The SHOES of 2022
Every year our Podiatrists give footwear advice to thousands upon thousands of patients. We make it our business to understand shoes, who makes them, what shoes work for whom, and what shoes don’t work…..period!
The problem with shoes is that companies CHANGE them on a regular basis. Sometimes up to twice yearly. Not only colours, but design features & quite often and entire shoe will change from one year to the next. We keep an eye on all this so you do not have to. Below are our Podiatrists recommendations for The Shoes of 2022.
Walking/Running Shoes:
THE WINNER FOR 2022: Brooks Dyad - what has made this shoe great in 2022, is that it hasn’t really changed in a LONG time. Whilst other shoes chopped and changed, the Dyad stayed true to itself, going from probably the 4th or 5th best shoe in Australia prior to this year, to the best shoe by a country mile. Hence we have nicknamed it the “Steven Bradbury” of footwear. It comes in multiple widths for men and women, & it is a generous fit shoe, great if you have a bunion as well! It won’t suit a narrow foot, and isn’t built for one. It is suitable for orthotics, and is a great middle distance running shoe for those inclined to hit the pavement. For the rest of us on a day to day walking basis, its a great, comfortable walking shoe. Plenty of cushioning, plenty of stability & the fact this shoe refuses to change makes it the BEST shoe in our opinion of 2022.
Runner Up: Brooks Ghost - Brooks improved this shoe during 2021/2022 making it a real contender for shoe of the year. Built for the slightly narrower foot, it also comes in multiple width fittings as well as an OFF ROAD version which is waterproof using GORTEX. The one criticism we have with this shoe is that is slightly soft, and the medial and lateral rail systems could be made more stable. It is suitable for orthotics, has plenty of cushioning and again is a good middle distance shoe for runners and comfortable day to day shoe for the rest of us.
Achievement Award - HOKA ARAHI - literally coming out of nowhere in 2021/2022 the ARAHI from Hoka is quite simply a stunning shoe to wear. It is well suited to distance road running, but is most defiantly NOT a trail shoe. It is cushioned, stable and even day to day is a joy to wear. We do not really like using this shoe with orthotics, but there are exceptions & during 2022 it has surprised some of us how well it works with certain foot types and orthotic control. Not all Hokas are built the same - so be careful using these shoes, and advice is really a must to have prior to using or purchase. These shoes are NOT suited to all feet, and unfortunately due to their midsole thickness we do not recommend them in patients who may be unsteady on their feet.
Worthy Mentions - The good old ASICS GT 2000. ASICS made some significant changes to this shoe during 2021/2022 - the main one being the removal of the plastic “Z” stability bar in the midsole of the shoe. It takes it from a great shoe to a good shoe. It is such a shame as the GT 2000 has been a staple in our clinic for almost 5+ years. Multiple width options in mens and womens make it versatile and it is on par with the BROOKS Ghost in terms of stability. In 2022 the old king has been conquered by the above shoes.
Please be aware - this list does change - and not every shoe is suitable for each individual. he advice above is generalized, and it is always worth having an appointment with one of our Podiatrists to make sure what will and will not work. Remember the average lifespan for a SHOE is 800kms of wear time.