F
Forever Chaos
May 24, 2023
I'm giving these shoes 5 stars, but with a heads up
Short Review: Go Walk Joy is the top winner of all the shoes/Skechers I've destroyed.They are relaxed fit, so it depends on how you want it to fit. If you want a tighter, fitted feeling, go half a size down, the length is still there. But if you order your regular size, you should be fine, even with thick socks. The arch support is "natural" since it's got a memory foam insole, but if you need more support, I recommend the D'Lites or the Air Cooled Arch-Fit.Long Review: I struggle with buying shoes online, so I ran some experiments over the last couple of years. Keep in mind I do no less than 50,000 steps a week. I'm on my feet up to 10 hours a day for work. So, here are reviews for multiple styles of Skechers.First, I bought the Go Walk Joy Walking Shoe Sneaker (slip on, no laces) in a size 8.5 which is what I normally buy in a sneaker. It's a relaxed fit shoe so it fit better with socks. They were an absolute miracle shoe. All of my foot pain was gone on day 1, and there was no breaking in period. There is also plenty of side room in both shoes, so if they're out of the wide, just try it anyway in your regular size. I think you'll be happy.I wore those out in about 3 months.I googled how to make shoes last longer, and decided to order 2 more pairs and wear them on alternating days, just to see if I could get 6 months out of them that way. I did not. After 4 months, I replaced the insoles altogether, and by the end of the 5th month, the soles themselves had lost all support. I pressed on. I didn't want to give them up... I ended up injuring my arches because of it. Those shoes were size 8 and size 8.5. The 8 was a perfect fit where the 8.5 was a bit roomy. If you like a lot of toe space, go with the 8.5, but the 8's should do you fine, even if you normally wear an 8.5 (as all my other store bought shoes are 8.5).While my arches were healing, I ordered this pair of Skechers Go Walk Joy 15601 Shoe in a size 8 (based off my previous go walk experience), with HIGH expectations. In the size department, again, perfect fit. But due to the damage I did to my arch, I couldn't wear them.I found the Skecher's D'Lites Play-On Sneaker, here, on Amazon, as well. They are not relaxed fit, so I ordered the 8.5. I have trouble with any type of heel usually, but these were pretty much perfect for protecting my arch. They are a little bit tight on me, as they are not relaxed fit, and I think I would have done well with a size 9.Because of that sizing, I decided I should go to an actual shoe store and try them on in person. The store didn't carry the D'Lites, but they did have these exact 15601 Shoes, and their size 8 was much smaller than the shoe I was wearing... I would swear it was a 7, but I can't explain that. They were otherwise identical. They didn't actually have a larger size for me to compare it to. It confuses me more, but I have to assume one of them is a mis-label, and I don't think it's Amazon (again, based on past purchases of other Go Walk varieties)Anyway, slightly off track there. They did not have any D'Lites in stock, but they did have an Air-Cooled Arch Fit shoe. In the moment, they were definitely more comfortable than the Go Walk. I bought the Arch Fit in a size 8.5 at the store.The plan was to alternate every few days with the D'Lites and the Arch Fit, and this worked for a while, but once my arches were healed, the problems I have with "heels" came back, so in a desperate moment, I put the 15601's back on and went to work, fully believing I'd be in pain by the end of the day. But I wasn't! They are the awesome shoe I was expecting! I did decide to pick up a $2 pair of cheap foam insoles to add to them, just for extra cushion. I'm going to replace those once a month, placing them on top of the original insoles rather than replacing the original insoles, just to see if it helps extend the life of the shoe. I'm just about due, so I pulled them out and put the shoes on to see if it's helped. So far it seems like it's working. I'd love to get more than 3 months out of them, but I think it's worth the money either way.Go Walk has truly been a Joy. I'll be buying more of them, as well as other Go Walk variety of shoes. And I HIGHLY recommend the D'Lites and the Arch Fit lines for anyone with arch issues. They were amazing when I needed them. I still wear them, just not to work or anywhere I need to stand for long periods of time. Heck, I still wear the first 3 pairs of Go Walk Joy around the house and when running errands. They look brand new on the outside! And as long as I don't have them on for more than a few hours, they're perfectly fine with any cheap replacement insole.All that said, if you're on a budget, I also still love my SlowMan Air Cushioned Walking Sneaker (women's slip on, sold here on Amazon). When I initially felt the problems in my arches, I pulled them out of the closet (after nearly 2 years) and the arch support was amazing. They also align with these size comparisons. I bought them in a size 8 and an 8.5. The 8 fit better, the 8.5 allowed for thicker socks. The heel though, again, is too high for me in general, but they really are comfortable otherwise. They are less expensive and a good alternative to the Arch Support varieties of Skechers.If you made it this far, I hope I was helpful! I'm always afraid of buying shoes online, because I HATE returning things.
✔ Verified Purchase
Ridiculously light and squishy comfortable but a bit narrow in the toebox
The shoes are very cushioned and comfy, but no arch support. The upper is a thick mesh material, I guess floppy, mesh, so on the plus side it conforms to your foot, on the minus side if offers no structure or support. I'm more accustomed to stability shoes like running and trail shoes and these are not like that at all, which may be a plus or minus for someone else. If you have balance issues, weak ankles, or need arch support I don't recommend these. The cushioning is so thick and the mesh is so flexible that with weak ankles and needing stability it actually throws my balance off. I would need to strengthen my feet and ankles before wearing these. I think even though the mesh gives some stretch, there wasn't enough room for my toes the sole wasn't wide enough. Even so, they were so comfy I didn't want to take them off and reluctantly returned them. So I think they'd make a lot of people happy. I guess you can tell that from the reviews.I can't speak to the traction of the soles on wet surfaces, they don't seem grippy though. My runners and trail shoes with vibram soles have a bit of stickiness to them, these don't. I suspect they'd slip, but someone else would have to weigh in on that.The shoes seemed a bit narrow and long for their size, I normally go by EU size, because that seems more consistent than US sizing.Generally I buy shoes that provide a bit more room in the toebox than average, that also give me room for a higher instep (and arch support), typically merrells, saucony, keens, etc. Asics have been good before too, they just wore out quicker than average so I stopped buying them. I've been looking at other brands, I've heard good things about sketchers for walking around on pavement or hard surfaces.The past couple of years I've found my go to shoes are narrower than they used to be, and I've heard others say the same. I've tried men's shoes, because they run wider, but the fit is not good for me. There are some women who find men's shoes fit well. And from what I've seen, men's shoes (as well as clothing) tend to be cheaper and better made, so that's a sweet deal if it works for you.In terms of my old brands, I find that they're now too narrow and the last is different. The last doesn't conform well to my foot like it used to do. It's not as supportive or comfortable. My old go to shoes were merrells, loved the jungle mocs and their hiking boots. I also really liked keens. I've seen others comment similarly so I know it's not just me. I think this is part of shrinkflation, manufacturers are cutting back on materials where they can.Because my old brands have basically changed how their shoes fit, and I'm having a hard time finding a good fit with "mainstream" brands, I am now looking at "barefoot" shoes. Shoes that have a curved last, narrow heel, wider toebox. This likely means altras, lems, and similar. I'm curious if more room in the toebox means that my toes spread out and help me balance better, and maybe I won't need supportive insoles or orthotics, arch, or ankle support. And that would save money I suppose if I don't have to buy a pair of shoes AND and also supportive insoles. We'll see. Not many of them seem to have much cushioning, I might not need as much as these sketchers have, but hopefully something will work out!
✔ Verified Purchase
