The Best Shoes for Standing All Day

It can feel like you’ve run a marathon after working 8+ hours on hard surfaces, touring a new city or walking across your favorite theme park.

Standing or walking for long periods of time can put a toll on your feet, ankles, legs, knees, joints, hips and lower back.

In addition to slipping into some recovery sandals at the end of the day, soothing your achy muscles with the best massage tools and taking time to rest and recover, wearing a well-fitted pair of running shoes when you’re standing all day can be a life-changing way to keep you comfortable and pain-free.

Many of the best running shoes make great shoes for work or standing all day because they are designed to absorb impact, cushion your feet and give you a stable foundation. Some even have non-slip outsoles. Furthermore, adding a pair of insoles to your shoes can personalize the fit and help relieve pain from plantar fasciitis, Achilles tendonitis and other common injuries.

To help you choose the right pair of shoes for you, we’ve rounded up the best shoes for nurses or anyone standing all day, from the best max-cushioned trainers that make concrete feel like clouds to all-black running shoes that add style to any outfit while you’re working or exploring.

To help those sore, tired feet at the end of the day, check out our video on other products to help relieve foot pain.

Whether you work in healthcare, retail, the service industry or just get a lot of steps in throughout the day, here are our recommendations for the best shoes for standing:

• HOKA Bondi 8
• On Cloudeclipse
• Brooks Ghost Max
• Karhu Mestari Run
• Saucony Triumph 21
• Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 40
• New Balance Fresh Foam MORE v4
• ASICS Gel-Kayano 30
• Altra Paradigm 7
• Adidas Ultraboost Light
• Diadora Mythos Blueshield Volo 3

The HOKA Bondi 8 is a reliable choice for people who walk and stand a lot for work.

Its amazing rocker feel lets you shift your weight from heel to toe while standing to take pressure off hot spots, and a luxurious amount of cushioning feels like you're walking on clouds. It’s also incredibly lightweight despite the large midsole you stand on top of.

The Bondi 8’s wide and stable platform makes standing and walking feel like you're gliding. Plus, it’s available in an all-black colorway and an all-black leather, slip-resistant version.

The On Cloudeclipse can conquer your long work day with ease. With On’s tallest stack height, its midsole comes packed with a double layer of On’s CloudTec Phase technology for massive cushioning and maximum performance.

The lightweight upper wraps your midfoot nicely for a supportive fit, while a wide toe box gives you enough room to wiggle your toes even after your feet start to swell from a long day standing upright. The wide base and X-shaped Speedboard help keep you stable throughout the day, giving you plenty of support, which is something our testers noted in the On Cloudeclipse review.

The Brooks Ghost Max has an amazingly plush step-in feel along with Brooks’ GlideRoll Rocker that helps you effortlessly move forward when you’re tired at the end of a long day. Our runners loved the smooth ride and cushioned feel in our Brooks Ghost Max review.

The wide base and unique geometry of the Ghost Max give you a stable platform to stand on, while a thick stack of their soft cushioning provides comfort all day long.

The most cushioned shoe in Karhu’s lineup, the Mestari Run was built with your feet in mind. The stretchy knit mesh upper wraps around your foot and not only accommodates many foot shapes, but will expand with your feet if they swell during the day. It is also nice and breathable for long days on your feet.

The plush bed of foam creates luxurious landings and smooth transitions from heel to toe. It has a broad base for extra stability. Plus, it delivers impressive durability for all-day wear.

What makes the Saucony Triumph 21 one of the best cushioned running shoes is the same reason why they’re amazing to stand in all day for work or play.

A luxuriously plush PWRRUN+ midsole foam absorbs impact upon landing and delivers energetic takeoffs to make walking or running feel bouncy and effortless—perfect for long hours spent working on concrete or other hard surfaces.

The Triumph also has a rocker geometry that helps prevent hot spots and gives you smooth transitions from heel to toe as you walk or run.

When you’re looking for something comfortable to wear for a day on your feet, the Saucony Triumph 21 offers long-lasting cushioning and support.

The Nike Air Zoom Pegasus 40 is a trusted classic for everything from running marathons to daily wear. Its iconic style looks as good with a pair of scrubs as it does with jeans, making it a truly versatile shoe for work and play.

Nike’s React foam gives you plenty of cushioning to stay comfortable for hours, while two Zoom Air units at the forefoot and heel put some pep in your step to keep you feeling energized all day long.

Looking for maximum cushioning for maximum comfort? The New Balance MORE v4 has a wide and stable platform of soft, yet incredibly responsive, Fresh Foam X cushioning that makes long shifts at work a breeze.

The rocker geometry on this shoe makes each stride smooth and effortless, while the soft and breathable upper feels light and comfortable on foot.

ASICS combines its FF Blast™ Plus Eco cushioning that gives you a soft and bouncy feel with PureGel technology in the rearfoot to help absorb the impact to keep your feet comfortable all day long.

In our review of the ASICS GEL Kayano 30, one tester noted, “The best way to describe the GEL-Kayano 30 is smooth like butter. This was the only sneaker I brought on vacation, and it gave me enough cushion to walk around all day on concrete, but still bounced back and gave me plenty of rebound on the run.”

Plus, the Kayano 30’s new 4D Guidance System gives you stability and support to promote proper alignment and prevent overpronation and fatigue.

Whether you are taking a long walk or have a long day of work ahead, your feet will be happy to have Altra’s roomy toe box and EgoMax midsole underfoot for a soft and bouncy ride in the Paradigm 7.

The Paradigm has Altra’s signature Balanced Cushioning, or zero heel-to-toe drop, which helps take the pressure off the ball of your foot. Then, Altra’s Guiderail technologies wrap around your arches to prevent any excess pronation and naturally support your feet for comfort all day long.

The Ultraboost Light can be seen on busy feet everywhere from hospitals to marathons. That’s because of its nice blend of soft and bouncy cushioning that feels amazing from the moment you step into them.

It’s considerably lighter than previous versions and comes with a premium PrimeKnit upper that our testers loved in our Adidas Ultraboost Light review. Plus, it’s topped off with a durable outsole made with Continental rubber, so you know it will hold up to walking back and forth all day at your job.

The Diadora Mythos Blueshield Volo 3 is not only built for performance but also offers exceptional comfort and support for all-day wear. Its midsole soaks up impact like a sponge to protect your joints, and it minimizes asymmetrical behavior to give you a smooth ride every step of the way.

It has the perfect combination of lightweight-feel and cushioning that you can wear comfortably all day long.

If you’re looking to spoil your feet with some ultra-plush cushioning, you won’t go wrong with the Diadora Mythos Blueshield Volo 3.

How We Researched and Tested the Best Shoes for Standing All Day

With more than 250 stores in communities across the country, Fleet Feet is the largest specialty running store in the U.S. with more than four decades of experience outfitting runners with the best running shoes, apparel and gear. We focus on running and walking gear, so we can be the experts and bring you the best running and walking advice possible.

Through our personalized Fleet Feet fit id® Outfitting process with 3D foot scanning technology, we use data from over 4 million foot scans (and counting) to give us unique insights into how today’s top running shoes fit and perform on a wide variety of feet. Additionally, thanks to 100,000+ runners participating in our local running clubs and training programs each year, we can see firsthand how the newest running shoes and gear perform for all different types of runners, each with different goals in mind.

Collectively, our experienced team of Fleet Feet editors has tried, tested and fallen in love with hundreds of different running shoes from dozens of the world’s top running brands. With this knowledge, we meticulously pour over the smallest details like fit, comfort, materials, durability and weight, to decide which running shoes are best to wear for long hours spent on your feet. From running shoe and gear reviews to workout tips and inspiration, we are your go-to source for running knowledge and motivation.

With this knowledge and expertise, we’ve tested the best running shoes for standing all day based on:

• Purpose. Comparing apples to apples
• Performance. How well does it do its job?
• Real-world testing. We put them to the test on real runs
• Price. Is it affordable? Does its performance justify its cost?
• Sales. Best-selling models are best-sellers for a reason
• fit id® data. Our 4 million+ foot scans show how shoes fit for different feet
• Availability. It won’t be good for you if it’s not in stock
• Designer interviews. We ask the people who made it

Standing Behind Our Picks

Fleet Feet knows running.

We picked the best shoes to work and stand in based on over four decades of experience outfitting runners of all abilities, ages and sizes. If you buy gear from us and you don’t like the way it looks, fits or performs, bring it back within 60 days for a full refund.

Plus, we offer free shipping & returns on all orders over $99 on fleetfeet.com, and we’ll match a lower price from a qualifying retailer. That’s our Happy Fit Guarantee.

fit id® & Dynamic Pressure Mapping

Buying online isn’t for everyone. To try on your gear before you buy it, visit a local Fleet Feet store for an in-person fitting experience.

We fit you for running shoes through our own fit id® outfitting process. The one-on-one process uses a 3D scanner to take precise measurements of your feet. This in combination with our *Dynamic Pressure Mapping system helps our highly trained Outfitters assess your foot’s path of motion and stride as you walk so they can find the perfect shoes for you. Then, using data points for each foot and decades of experience in the industry, we help you find the right gear for your unique feet and specific needs.

Want to try it for yourself? Find a Fleet Feet location near you.

*Pressure plates are available at select Fleet Feet stores

More of the Best Running Shoes

See the best running shoe brands 2024 for more great shoes:

• Best Brooks running shoes
• Best ASICS running shoes
• Best On running shoes
• Best HOKA running shoes
• Best New Balance running shoes
• Best Nike running shoes
• Best Saucony running shoes
• Best Altra running shoes
• Best Karhu running shoes
• Best Mizuno running shoes
• Best Diadora running shoes
• Best adidas running shoes
• Best Topo Athletics running shoes