Customer Reviews Brooks Addiction™ Walker

I've worn the Addiction Walker for years. The fit is perfect for my very wide and buniony feet, and I love the thick sole. Due to a series of foot disasters, I now have orthotic insoles, custom made to fit the shoe. I have to wear them all the time, from the moment I get up till I go to bed. Because of the insoles, I have to wear the Addiction Walker on all occasions, grubby or fancy. This made me gloomy sometimes, until I discovered shoe paints. I now have six gorgeously painted pairs, and a seventh waiting for inspiration.

These shoes are life savers! I had been in pain for months, not looking forward to walking everywhere in Greece and Turkey. The day after I received these, tendinitis pain, foot and leg pain gone! I still use with my orthotics, they fit in just fine, along with gel insoles. I wish there were more styles, that would be great. But anyone with foot or leg pain should give these a try, what have you got to lose - just a lot of pain.

I hate to say it because they're not the most fashionable shoes around, but with my wide, flat feet and narrower heels, they cause me no pain at all from the start. Usually when I get wider shoes the heel is slipping off, but with the cushioning and lace ties, these fit perfectly. Brooks is a good brand for problem feet.

I have to admit, I'm getting ready to order my 4th pair of these shoes. I love them! I also have over pronation and these are the most comfortable shoes I have found with great arch support!

I love Brooks shoes and these may be one of my favorites. Extremely comfortable for long periods of walking.

Very comfortable shoe. I have a wide foot and narrow heel. These give me plenty of room in the toes, but not too wide in the heel. I have three pair in different colors. I use them for walking and exercise classes. They have built-in arch support designed to correct over-pronation (feet rolling inward), but I take out the inserts and use my own orthotics.

Pronation/Plantar Fasciitis - These ugly shoes are my go to shoes. In fact, sadly, I must wear them every day. They support my feet with their anti "roll bar" technology, allow my orthotics and a heel cushion to fit inside the shoe without discomfort. All in all - the shoe has been very good for my aching feet.Toe box is roomy. I do wish Brooks could make a more attractive shoe. It is true to size. I do not recommend purchasing the white ones unless you wear them with pants. They look like a mattress has been strapped to your feet. The shoes last a very long time. Solid construction but not heavy. I also wear the running style Addiction for my sneaker days.

These shoes are a little clunky looking, but extremely comfortable. They fit my narrow foot well. I have used them for long walks and lots of sightseeing and they continue to be comfortable.

Disappointing... This is my second pair of Brook's. I liked the first pair, so am sorry to say that I find this shoe just average in terms of support, comfort, and appearance. I constantly need to tie & retie these to try to overcome fit problems: on the right shoe, the tongue slips down in the toe box, causing a painful rubbing on the top of my foot; the top of the left shoe rubs painfully around my lower ankle. These problems can be corrected temporarily by pausing and retying...but what a hassle! I am currently looking for another walking shoe & I am avoiding this brand.

This shoe is reported as having a wide toe box. Nothing could be further from the truth. My toes do not taper in the front at all. This type of foot is not uncommon (it is known as a triangle foot, duck shaped , or peasant foot). In recent years it has become EXTREMELY DIFFICULT to find shoes (vs heavy boots) with truly wide, rounded toe boxes. They used to be at least available. Nowadays, almost all shoe manufacturers (except zero drop shoes, which do not have the support I need) do not seem to want to make this shape. As someone who now has deformed toes from not being able to get a true wide toe box , I’m not sure why shoe manufacturers don’t want people to have a healthy shoe. Even orthopedic shoes , and shoes advertised as having wide toe boxes, do not. I love the way a truly wide to box looks and especially how it feels. A tapered/pointy running shoe looks unnatural and not athletic to me. Any shoe manufacturer who decides to make a shoe that has real toe room for the many people like me, will get a lot of grateful customers! I attached a photo of a New Balance vs. the Brooks. The New Balance doesn’t have a wide toe box any more, but the Brooks is much more narrow and was painful to put on my feet so I returned it.

These have been great! I wear a size 8 shoe generally (flat, pump) and an 8.5 walking shoe, and I got these in a 9. They fit perfectly. I walk 3-5 miles several times a week, and these feel quite different from my normal walking shoes (which have been running shoes by Asics). They don't give you a rolling motion forward, so walking feels more flat-footed, which, having now had a physical therapist help me with changing my gait, I now understand is the way one should walk to avoid knee and ankle pain. I have had plantar fasciitis in the past, and these feel like they give good arch support right now. The PT said he thought these were the best shoes for feet problems . . . that eventually after many miles they might lose their support, but then I will simply add an insole like Superfeet. Anyway, I bought these on the basis of all the reviews, and I'm very glad I did!

These shoes are wonderful. I walk 3.5 miles most days. My feet, knees, and hips are thanking me for these shoes. Some days I just wear them all day.

Now that I need foot orthotics for a collapsed ankle, I discovered they didn't work at all with my favorite New Balance shoes (926,927). Brooks Addiction works well with thick, high arch orthotics. I have more room for my toes, bunions, and the leather gives easily in that area. I would swap the soles of the NB 927 with the Brooks if I could. Brooks have harder soles and are not as comfortable for standing for long periods. I bought the black and bone Brooks Addiction Walkers as well. They do look less clunky than the New Balance 927's, so that's a plus!

I already had a pair of these shoes, so I knew that a 7.5 extra-wide shoe would fit. I have both Spencos (thin foam insoles) and Superfeet orthotics in them, and I have plenty of room for my bunions. I find them very comfortable, right out of the box, with these unique-for-me additions. They are comfortable even without them. Good, firm support for walking. Yes, they are a little on the heavy side, but they are all leather. You will not feel the road or sidewalk under your feet the way you feel it with a less supportive, less cushioned shoe. I'm 63, I have plantar fasciitis and bunions. Sure, I would like a more stylish-looking shoe, but these fit the bill! Obviously, I loved them well enough to get a second pair! :)

Why buy a black leather rigid sneaker for this much money? Because it is worth every cent! My podiatrist recommended this brand and I purchased the white tennis shoe model of Brooks Addiction locally-dealing with parking issues at the specialty shoe store and higher price and sales tax. Those shoes are great and last and most important accommodate my custom orthotics that I have to insert. However, I am planning a trip to Europe- lots of walking, wet weather ahead and black leather is more dressy less sporty and more practical for outfits. I ordered- they arrived within the week, new car type smell, fit perfect and have required no break in period. I will continue to order from Zappos! If you have orthotic inserts and looking for stable, comfortable footwear- Brooks Addiction is the answer!

Great for those with plantar fascitiis, fibromyalgia, and sore feet. Great stabilization. Don't last as long as I'd like them to (only about 3 months), but then I have to wear them about 16 hours a day with the plantar fascitiis, so I didn't mark them down for that. Nothing much lasts these days. On the outside they still look like new, it's just that the sole no longer is there for the foot after 3 months.

I am an 8N in street shoes, and after trying three different pairs of New Balance, as well as Hush Puppies, Propet, and Rockport, I settled on these. I am really happy with them. I love the wide toe box, they are not obnoxiously clunky, the leather is soft and pliable, my narrow heels do not slip, and they felt good right away. I did need a 9N - I generally do in all walking and running shoes. They are a bit heavy, but that is the price of the support. I am thrilled that I found these and I may get white ones too.

Does Just What It Says It Will. This shoe is the best one I've ever worn, stood in, and walked in. I have very low arches and have to wear arch supports or else I'd have severe hip and back pain. I've never felt more stable and more comfortable as when I'm wearing these shoes! I love them! NOTE: This shoe runs narrow across the top of your foot, so if your feet tend to be wide, order the next width up.

I ordered the wide in my size as shoes like this one tend to be to narrow over my toes but it was fine through the toes but to wide in the heel. Nice shoes and comfortable except that my heel kept coming out so I returned it.

Brooks Addiction walkers were recommended for feet like mine (flat and overpronating) and they're wonderful. My feet are very narrow and need the close support these shoes provide. I wear a size 8.5 in dress shoes but bought these in size 9.5 to accomodate my orthotics. My feet are happier than they've been in ages.

Wonderful! 8.5AA feels like it was made for me. Didn't have to break my feet in for the shoes.

The best walking sneaker I have ever gotten. I have bad knees and a bunion and I really struggle. I walked 8 to 10 hours at Disney and my feet and needs and hip did not hurt! Love these.

The Addiction Walker gave me new feet - I have a mountainous hammer toe and a bunion as wide as a semi. My feet hurt so much that it was difficult for me to stand for more than 8 minutes. I slipped my orthotics into the Addiction Walker and went out to clean the garage. Then my feet were tired so I needed to sit. It was hard to believe that I had been standing/walking for FOUR HOURS. I wear these to my aerobics classes and play tennis in them. They work as well for those activities as they do for straight walking. You have such a great company. Thanks for making it possible for me to buy shoes that fit difficult feet. You have allowed me to put off foot surgery. Tennis players who have foot surgery no longer play tennis and I’m still getting the ball back at age 69. I've told so many people about you. Thank you. Cella Q