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Best Adult Shoes

Flexible and lightweight design that promotes foot health.

Updated on July 1, 2024

Shop the best shoes for adults

Once we reach adulthood, a lot of things change. These include our responsibilities, personality, fashion style, and yes—even shoes.

You face an incredible range of shoe options, from regular adult dress shoes and sports shoes to more niche choices, like adult water shoes or yoga shoes. All these mean that you have your work cut out for you if you’re looking for the best shoes for adults.

So, what exactly is it you need if you want the best? When it comes to adult shoes, you need to look for the best fit, maximum comfort, good flexibility, and superior support. Combined, these three factors will ensure optimum foot health—something you can never discount when you’re an adult.

Lucky for you, that’s exactly where KURU shoes shine: comfort, arch support, and shoe design engineered to fight foot pain.

What are Adult Shoes?

It’s all quite simple: adult shoes encompass all the shoes we wear once we graduate from the youth or junior shoe sizes. Alternatively, this can happen once we enter adolescence or our teenage years.

Adult shoes mostly only differ from kids’ shoes on the size. Naturally, they’re a lot bigger and, as a result, more expensive than kids’ shoes.

In terms of shoe design and style, one of the common differences is the lack of laces in many children’s shoes. Since most kids don’t yet know how to tie their shoe laces, velcro is often the easiest and best option.

KURU offers some of the best adult shoes on the market with built-in arch support and cushion in every pair for all-day comfort and style.

  • A woman wearing KURU CHICANE shoes for adults.

Types of Adult Shoes

  • Athletic or Running Shoes
    These are the shoes you’ll want to get for jogging, running, or gym workouts. Look for shoes that are made for the specific sports or activities you do. For example, wear basketball shoes when playing basketball and hiking shoes for hiking or other rugged outdoor activities.
    Athletic or Running Shoes
  • Formal or Dress Shoes
    These are typically closed leather shoes. Traditional brogues or oxfords have laces but there are also plenty of slip-on styles of dress shoes.
    Formal or Dress Shoes
  • Boots
    If you’re looking for stylish footwear that offer ankle support, then ankle boots are perfect for you. There are other types of boots as well, ranging from iconic cowboy boots to practical rain boots.
    Boots
  • Adult Velcro Shoes
    These types of shoes have become trendy over recent years. Adult shoes with velcro used to be worn mainly by the elderly, those with mobility issues, or foot problems.
    Adult Velcro Shoes
  • Corrective Shoes
    These are shoes worn to address trouble areas on your feet and, as the name suggests, correct feet problems. Corrective shoes for adults are typically worn to help with fallen or collapsed arches, absorb more shock to relieve pressure, or protect against ulcers and blisters.
    Corrective Shoes
Shop shoes for adults from KURU today!

Healthy Aging: Ways to Care for Your Feet

As we age, our feet need a bit more love and care. Here are four easy ways to keep your aging feet healthy and happy.

  • Wear comfortable shoes (and socks)
    When selecting adult shoes, opt for those with wide toe boxes and sufficient cushioning, and avoid wearing shoes or socks that are too tight.
    Wear comfortable shoes (and socks)
  • Practice good foot hygiene
    To maintain good foot hygiene, it is important to wash your feet daily, dry them thoroughly, wear fresh socks with each pair of shoes, avoid going barefoot on hardwood or cold floors and in public areas, and refrain from shaving or cutting off calluses.
    Practice good foot hygiene
  • Give your feet some TLC
    To soothe your tired feet, you can massage them, roll a tennis ball underneath them to alleviate soreness, and treat yourself to a foot soak or bath for stress relief and softening of the skin, including calluses.
    Give your feet some TLC
  • Practice proper shoe care
    To prolong the life of your shoes, keep them clean both inside and out, rotate between pairs to avoid wearing the same ones daily, and store them in a cool and dry place.
    Practice proper shoe care

FAQs

  • How can I make sure I get the right size?

    Buying adult shoes online can be daunting since you don’t get to try the shoes on first. Here are a few tips to help you get your correct size when shopping for the best walking shoes for adults:

    Familiarize yourself with international size conversions. A U.S. size six for women translates to a size 36 for EU sizes, 3.5 for U.K. sizes, and 22.5 for Japanese sizes.

    Look for shops that offer free shipping, free returns, and free exchanges like KURU. This way, you can return or exchange your shoes for the right size if they don’t fit you.

    Measure your feet using a Brannock device the next time you shop in a brick and mortar store so you can be better sure of your size.

  • Can I wear my own orthotics with your shoes?

    We build our technology into every shoe we make, so you never have to worry about aftermarket inserts. Many of our customers find they don’t need their previous orthotics because of the superior support they get from their KURUs.

    If you do want to combine our shoes with your existing solutions or a heel lift, you’ll find that equipment with rounded bottoms fit best inside our shoes, since they feature a rounded shape to match nature.

  • Are your shoes considered orthopedic shoes?

    While our shoes are not currently considered orthopedic by a medical standard, we have received thousands of positive reviews from customers who say their KURU shoes with good arch support helped reduce or eliminate their pain—from plantar fasciitis to bunions.

    Each of our shoes feature a wide toe box, superior arch support, shock absorption and patented heel technology, engineered for pain relief.

  • How is the arch support of KURU shoes?

    KURU shoes deliver excellent arch support without the need for thick inserts or expensive, custom orthotics.

    Superior arch support starts with our patented KURUSOLE technology, which delivers natural cushioning and dynamically hugs your heel with every step. Every foot is unique, and our ULTIMATE INSOLES adapt to fit your needs by using your own body heat to custom-mold to the shape of your feet over time.

    The corrective nature of our superior arch support is designed to neutralize your weight distribution and place your foot in the best anatomical position. This support can take some getting used to. We suggest slowly breaking in your new shoes over the course of 2–3 weeks.

  • I just received a pair of your shoes and my feet are sore/hurt after wearing them. Why is that?

    Some customers experience tenderness when they first start wearing a new pair of KURUs. That’s ok! Your body may need time to adjust to the new levels of anatomical support you experience with our patented KURUSOLE technology. Our shoes are also designed to mold to your unique foot shape, which takes a bit of a break-in period.

    To help mitigate this, we suggest you follow our break-in procedure, including wearing your KURUs for a couple hours per day around the house in the first couple of weeks as they break in and form to your foot.

Key Considerations Before Making Your Purchase

One important thing to remember when buying adult shoes is to buy shoes that fit their purpose.

If you’re an active person, running shoes or sports shoes might be the best for your training sessions. If you work in pools and want to avoid slipping or walking on hot concrete, then you might prefer the best water shoes for adults.

Here are some other tips to help you find your best pair of shoes yet:

  • Get your feet measured the next time you shop for a new pair.
  • Use your shoe size as a guideline, rather than a hard and fast rule. If a shoe in your size doesn’t feel comfortable, then try the next size.
  • Go shoe shopping in the afternoon, since our feet naturally expand throughout the day.
  • Check the shape of the shoe. You can usually tell whether the shoe will fit you comfortably or not based on how well it resembles the shape of your feet.
  • Wear the same kind of sock you would wear with the shoes you buy.
  • If you want more support or greater ease of use, consider velcro shoes for adults or slip-on shoes.

Three Layers of Support

At KURU, we pride ourselves on our unique approach to shoe design. We believe that shoes should be shaped to fit the natural contours of your feet, which is why we create every pair in three distinct support layers, not just an insole.

Our revolutionary ergonomic design starts with a curved footbed and adds unparalleled triple-layer support that includes shock-absorbing KURUCLOUD, heel-cupping KURUSOLE, and arch-supporting ULTIMATE INSOLES. The result? Shoes that are so comfortable you’ll stop thinking about your feet.

  • 1

    KURUSOLE

  • 2

    KURUCLOUD

  • 3

    ULTIMATE INSOLE

  • How KURU brings relief

    KURUSOLE

    The KURUSOLE offers patented protection and support. This technology dynamically flexes with each step and cups your heel to keep the fat pad in place and minimize wear and tear. The KURUSOLE also curves under your foot and extends to your arch. This gives you firm support for a healthy gait and helps encourage better posture.

Our Secret

Animated GIF showing KURUSOLE tech in KURU shoes vs. typical flat interiors for plantar fasciitis pain.
Why Others Love KURU

Why Others Love KURU

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ratings.

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Expensive but worth it. These shoes live up to their hype. I’ve struggled with plantar fasciitis throughout my adult life and these shoes support the heel with each step. I’m a personal trainer and these are what i recommend to PF clients and what i wear to work every single day. I did have to order a 1/2 size larger than my normal shoe size.”

Jennifer South MS

Great every day shoe. I bought for my adult grandson who had heel spurs and pain from a reconstructed ankle. He said the shoes fit him great and his heel spur has calmed and his ankle is feeling much better from the great support!”

GailD

A pleasant surprise. I bought this shoe for my adult daughter. She was hesitant at first trying it on, 15 minutes later she was raving about how comfortable they are, a week later she still loves them. Thank you Kuru♥️ my only advice is to order a half size up. they seem to run small.”

 

Mom on the case

No more orthodics for me. I have worn custom orthotics all my adult life at least 40 years. I have 2 pair of KURU one black one brown. These are definitely the most comfortable slip on shoes I have ever invested in. AND NO ORTHODICS!!!!”

Antonem1

Good looking shoe! My young adult kids all loved the look of this shoe. I purchased it for foot relief. My old KURU Striders lost their protective barrier so I tried a different style. My feet have been hurting for a week or two so I don’t expect full relief the first time I wore these. They are comfortable and fit true to size, but when I work I can feel the tenderness in my feet. With my Strides, the minute I put them on the pain was gone (until I took them off). I am hoping this will come around.”

Anoosh

Shop KURU shoes today!
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