If your shoes hurt by the end of the day, the problem is usually not the shoe, it is the width. Most shops stock a couple of wide options and treat everyone else as medium, which is why so many people wear shoes that are half a size too long just to get enough room across the ball of the foot.
The fix starts with measuring properly. Measure both feet in the evening, when they are largest, standing up, with the socks you normally wear. Write down length and width for each foot and use the larger of the two. If one foot is wider, size for that foot and adjust the other with a thin insole. Width fittings in a serious comfort range run from slim through extra wide, in some models up to a five E, and that is a far bigger difference than the jump between two sizes.
For daily walking, a lightweight mesh sneaker with a cushioned midsole and a removable insole covers most needs. Removable insoles matter more than people expect, because they let you drop in your own orthotics or a fresh pair when the original flattens. If you overpronate, look for a model with a firmer heel counter and more support under the arch rather than simply more cushioning.
If bending down to tie laces is the difficult part, hands free step in designs and elastic slip-ons remove the problem entirely, and they hold the foot as well as laces when the upper is structured. For anyone managing diabetes or reduced sensation in the feet, the priorities shift: a smooth interior with no seams over pressure points, a wide toe box, adjustable straps that can be loosened as swelling changes through the day, and a removable insole so a podiatrist can fit a custom one. Straps beat laces here because they can be adjusted without force.
Materials matter for comfort over long days. Leather uppers mould to the foot but need breaking in; breathable knits and mesh are cool from day one. Rubber outsoles with a defined tread grip better on wet pavement, which is a real safety issue for older walkers, and a heel that is slightly wider at the base than at the top stops the ankle rolling on uneven ground.
Break in any new pair gradually: two hours indoors, then a short errand, then a full day. Replace shoes when the midsole stops springing back or the outsole tread is worn flat at the heel, usually between three hundred and five hundred miles of walking, and rotate two pairs so each has time to dry.
Prices in the comfort segment generally land between sixty and one hundred and thirty dollars, and the range usually covers more than trainers, with loafers and simple dress shoes in the same widths so you are not forced back into tight formal footwear for weddings and work. If your feet need extra wide or extra roomy fitting and you want to compare widths, materials and available sizes, check the current models and width options here before ordering.