7 Best Shoes For Walking On Concrete in 2024

While searching for the best concrete shoes, we looked for a shoe that’s tough enough to handle rough days on the job. We found what we were looking for in the Hoka Transport with its soothing cushioning, resilient outsole, and secure fit. These factors grabbed our attention when we tested them in the lab and on the streets, putting the Hoka Transport firmly above the rest.

The Hoka Transport’s cushioning felt heaven-sent as we pounded the streets in them. We looked into this further in our lab, where we pressed our durometer to its midsole to see how it compared to other shoes. We got a reading of 21.9 HA (after performing the test 4 times for improved accuracy), making it 23% softer than the average walking shoe - truly a gift for those who want to give their feet some pampering.

Since concrete can be a bit more abrasive than other surfaces, we found it great that the Hoka Transport’s sole is well-protected. Our durometer test on its outsole yielded a reading of 81.9 HC, making the shoe 13% firmer than the average. Even if something does make a dent, the Hoka Transport’s outsole is sufficiently thick to remove all worries about it wearing through. In the lab, we used our caliper to measure its thickness, giving us a figure of 3.7 mm which is impressive since the average walking shoe’s outsole thickness is at 1.7 mm.

Another thing we found amazing about the Hoka Transport is the way that it keeps feet locked in. After systematically pushing and prodding its heel counter, we gave its stiffness a reading of 3 out of 5 (where 1 is the most flexible), making it stiff enough to reliably resist ankle wobbling. We also found that it was able to embrace our feet well with its semi-gusseted tongue, giving us better lockdown.

One thing we must warn about is the Hoka Transport’s lack of breathability. It performed worse than the average walking shoe in letting air in and out, so we cannot recommend it for those who spend their days in sweaty conditions.

We walked and pounded the concrete streets for long hours and found Nike’s Motiva serves the ultimate comfortable experience. Our lab reveals why: it has generous and plush cushioning, a unique geometry that promotes seamless transitions, and a grippy and long-lasting outsole.

Motiva brought the clouds to the street through its above-average stack height with below-average density. Our caliper shows a 34.9 mm heel that absorbs much of repetitive landing impact. Meanwhile, our durometer unveils a plush 15.0 HA foam, explaining Motiva’s all-day comfort and leg-saving nature.

Motiva elevates comfort with its effortless, smooth strides, courtesy of its prominent rocker. It has raised curvy edges that lead us forward. To preserve this rocking motion, a level of resistance is needed. Upon checking with our bend test, Motiva is 43.1% more resistant than average.

Beneath the shoe is an outsole that blends traction and durability well. We had no issues with grip even on wet surfaces and the shoe barely had wear after extensive testing. Our lab confirms its compound is a tough 92.0 HC that’s 3.0 mm thick, both exceed the average and indicate a long lifespan.

Unfortunately, taking this shoe out on a hot day isn’t the best idea because of its subpar breathability. Best to use this during cooler seasons.

Hoka Clifton LS gave us exactly what we’re looking for when standing on hard surfaces for extended periods — an unbelievably cushioned, supportive, and durable platform. We wore and lab-tested the best concrete walking shoes and confirmed Clifton LS is the best for all-day wear.

Our feet can’t get enough of the generous foam that protects our legs from solid surface impact. We measured the stack with our caliper at an above-average 35.2/27.0 mm. The moderate rocker paved the way for smoother transitions.

Surprisingly, this monstrous beast feels steady on foot. It’s soft for all-day wear, yet firm enough to not collapse easily when we move laterally. Our durometer confirms a balanced 21.3 HA. The midsole offers a very generous landing platform, adding to our surefootedness. Its 122.8/95.5 mm heel and forefoot area is one of the widest in our lab.

Underfoot, the Durabrasion Rubber impressed us with its excellent traction and resistance to wear. In all our lab tests, the results point to a sturdy outsole. Our durometer shows an above-average 80.5 HC that’s 1.1 mm thicker than the average walking shoe. It performed with flying colors in our Dremel test by showing only 0.6 mm indentation, 60% more resistant than average.

The upper has real leather and suede parts for durability but at the expense of breathability. We find that Clifton LS isn’t ideal for warm weather.

Among walking shoes we tested on concrete, the KEEN WK400 proves it’s the best-rockered shoe. It paves the way for seamless and effortless strides, packed with luxurious comfort and toughness in its outsole.

The ride feels enjoyable thanks to its plush and responsive cushion. Our durometer reveals it’s 12.0% softer than average. Further delivering impact protection is its very generous 45.7 mm heel—one of the tallest we’ve ever seen. On the other end is a modest forefoot that leads to a staggering 21.4 mm drop. A steeper incline translates to smooth forward motions and less pressure on our Achilles and feet.

To boost stability, WK400 has a rigid plate beneath the midsole that also helps retain the KEEN CURVE's shape. This stiffness is essential in maintaining our forward momentum, and our bend test reveals it’s 60.8% more resistant than average.

Our lab tests show the rubber in the outsole is 12.7% harder and 2.4 mm thicker than average. Our observations further support its durability since it looked new despite rigorous testing. We also found it to be grippy and protective enough for moderate trails.

Our cut-in-half shoe reveals a dual-layer fabric in the upper, which explains why it lacks airflow on hot and humid days. Best to use this pair in moderate to cooler temperatures.

The most sidewalk-ready and arch-friendly walking shoe we’ve encountered is the Brooks Adrenaline GTS 23. This shoe sure does soften the blow every time we strike our feet on concrete in addition to promoting the correct placement of our feet, rooting out the cause of our usual foot complaints!

With a 34.1 mm and 21.5 mm heel and forefoot midsole elevation, we found that the heel-to-toe drop of Adrenaline GTS 23 is equivalent to 12.6 mm. This is not only 43.2% steeper than the standard but also a rich amount to buffer shock, especially for heel stompers. For the softness of the midsole, we obtained a measurement of 19.5 HA, denoting that it’s 18.8% softer than most and providing our arch with structural reinforcement without losing comfort.

We also loved the spot-on fit of the shoe that didn’t cost us shoe bites despite strolling on pavements for extended hours. Our caliper read 99.9 mm when we gauged the shoe’s widest toe box area. This offered us a 1.8 mm additional room than the average, thus allowing us to have uncompressed feet.

As much as we appreciated the heel and outsole’s durability, the toe box area failed us. Employing our Dremel to determine the upper’s toughness led to the quick penetration of our tool through the material. If toe box scraping is your concern while walking, we think it’s a good idea to explore other shoes with robust uppers.

We don’t want any other walking shoe but Brooks Ghost 15 when we leave our house and explore the outside world. Cruising on pavements is never better without this shoe because it’s like an actual pillow beneath the foot and we can walk on concrete for miles without the outsole giving up on us.

One thing that made us forget that we were wandering on asphalt was the incredibly soft foam. We double-checked this through our durometer and it reflected a 15.9 HA midsole, which is not only plush but 34.6% softer than the average! 

Moreover, we didn’t notice any scuffing on the outsole even though we really went the distance while wear-testing the shoe. To verify this, we let the outsole taste abrasion using our Dremel tool. Besides the 0.4 mm crater, which by the way is 60% less deep than the average, our Dremel failed to cause any significant damage to the outsole. 

The impact every time we hit the ground couldn’t reach our feet because of the beefy midsole of the Ghost 15. Utilizing our caliper, we recorded a 9.3% chunkier-than-average heel stack height of 36.3 mm and a 23.1 mm forefoot height that’s only 1.2 mm short of the average. Overall, this is more than enough to protect us from concrete’s hardness. However, the forefoot stack height might not be enough for forefoot strikers. In that case, we recommend looking for other pairs.

Of all the hours we spent testing Hoka Bondi SR on streets and pavements, the number of times we ran into clumsiness hiccups is zero. This is because its treads are fastened to the ground at each of our steps, plus its reassuring lateral confine ensures that ankle sprain is not something we should worry about.

We inspected the Bondi SR’s outsole and learned that at 73.1 HC, it transcended the firmness of the average by only 1.1%. On our asphalt jungle trips, this resulted in remarkable traction even when the surface was wet.

Our surefootedness continues with the stability offered by the shoe. With a firm structure that scored  5/5 in our torsional rigidity test, combined with a solid heel counter that barely submitted when we forcefully compressed it, our feet definitely stayed in a neutral position. 

Continuous walks on solid ground are already straining as they are. This is why we found the stiffness of Bondi SR a bit hard on the foot. The shoe’s inflexibility is also apparent in our lab test where we bent it using our digital force gauge. It defied bending at a 52.7N force, winding up 192.8% stiffer than average! If you desire smooth stride progressions, we advise skipping the Bondi SR.