I lost about 300lbs over a couple of years with walking being my primary form of exercise. I started with a couch to 10k program and for most of the time I was losing weight I was walking about 8 miles a day on sidewalks and paved walking paths. I had been wearing sketchers walking shoes for a while and they are very comfortable and good for light walking but would only last about 3 months while I was morbidly obese and walking that much. I went to a walking store and asked for recommendations and left with a pair of Saucony that I wore daily for almost a year. I've stuck with Saucony and since I weigh a lot less and have switched to an exercise bike for my primary cardio exercise my current pair is about 2 years old and still going strong. They have a much stiffer sole than the sketchers, new balance, or Nike that I have had in the past. I do still use Sketchers for hiking boots.