Brooks Men's Addiction Walker Walking Shoes

I buy a lot of things on Amazon, let me tell you, but these shoes may be my favorite out of all of them, and without question in my Top 5. Wearing a size 13EEEE shoe since the middle of high school, I learned early to have measured expectations about shoes. Much like the infamous contractor's triangle of good/fast/cheap, where you are only ever permitted to have (at best) two out of those three on any given project, I was generally pleased anytime I could find a pair that offered any pairing of stylish appearance, genuine comfort or durability. For the decade-plus prior to finding these shoes, I'd generally settled on whatever New Balance's walking shoe du jour was as my best option, and with three pairs in rotation I could expect a year of wear out of each with pretty good comfort for the first 60% of that timeframe. Thankfully, those days are over and even if I have to buy the Brooks company to keep it in business, I will never go back. When I got these shoes in 2014, I was hitting my stride with online shopping and resolved to purchase my first pair of shoes that way since the devil-may-care attitude towards shoe comfort I'd had through my 20s was giving way to the creaks and groans of my 30s. After combing through online reviews and foot pain forums, my decision was to try a pair from a brand I'd never even heard of despite over 15 years of shopping in specialty footwear stores. After receiving these shoes, I no longer believe in any benefit to buying shoes from a brick-and-mortar store, because there is no excuse for letting people throw money away on New Balance and Dunham when the Brooks Addiction Walker exists in the same size. The difference in experience is as striking as going from walking barefoot to wearing sandals: you go from seeing some discomfort as inevitable to being very surprised in the rare occasions when it occurs. After the first week with them, I threw all three pairs of New Balance that I had in the trash with that smug sense of satisfaction that you only find when overcoming an obstacle after years of wrestling with it, the kind that makes animated leprechauns jump in the air while clicking their heels together. It was 38 months ago, to the day, that I bought my first pair of these shoes, and I am just now back to replace them. ... You heard me right, that single pair has lasted me through over three years of daily wear, and it's only the separation of the soles from the uppers that is prompting that because otherwise they still look fantastic and feel like clouds under my feet. Living on a dirt road in a very rural area that regularly requires walking on coarse gravel and forest trails that kind of longevity is something I'd only seen before from the most premium of hiking boots, though I expect those to start lasting much longer now that I have far less cause to wear them. The first day I wore them I was actually uneasy with how much more natural they felt against my feet than any shoes I'd worn before, to the point that my gait changed a bit to what I now realize is how my body always wanted to move. By the second day I was strutting around like John Travolta in the opening scene of Saturday Night Fever complete with invisible Bee Gees soundtrack in my head; I've never received so many compliments on new shoes from friends and family all at once. Most people never even noticed when I'd worn new shoes before. They check all the boxes for me, from having a broad toe box without looking too angular in front, to simply amazing tread and grip that has never once left me nearly losing footing or even slightly rolling an ankle no matter how rugged the terrain, to remaining as comfortable in the 16th hour of wear as they were when I put them on in the morning. They also breathe as well as the last pair of running shoes I had (an Asics model I've since forgotten though they were awesome), which shouldn't be possible since those were mesh above the toe box and these are solid, but it's true. I have low arches almost to the point of non-existence, and even the insoles they came with gave good support, but after replacing them with my trusted Powerstep insoles, I knew instinctively that I had found the footwear the Universe intended for me to use. If forced to find something to gripe about I would go for the fact that they squeak on highly polished floors, but as I find that's a function of high grip soles, I'm fine with occasional squeaking over occasional pratfalls. If you made it this far, then just scroll up and buy these shoes. There are too few things in the world that: a) are so incredibly good that they merit a review like this, and b) can improve your quality of life more than having good shoes.

I purchased my first pair of Brooks Addiction Walkers in 2006. I was looking for solid athletic walking shoes for times when I hit the sidewalks or trails for fast-paced walking workouts because my runners for gym use didn't seem to provide the lateral support necessary. I'd used another well-known brand of walkers up until then, but my local athletic shoe store recommended the AWs and I've used them ever since. The shoes are extremely stable, as would be expected from their width. This feature is particularly useful on uneven ground and pavement. The cushioning and arch support are superb. The all-leather construction provides a degree of protection from the elements in wet weather, especially compared with shoes with mesh construction. Unlike some athletic shoes, your AWs may require some breaking in, as the construction is very sturdy. I've had to flex and bend the area along or behind the heels on a few of mine to make them more comfortable, but with patience this is easily done. Once broken in, these walkers will provide very long and comfortable wear. Now, I'll admit that I'm a senior athlete, and that good support is especially important to my workouts now. However, I know several people who wear these on their daily jobs because of the arch support and cushioning. The Addiction Walkers are available in white, black, and brown, and the darker colours help belie the fact that they are in fact athletic shoes. Look at the illustration carefully, because the shoes look like what they are - very sturdy walkers. They're not clod-hoppers, but they won't be mistaken for sleek urban runners when you're wearing them. Incidentally, some particularly odourous bacteria apparently got into a pair when I was in Hawaii. Fifteen minutes in hot water on the gently wash cycle with just a small dash of bleach was enough to solve the problem without damaging the shoes. If your athletic endeavours are purely running or another specific sport, you'll want to get the appropriate shoe. But for the type of activities I've described - energetic walking on on-your-feet working - I highly recommend this shoe for you. Terry Whitecliff

Because of foot problems in the past I have been wearing New Balance sneakers and Timberland boots exclusively. After reading the reviews about Brooks I decided to make a change because the New Balance quality seems to be going down while the price is going up. The Brooks addiction walker has been a pleasant surprise for me. I have worn them for a couple of weeks and I must say they are comfortable and the quality seems first rate. The arch support is great and the fit is snugger than the New Balance which works out to be a good thing for me. I have been wearing them without the previously needed insoles and the foot pain has been better than before with the insoles. I did a lot of research before my purchase and only time will tell if they are as durable as everyone says. Don't expect to find them on sale. They are priced about the same as my previous walking shoes and appear to be well worth the expense. If they last a year I will be extremely happy.

These shoes seem to be very well made. I feel as though all the other sneakers and shoes that I get tend to fall apart faster than I would expect them to, so I decided to try the Addiction Walker shoes by Brooks. Time will be the test here. It seems to me that the shoe runs a little narrow, but it wasn't enough to make me send it back and order something extra wide. The Brooks website says that the shoe is slip resistant. I am not sure what slip resistant means in that case as I wore them through a restaurant kitchen and they were not as slip resistant as most other shoes that say they are slip resistant. So I did slip around a little bit. The most impressive feature of the shoe is how comfortable it is when you're walking, especially on hard surfaces. When you walk it feels as though there are shock absorbers in the soles. So the name Addiction Walker seems appropriate as I would guess for someone who normally would take a 1 mile walk every night after dinner would now want to take a 2 mile walk every night after dinner. In other words, if I had my (old shoes) on and walked 1 mile and put the (Addiction Walkers) on and walked 2 miles I feel as though my (effort exerted) for both items here would be equal because the Addiction Walker shoes make walking feel easier. EE = (OS X 1mi) = (AW X 2mi) <-- for fun I am not sure if I will be able to come back and add to this review at a later time. It would be nice if I could do that just to report on how the shoes hold up through time. It is hard to review shoes when I've only had them a month, but right now, I like them.

For me, this shoe is an excellent reminder that we do indeed get what we pay for. I've had this shoe in the past and it did great. Extraordinarily comfortable to the point that walking was a real pleasure. And I do a lot of walking. As many of us do, I tried some other shoes to see if i could do as well or better for my hard earned money. Tried some New Balance and they did well, but just didn't last as long. Tried Propet, too, which was a HUGE mistake and a COMPLETE waste of money. Now I'm back on these Brooks, and I will not be going to any other shoe again. These shoes are just a little heavier than many others brands, but they are very well built and protect your feet extremely well. They last a long time (the soles of my previous pair show little wear but the New Balance ones with less time are well worn), and these are extremely comfortable to walk in to the point that I really look forward to walking and enjoy it. My feet, which honestly took a while to heal after the Propet disaster, are now happy and healthy again. Sometimes we just need a good reminder, that you do indeed get what you pay for. These shoes are not cheap, but they're not made cheap -- they are great shoes. And I won't quibble over the price again cause these are quite simply worth it. Lesson learned, or more accurately, relearned...

After reading reviews of other customers saying the fit was a bit small, I nervously ordered the 12 1/2 B which was the only size that was close. I wear a 12 C normally. I was quite surprised that the fit was pretty good. Length and toe box is perfect. The width is a little snug, but I can lace them up and tie laces. They required a little break in, but being leather uppers (which I've had before), the width will stretch. I've just returned from my 5th 4 1/2 mile brisk walk this week and after about 22 miles of walking they are feeling fantastic. My 6' 1" 250 pound frame puts some pounding on my feet normally, but these shoes have completely relieved my foot pain from work outs. They are a bit heavy, so running is not the purpose of these shoes. They make great walkers though!!

I normally wear a size 13 wide in most boots and shoes and ordered the Brooks Addiction in that size. Should have known better as I wear the Brooks Beast running shoes in size 14 wide. Sent them back. Amazon did not have the 14 wide in stock and I bought them from Zappos. The 14 Wide Addiction fit perfectly! I suffer from Plantar Fasciitis on occasion and my podiatrist originally recommended the Brooks Beast and was integral in relieving my symptoms. The Brooks Addiction is constructed similarly to the Beast and has the same therapeutic effect. The wide tall heel platform provides excellent support and prevents ankle rotation. The tall heel is a must for folks with PF. The Addiction offers excellent support, is very well made and not bad looking for a walking shoe. If its as durable as the Brooks Beast, I will get many excellent years of service from this shoe. Just keep in mind it runs small (like a full size for me).

Update September 7, 2012: I've owned these now for almost a year and now I have to alter my rating for these shoes. I rotate the shoes I wear daily and I don't wear them at all in the winter months so these actually only have a few months of wear on them. I was absolutely loving these shoes, until the stitching in the toe of the left shoe started unraveling at a very rapid rate. They will become unwearable in the new future. They have only about 4 months of actual wear on them. I am extremely disappointed in this shoe. I thought I had found "the shoe". Original Review October, 2012 I average over 10,000 steps a day on concrete at work, so footwear is very important to me. I've only worn these a few times but these seem to be a very well made shoes. They feel very supportive while having a comfortable fit.