As someone who thrives on long days at Disneyland or a stacked Saturday watching my kids play soccer for hours, I know firsthand how hard it can be to find a shoe that doesn’t have your feet screaming after hours of standing or walking. Enter the Kuru Flex Via, a walking shoe made for long days on your feet and long walks in the park.
The Kuru Flex Via is a walking sneaker from Kuru Footwear designed with walking, standing, and daily wear in mind.
With its minimalist design and flexible yet supportive sole, this sneaker is a great option for athletes who incorporate a lot of walking workouts into their routines or who are looking for a shoe that can hold up over a long day of walking and standing on your feet. Let’s check it out!
As always, we’re here to give you the pros, the cons and our honest assessment of this shoe. There’s no one walking shoe that is going to work best for every single person!
If you’re looking for a walking or daily wear sneaker, or if you need a shoe that will help support a plantar fascitiis or foot pain flare up, the Kuru Flex Via could be the shoe you’re searching for.
Who Is It Good For?
Who is Kuru Flex Via a good fit for? Let’s break it down with some common categories:
- Walking Workouts: It’s a heavier shoe, so you may want a different option.
- Wide Feet: Lots of space but it also is available in wide!
- Standing All Day: Just the right amount of support without sinking into the shoe.
- Daily Wear: Comfortable and stylish to dress up or keep casual for a workout.
In particular, this shoe is touted as an excellent option for those dealing with plantar fasciitis due to its structured heel and its supportive cushioned sole.
Kuru Flex Via Overview
In the short time I’ve worn the shoe, I’ve tried these out for indoor and outdoor walking workouts, as well as some long air travel days where comfort was key. These shoes held up well for long walking treadmill workouts, as well as outdoor walking in sunny and icy conditions thanks to their grooved sole design.
I think a lot of us know the feeling of coming home after a long day of standing at work or walking at an event with the desperate compulsion to get your shoes off as quickly as possible! I’ve even spent nights after travel or a Disney day with my feet in a tub full of ice just to get a little pain relief.
With that in mind, I was definitely intrigued when it came time to test a specialty walking shoe, something I normally steer myself away from because I’m stubborn about both fit and style after years of shopping with my parents at walking shoe stores.
A lot of specialty shoes can end up looking like your grandpa’s bulky orthotics, so I was pleasantly surprised to receive the Kuru Flex Via and see its sleek, modern design in a simple colorway that matches any outfit. I could definitely see these being worn everywhere from a workout to errands to work, in gym clothes or with jeans.
One of the other initial things I noticed about this shoe was the outsole, which is grooved to make it more flexible to move with your feet throughout the day.
Just playing around with the shoe before wearing it, it was easy to see how bendy and flexible the midfoot of the shoe is even for having so much structure to the shoe overall. The grooved rubber tread on the sole make these shoes great for walking in a lot of different environments and weather.
Kuru shoes have a layered, ergonomic insole that is supposed to mold to your feet for maximum arch support and absorb shock from repetitive impact that could otherwise cause pain or a case of plantar fasciitis.
While the shoe isn’t heavy for a sneaker, the multi-layer insole gives a supportive feel thanks to the combination of their KURUCLOUD+ foam and KURUSOLE.
Beyond the sole itself, these shoes also have a deep and supportive cupping design in the heel to keep your foot and ankle stable as you’re standing and walking. This is particularly helpful for athletes dealing with plantar fasciitis, as the heel of this shoe allows for greater protection against pronation and impact on that part of your foot.
As a brand, Kuru designs shoes to support your feet without the need for added orthotics or inserts. It’s always a perk to get more support with less bulk or fewer things to buy!
Kuru Flex Via Specifications
This shoe has an 11mm drop, which may be higher than some other shoes we’ve reviewed here. We love to see athletes playing with heel drop in their shoe rotation as it can often help with knee pain and other issues.
- Heel toe drop: 11mm
- Weight: 11.5oz
- Usage: Walking or lifestyle shoe
- Available in Medium and Width
- Available in six colors for women and four colors for men
- Available at Kuru Footwear for $129
From a design perspective, this shoe is fairly minimalist compared to a lot of other orthotic or specialty shoes, and it’s designed to look sleek and modern so it can be versatile for daily wear.
Kuru offers the shoe in 6 colorways for women and 4 colorways for men. It’s not a very flashy shoe, but it is certainly versatile enough to wear for a workout or any day where you’re on your feet a long time.
Kuru Flex Via Fit
While the shoe I tried was a Medium width, this shoe felt wider in the toe box than an average walking shoe, which gave my toes plenty of room to spread out and feel cozy on those long cross-country flights I wore them for.
As far as length, I tried my standard athletic shoe size in the Kuru Flex Via and it felt about a half size big in length. This wasn’t extremely disruptive in a walking shoe the way it may have been in a running shoe, but I did feel the shoe ran just a touch larger than others.
If you have a wider foot, this shoe might be just the right fit for you. I liked that standard Medium shoe still felt wider in the toe box but comfortably fitted through the middle for a secure fit. Even with the length feeling slightly big on my foot, my heel doesn’t slip around when I move.
The lacing on these felt pretty standard with two eyelets at the top of the shoe and long enough laces to give you some flexibility in lacing up for wear.
Kuru Flex Via Feel
One thing I needed to adjust to myself was how firm the cushioning was inside this shoe. Especially with the running and walking shoe market being flooded with so many max cushion, soft foam shoes, these shoes felt like a stark contrast to what I’m used to wearing.
That being said, the cushion in this shoe is supposed to be firm to support plantar fasciitis.
A cushioned shoe actually absorbs shock and protects the plantar fascia from straight from repetitive impact while too much cushioning can create instability for your foot and ankle. The Kuru Flex Via is a good in between that will help support your feet effectively to avoid further plantar fasciitis flare ups.
The shoe’s upper is made of a lightweight mesh and there are minimal seams on this shoe, making this shoe feel secure and breathable but never creating hot spots or pain points where seams may be in other shoes. The upper is light and airy, never feeling too restrictive or dense since you may be wearing them a long time.
The heel collar on this shoe is nicely padded, but what stood out to me more was how structured the heel itself is. In a shoes-off household, this was extra nice because these shoes were easy to slip on and off as I came in and out the door! I will say, this firm heel cup took some getting used to, but once I wore the shoes a couple of times, I felt like the heel broke in a bit more.
In addition to the firm heel collar on this shoe, the heel cup itself is one of the features that stands out. Within the shoe, the curved design of the heel feels like your foot is settling into a little cup inside the shoe. If you’re someone dealing with plantar fasciitis, this structure can provide protection for your heel bone and a reduction in pronation.
The tongue of the Kuru Flex Via is very lightly padded in a way that makes it comfortable but not bulky and holds your foot in place well.
Similar Shoes to the Kuru Flex Via
What’s currently out there to rival this walking shoe? We’ve tested a few that feel similar, but different based on the brand fit:
- AllBirds Tree Dasher 2 – Again that slightly firmer feel, but a shoe that is designed for all day wear while looking casual.
- Lululmemon Beyondfeel – Not strictly a walking shoe, but a nice amount of cushion and can easily be worn all day long.
- On Cloudtilt – A stylish on your feet all day shoe. Not overly cushioned, but very comfy.
Even though I’m not currently dealing with plantar fasciitis, it’s not a pain I’m unfamiliar with in past injuries. I can definitely see this shoe being a lifeline for anyone struggling with heel and foot pain, and I think you should give them a try if you’re looking for something to support your feet through long walks or busy days!
What are you waiting for?
Go try this walking shoe for yourself at Kuru Footwear for $129.
Who tried it?
Hi! I’m Coral, a sales exec who runs a small business and runs out all my deep thoughts and big ideas on the roads and trails of Denver, Disneyland, or wherever I’m traveling next. I started running as a competitive sprinter and found myself falling in love with marathons and half marathons over the last 20+ years.
I typically run 20-25 miles a week, and when I’m not running or traveling, I’m usually out with our 2 dogs or cheering on my 3 kids at their next sporting event! You can catch me on Instagram at @CoralSC.
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