Walking Shoe Review: PROSPECS Cool Walk 405 - Page 2

The Cool Walk is highly flexible, especially in the forefoot area. This feature is good for those with relatively inflexible feet. While the shoe features a unique Walking Straight Line sole intended to support a straight-ahead walking style, it also offers good side-to-side movement. The latter is essential when one's walking on uneven surfaces and trails, and there's enough cushioning (three levels worth, including a rubbery Flubber 360 upper midsole) so that you do not feel the rocks you may step on.

I was initially concerned that the sock liner was overly built up and protective, so after a few miles I substituted a thinner insole. When I subsequently elected to place the supplied sock liner back into the shoe, it was a relief to find that the insole conformed to my feet within a matter of miles; it then seemed to almost disappear.

There's excellent heel support in the Cool Walk, as the shoe comes with both external and internal high impact pads. The internal blue rubber pad at the heel, attached to the underside of the sock liner, is like those found on some expensive men's business-class walking shoes.

What happens if you take a trip and forget to take your running shoes with you? I tested the Cool Walk's ability to protect the feet for a few miles of low-to-the-ground jogging and it passed just fine.

For a list price of just below $100 ($99), the Cool Walk is a good value. That's cheaper than most running shoes these days, and this walking shoe seems to blend comfort with durability. The PROSPECS Cool Walk 405 is a lightweight, flexible, shock-absorbing shoe that should provide its users with hundreds of pleasurable, comfortable walking miles.

Article Author: Joseph Arellano

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