13 Comfortable Shoe Brands Compared (Good, Bad & Ugly)

I’m on a hunt for comfy, casual everyday shoes. Here are my 2 criteria: 1: They have to be really comfortable, and 2: They can’t be hideous.

This is tough because there seems to be an inverse relationship between comfort and aesthetics. In other words, shoes that are really comfy tend to be ugly. And shoes that are built for fashion are often uncomfortable.

In this video, I try on 14 pairs of shoes from 13 different shoe brands that claim to make comfortable shoes for standing, walking and even working out. How do they stack up? Which pairs are best? Watch to find out!

00:00 Intro
00:21 Comfort vs. Style
01:14 I have a cold (and DUER)
01:41 Footwear 101
23:40 Overall Rankings

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🧍🏻My Sizes

I'm 5'6" with shoes on and about 125 lbs after dinner. I have a 35" chest; I usually wear XS tops and 28x28 pants (or 28x30 cuffed).

My best suit jacket size is 34 Short, but even 34S needs alterations (mostly shortening of the sleeves and jacket), so my best-fitting suits are custom.

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[jonathanscott]

Brock, the reason you didnt love the Crocs is because you gotta lean into the culture of them. Wearing them with the strap is called sport mode. It's been scientifically proven that they're 5x more comfortable when you call the form by its official name

[andytjr]

Hey Brock, I had just recovered from plantar fascitis a few weeks ago and bought the 990v6 and insoles based on your review. Went on a week-long vacation involving tons of walking, and my feet never had any pain. Love them so much I'm now looking for a second pair in a different color way. Thanks!

[lalitdeshmukh]

Having used the Hoka Clifton 8 for a year, I can tell you that it is one of the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn. It is the best choice for daily wear and running

[douglasmerk]

Thorough, thoughtful and funny (aka typical Brock) - love this. Especially appreciate the detailed thoughts about Allbirds and their similar competitors. Personal favorites in this category (comfortable, casual, supportive, everyday) are Adidas Ultraboost Light and ASICS Gel-Nimbus (definitely sneakers, but don't lean into an overly-dad or fugly territory).

[yogeshavl]

I was thinking something like and this and you made a full length video...awesome

[handsmcneil]

I have never gotten more compliments about my footwear than I have while wearing Lems. Have the outlanders in evergreen. (Those have gotten the most. Had 4 coworkers ask multiple times about them.) The boulder summit in rugged bark. And the mesas in safari. (Yes a very obnoxious colorway but they spoke to me.) Lil pop of color in what is often a very earth tone wardrobe.

[ADCowie]

Giesswein is an Austrian company so follow German pronunciation. When e and i occur together in German you pronounce the second letter, so Giesswein is pronounced Geese-wine, or Geese-vine if you are going for full authenticity.

[vruSHARK]

your voice is so calming, new genre of calming styling education channel

[joshrang]

Have you ever had Cole Haan? I love the white leather top. It goes for $110 but you can almost always find it on sale for $60-$70. Comfortable and stylish in my opinion

[saapproved]

Very good and informative video. Really appreciated your time man.

[LuanAndrade]

Sense of humor 10/10
the icing on the cake xD

[GermanCarGuyMN]

When I first got my Birkenstocks, I thought that “toe bar” was super uncomfortable but after a couple of weeks of wearing them everyday, they’ve become the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever owned. And yes, like basically every other high schooler here in Minnesota, I wear mine with socks

[evanbingham]

Glad to see Du/er getting attention. I have two no-sweat chinos, but their performance denim is my favorite! Oh, and I have a pair of allbirds wool rubber mizzles that I don't like. Not very durable at all :(

[danielhakimi]

The 990v6 and the OG footbed Arizona are two very strong picks. I'm not really a fan of any of the other sneakers you mentioned, but I figure most brands aren't made for comfort. I agree with the general idea that big sneaker brands have some things figured out that the startups don't, including the real comfort... but there's also just something about the recognizable side logos of Nike, New Balance, Converse, Vans, etc. that has a charm to it.

Maybe try out some Salomons? You like to hike, and they're a more sneakery hiking sneaker.

[MichaelSheaAudio]

I just wore my Chillums to the store today, they're one of my many barefoot shoes! I made the jump last year instead of confining myself to a life in supportive shoes and orthotics (I overpronate), and I couldn't be happier. It took time and work and change to transition, but I can now walk without overpronating and without joint pain. Turns out overpronation is just bad mechanics and mechanics can be changed. Education is way more important than the shoes themselves.

Along with that, my toes are spreading out a bit, my feet are getting stronger, my achilles aren't tight anymore since they're at their full length, my leg muscles are more defined, my anterior pelvic tilt is gone and my hips are back to a neutral state, running is actually kinda fun (something I hadn't done in years), the benefits are numerous. The Chillums are the thickest shoes I have, and I wear them without the insole. My other shoes are like 3-6mm thick.

I find it hard to call regular shoes "comfortable" since they can do so much harm to us. I could wear barefoot shoes 24/7 because they're meant to stay out of the way. If your feet hurt in barefoot shoes, they're going to feel the same whether the shoes are on or off because it's the ground that's hurting them. Pain could also be due to bad form, as doing something wrong is very noticeable in minimal shoes. If your feet hurt in "comfortable" shoes, which they probably will eventually, then it's the shoes that are hurting you.

[MrBIian]

Teva's Hurricane series are some of the most comfortable sandals I've worn and done 10 KM + daily walks on vacation. I've also hiked up and down mountains in them. I defiantly recommend them if you need a do it all shoe

[terminatorgr]

Have you tried feelgrounds gum black? Very versatile and comfy IMO. The branding could be more minimal, but it's good enough as it is.

[Senourii]

Try Cole Haan. Most comfortable shoes that you can wear with suits.

[pattgsm]

You got the wrong Crocs. Order from the Ecco and Mellow collections and you will not hesitate to wear them w/ a pair of shorts and tee to run errands. They just might become your favorite summer, lounging and work from home footwear.

[SteveBIRK]

I wish Atoms would release their shoes in wide width because they look great and I can't do non wide width anymore. I mostly stick to the zero drop and minimalist shoe brands because my feet rarely feel good in narrow toe box shoes. I'm glad someone in the fashion space tried them and didn't poop all over them.