $34, I was skeptical. However, I wasn't wary enough not to try them.
Women's Mesh Slip-On Walking Shoes Sock Sneakers
Women's Mesh Slip-On Walking Shoes Sock Sneakers $33.88 at Amazon
Tens of 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 #1 on Amazon's list of Best Sellers: Women's Walking Shoes. They have a four-star average rating from more than 43,000 ratings. I think the $34 price tag is one reason these Amazon walking shoes are so popular. It also helps that they come in more than 20 colors and two styles: laceless and bungee laces. I loved how sleek the laceless style looks, so that's what I got. However, if I was going to run in these, I'd want the bungee laces so I could tighten the shoe and have more support.
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 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 even wearing shoes.
Second, while they're not as lightweight as my Crocs, they're a lot lighter than traditional sneakers. They do 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 the bestselling Nike Air Max shoes I've 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. 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 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'm currently living in Porto, Portugal, a city that dates back to 1123. (Thanks to the uneven cobblestone streets, I never forget that fact.) Fortunately, I can slip on these shoes and comfortably cover seven miles of ground — including several stretches of cobblestones.
I also like wearing these on my beach walks around Porto. In the summer, my go-to beach shoes are my beloved OluKai flip-flops I've had for six years. But now that fall is here, it's too cold for flip-flops. These shoes are perfect because I can slip them on and off easily and don't need to wear socks. 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 only have 43,000 women to thank.
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