Shoes Recommendations/Guidance

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I still prefer to use sneakers, but I notice most other men my age wear shoes. I prefer sneakers because they are comfortable, easy to put on/take off, have good grip, useful, cushioned, light, and quiet. I'm guessing a lot of us have similar taste and reasons.

I think it would be helpful to have at least one pair of shoes that aren't sneakers or fancy-formal. Any recommendations on what type of shoes have characteristics similar to what I've listed about sneakers and are appropriate for typical social events?

Casual shoes may be your best option.

They are easy enough to wear without being stiff/uncomfortable like some formal shoes are but also look like a shoe in some cases, or at least half way towards a formal or formal-ish shoe.

Clark's Wallabees



Raekwon the Chef would approve.

Get pointed toe or round toed. The pair above is a pair with pointed toes.

Boots... Something with ankle protection.
I used to prefer heavy hiking boots as once you start them walking, they do so on their own and you just go along for the ride.

I actually don't know what casual shoes are




I loveeee rounded toes

Shoes that aren't formal and aren't intended for a specific purpose (like hiking boots, basketball/running/training/ball hockey/etc shoes, work shoes, etc).

Wallabees are an example of a casual shoe.

If you are in the UK, I have tried many budget and not so budget shoes. I used to once by pairs of Clarks for ordinary black shoes which at the time I bought them, were long lasting comfortable shoes so the high price was worth it as they lasted, but as time went on the prices zoomed up but the overall quality went down, as they seemed to have shifted to try and enter the mass fashion shoe markets rather than specializing in really good long lasting shoes.

So about a decade after, as during my time on the railway they provided steel toe cap shoes which were actually ok made by a company called "Toetectors" if I recall.

But when I left the railway I needed to find a source of shoes which lasted and did not cost too much, as I had no income, so Mum would buy me a pair of shoes as a Christmas present, so I needed the shoes to last the year. So each year I tried something different. Budget black shoes which had deep grip but sadly these split under the sole after so long, so I tried cheap trainers but they didn't last, so next I tried Hitech trainers which seemed to look better and cost a little more at £19.99 (Probably more like £25 today) but after six months and their soles go stretchy and are no good.
Eventually I noticed a cross between a hiking boot, but look more like a trainer which was similar to the Hitech, BUT these cost a little bit more at £35 a pair and are made by Karrimor, which is a company I knew well as they started off making and selling bicycle panniers, but had now entered into selling shoes. And they lasted me at least a year and a half, so over a year! They have been soo successful I think I am on my 9th pair. For shoes to last me a year is good going so to last more than that and they are good.
I could get shoes costing more than twice that amount, but honesty, they would not last any longer than these Karrimors. They come in about three colours foe men, and various sizes. They also have a similar range of womens versions of these shoes also in various sizes. The last time I found shoes to last right down to there being hardly any grip left and they still hold together like these Karrimors do, is the old Clarks with their ordinary black shoes which are no longer made, and those cost me £50 a pair back in 1996!
I have more than tested these Karrimors and I keep buying more. As they are in demand so one may need to wait to get ones size, the key is to buy them when ones last pair are half worn, so one always has a pair ready for when the current pair wear out. I can not fault them!