There’s nothing better than taking off your shoes after wearing them for hours — actually there is: taking them off and putting on a pair of recovery shoes.Simply put, podiatrists say this specific type of footwear is designed to give your feet a break.
They’re made with shock-absorbing materials that feel equal parts soft and supportive, allowing your feet to get rid of tension, aches and pains between activities.And when I say “activities,” I don’t just mean running, lifting weights, walking and playing sports — recovery shoes can benefit anyone on their feet all day who needs a little relief.To narrow down the absolute best recovery shoes on the market, the NBC Selected staff and I spent over a month testing almost 11 pairs to share our first-hand experiences with them.
I also interviewed two podiatrists, gathering information about the most important features to look for while shopping and why you shouldn’t wear recovery shoes all day.Selected.Our top picksBest basic slidesOofos Ooahh Slide$54.90$59.00AmazonLearn moreBest flip flopsOofos OOriginal Sandals$undefined$59.95AmazonLearn moreBest mulesKane Revive OB$undefined$78.00Kane FootwearLearn moreBest clogsNike ReactX Rejuven8$52.50$75.00ZapposLearn moreBest cushioningHoka Ora Recovery Slide 3$undefined$59.95ZapposLearn moreSee 2 MoreRelatedselectedselectedThe 7 best doctor-approved muscle pain relief creams, tested by someone who’s always soreWant more from NBC Selected? Sign up for our newsletter, The Selection, and shop smarter.The best recovery shoes, tested and reviewedThe NBC Selected staff tested the recovery shoes below for over a month to share their hands-on experiences with them.Before I assigned each tester a shoe, I made sure it had features that align with podiatrists’ shopping advice, including contoured insoles, deep heel cups, balanced cushioning and effective traction on the outsoles.
I also noted which shoes are water-resistant and earned the American Podiatric Medical ...