The Most Comfortable Sneakers For Women To Wear All Day (2024)

Molly Calhoun

Contributor

Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.

On Cloud 5

Sizes: 5 to 11| Colors: 20 total, including Nimbus and Black

Swiss brand On released its first sneaker, the Cloudracer, in 2010 with the goal of creating a running shoe with a different feel. Ever since, On has taken the running, walking, hiking and cross training worlds by storm. Sneakers are engineered to provide exceptional cushioning, reactivity and durability—and they also come in colorways that turn heads. The On Cloud 5 is also made 44% recycled materials and is available in a waterproof version.

Allbirds Tree Runners

Sizes: 5 to 11 | Colors: 7 core total, including Mist and Marine Blue

While Allbirds seemed to initially gain traction in the tech-leisure world, the brand has firmly established itself as a widely popular and sustainable fashion brand worn by everyone from Blake Lively to Chris Hemsworth. Allbirds came about in 2016 when New Zealander Tim Brown and renewable expert Joey Zwillinger got together to create a versatile wool fabric for their footwear, a fabric that proved to be exceptionally breathable, forgiving and comfy. The Wool Runners are arguably their most well-known style for the shoe’s understated silhouette and springy cushioning.

Hoka Clifton 8 + 9

Sizes: 5 to 12 | Colors: 11 total, including Summer Song and Black

Founded in 2009, Hoka One One’s name is a loose translation of a phrase of New Zealand’s Maori people, which means “to fly over the earth.” While the brand initially created shoes for mountain trail running, their shoes today are synonymous with lightweight, maximalist cushioning and a rocker profile for enhanced forward movement that’s particular great for redistributing your weight if you’re standing all day. The Hoka Clifton 8 (and the newest version, the Clifton 9) is popular with many experts in the healthcare field, and it’s also a standout for long walks and comes in regular and wide widths.

Cole Haan Grand Crosscourt Sneaker

Sizes: W5-11, M7-13 | Colors: Varies by site; 2 core colors, including Optic White and Black

Cole Haan is known for its extremely comfortable dress shoes, with styles that transition seamlessly from the office to athleisure. The low-profile, sleek Grand Crosscourt is a bestseller that comes in medium and wide widths and is cut from buttery soft leather that doesn’t require breaking in. This pick also has a padded footbed for all-day cushioning and rubber pods on the outsole for traction.

Brooks Ghost 15

Sizes: 5 to 13 | Colors: 27 total, including Spa Blue and Black

Brooks got its start creating ballet slippers and bathing shoes (yes, those were a thing). But in the 1970s, Brooks stepped into running shoes, and in 2001 they became a strictly running-focused brand. Today, their laser focus has made the brand beloved by everyone from casual joggers to marathoners. The Brooks Ghost is one of the brand’s top sellers and is known for balanced cushioning and a comfortable upper. The Forbes Vetted team has thoroughly tested this sneaker for running, and our senior fashion editor (and longtime runner), Kari Molvar, strictly relies on Ghosts to help prevent heel pain. The shoe is also endorsed by trainers, sports podiatrists and marathoners for cradling the foot to ensure comfort over long distances.

Sizes: 5 to 12 | Colors: 8 total, including Lemon Sorbet and Black

While Lululemon is best known for yoga, it’s since pivoted to become a wide-ranging fitness brand for a variety of different sports. Its popular Strongfeel shoe has low-profile cushioning and a stable base that’s ideal whether you’re doing burpees and box jumps or lifting weights.

Altra Lone Peak 7 Trail Runner

Sizes: 5.5 to 12 | Colors: 7 total, including Green and Dark Purple

Altra co-founders Brian Beckstead and Golden Harper met while running cross country at high school and working at the local running store. They conceived their brand in 2011 and quickly became known for their shoes’ signature FootShape design, which features a wide toe box that allows toes to splay, and balanced cushioning, which means the shoe has a flat platform with no drop. This particular shoe, the Lone Peak, is a bestselling trail shoe known for its comfortable cushioning and grippy traction on all surfaces.

Golden Goose Superstar Sabot Leather Slide Sneakers

Sizes: 34 to 42 | Colors: Wide variety of colors, textures and patterns

Even though Golden Goose shoes look like they originated in a skate park, they in fact were founded in Venice, Italy in 2000, so they marry Italian luxury with a cool streetwear vibe. When it comes to shoes, fashionable often translates to painful, but that’s not the case with this Golden Goose style. It’s technically a slide, so it’s a bit more forgiving in the fit, and many iterations have a shearling lining for extra cushion.

Sizes: 5 to 13 | Colors: 5 total, including Bright White and Black

Rothy’s shoes are constructed from the brand’s signature thread, which is woven from plastic bottles. While it sounds like plastic would be rigid and torturous to wear, Rothy’s are flexible, breathable and shockingly comfortable, which may be why they’ve sold so many pairs of their iconic shoes. For added comfort, this sneaker offers a contoured footbed and extra padding at the ankle. Even better? When your light-colored shoes get dirty, you can machine wash these so they look new again.

Nike Blazer Low '77

Sizes: 5 to 12 | Colors: 2 total, including White and White/Black

Named after the Portland Trail Blazers, the Nike Blazer first gained notoriety in 1973 as a basketball sneaker before evolving into a popular skate shoe. While Nike as a brand continues to dominate with technical styles for different athletic pursuits, the Blazer has firmly ensconced itself as streetwear classic for stylish sneakerheads. It doesn’t have the cushion of Nike Air or Zoom styles, but its rounded toe box allows toes to spread out and the classic lacing system creates a precise fit.