Arthritis took away my ability to run. That is just part of what life deals you. So when I realized I was going to be confined to long walks, I went looking for a good "walking" shoe. I had been wearing Brooks for years and was planning on staying with on old friend. A helpful salesman suggested that possibly something with a softer insole might be more comfortable and less stressful. As soon as I put the Asics Gel on and walked around for a couple of minutes, I was fairly certain I had found what I was looking for. It has been six months and uncounted miles and all I can say is "amazing". They have become my everyday, anywhere shoe. So, even if you don't run, and if you can you should, I highly recommend these as possibly the most comfortable shoe available. I am so enamored with this shoe, I will buy at least one more pair from Amazon due to the price difference.