The 5 Best Shoes for Nurses
If there’s one profession that needs comfortable shoes, it’s nurses! Twelve-hour shifts on one’s feet can be painful without supportive footwear, so the best shoes for nurses have the following traits:
- Cushioned, to ease soreness after long hours of walking.
- Stable and Supportive, to protect feet and ankles from injury.
- Well-Tractioned, to prevent slipping on slick surfaces.
- Breathable, to mitigate sweaty, smelly feet.
- Waterproof and/or Stain-Resistant, to make cleaning easy amongst…occupational hazards.
With this in mind, most nurses have gravitated towards two types of footwear: sneakers/athletic shoes and clogs. You can’t go wrong with either, so after that, it just comes down to personal taste!
Dozens of styles that fit the bill are available at Stan’s Shoes, so to help narrow your choices, we’ve listed our top five picks below.
Best Athletic Shoes for Nurses
Athletic shoes are trendy across the board these days, which is great news for everyone looking to combine style with comfort! Nurses tend to gravitate towards HOKA, New Balance, and On Running; check out a style from each here.
Medical Professional Approved
HOKA BONDI 9
The newest version of HOKA’s most popular shoe, the Bondi 9 takes comfort to the max. Its most notable feature is ultra-plush cushioning with a soft resilient foam midsole, which makes each step a relief rather than a burden; however, don’t discount its supportiveness! A 3D molded collar protects your ankle while HOKA’s trademark Rearfoot-focused Active Foot Frame™ secures your heel in place. A knit upper provides breathability at key zones to keep your feet cool and dry, while Durabrasion rubber on the sole provides durability and traction.
Women's HOKA Bondi 9 - Charcoal Grey/Grey Skies (CYG)
Men's HOKA Bondi 9 - Succulent/Fern (SNTF)
Women's HOKA Bondi 9 - Alabaster/Birch (ALBST)
Women's HOKA Bondi 9 - Stardust/Silver (SDSTS)
Women's HOKA Bondi 9 - Frost/Cielo Blue (FTCL)
Women's HOKA Bondi 9 - Black/White (BWHT)
Women's HOKA Bondi 9 - Blue Spark/Mint Fluorite (BTF)
Women's HOKA Bondi 9 - Black/Black (BBLC)
Men's HOKA Bondi 9 - Varsity Navy/White (VYN)
Men's HOKA Bondi 9 - Galactic Grey/Stellar Grey (GCTC)
Men's HOKA Bondi 9 - Drizzle/Downpour (DNP)
Men's HOKA Bondi 9 - Black/White (BWHT)
Men's HOKA Bondi 9 - Black/Black (BBLC)
Women's HOKA Transport Hike GTX - Grey Skies/Sea Glass (GSKS)
Men's HOKA Transport Hike GTX - Black/Black (BBLC)
Women’s HOKA Mach 6 – Grey Skies/Charcoal Grey (GHR)
Women's HOKA Arahi 8 - Charcoal Grey/Grey Skies (CYG)
Women's HOKA Bondi 9 - Charcoal Grey/Grey Skies (CYG)
Women’s HOKA Challenger 7 GTX – Charcoal Grey/Cardamom (CRYC)
Women’s HOKA Transport – Squid Ink/Sea Glass (SQD)
Men's HOKA Mach 6 – Gravel/Asphalt Grey (GPH)
Men's HOKA Bondi 9 - Succulent/Fern (SNTF)
Women's HOKA Bondi 9 - Alabaster/Birch (ALBST)
Men’s HOKA Gaviota 5 – Varsity Navy/White (VYN)
Men’s HOKA Gaviota 5 – Birch/Foggy Night (BHFG)
Women’s HOKA Gaviota 5 – Alpine Blue/Jadeite (ALJ)
Men’s HOKA Gaviota 5 – Limestone/Diva Blue (LDVB)
Women’s HOKA Challenger 7 GTX – Cosmic Pearl/Galaxy (CLX)
Men’s HOKA Challenger 7 GTX – Aloe Vera/Lettuce (ALVR)
Men’s HOKA Gaviota 5 – Nimbus Cloud/Steel Wool (NCSW)
Men’s HOKA Gaviota 5 – Black/Black (BBLC)
Women’s HOKA Gaviota 5 – Sea Ice/Pink Twilight (SCP)
Women’s HOKA Gaviota 5 – Harbor Mist/Rose Gold (HMRG)
Men's HOKA Bondi 8 - Stardust/Lettuce (STTC)
Medical Professional Approved
On Cloud 6
On is best known for their distinctive CloudTec® sole, which cushions each footfall through unique horizontal and vertical compression. Like the HOKA Bondi 9, a molded heel secures your foot in place, improving ankle stability; meanwhile, a waterproof membrane keeps liquid out without sacrificing breathability for your feet. And, for days when you’re running from patient to patient, the Speedboard® transforms energy into forward motion, moving you even faster than usual.
Women's On Cloud 6 Waterproof - Nimbus/Lilac
Women's On Cloud 6 Waterproof - Pearl/Cream
Women's On Cloud 6 Waterproof - Black/Black
Men's On Cloud 6 Waterproof - Thorn/Black
Men's On Cloud 6 Waterproof - Black/Black
Medical Professional Approved
New Balance 928v3
New Balance is making practical, vintage-looking styles cool again, and one of the best that’s engineered especially for walking is the 928v3. It has exceptional motion control and stability with technologies like ROLLBAR (which prevents your foot from pronating, or rolling inward or outward) and Walking Strike Path (which guides your foot through its gait). Plus, ABZORB midfoot cushioning and odor-resistant treatment make this shoe perfect for even the longest shifts on the floor.
Women's New Balance 847v4 - Black/Black/Black
Women’s New Balance Fresh Foam X 880v14 – Black/Sea Salt/Silver Metallic
Women’s New Balance Fresh Foam X 880v14 Gore-Tex – Terrarium/Black/Deep Sea
Women’s New Balance Fresh Foam X 880v14 – Grey Matter/Taro/Bleached Lime Glo
Women's New Balance Fresh Foam X 680v8 - Black/Light Gold Metallic/Black Metallic
Women’s New Balance Fresh Foam X 1540v3 – Silver/Polaris
Women’s New Balance Fresh Foam X 1540v3 – Gunmetal/Dragonfly
Women’s New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v14 – White/Light Gold Metallic/Sea Salt
Women’s New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v14 – Inkwell
Women’s New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v14 – Black/Phantom/Sea Salt
Women’s New Balance Fresh Foam X 1080v14 – Ice Blue
Medical Professional Approved
Dansko XP 2.0 Waterproof
Dansko’s XP 2.0 clog boast the title of Dansko’s #1 occupational shoe for both healthcare and hospitality workers. It supports the foot with Dansko’s Natural Arch® technology combined with memory foam for cushioning and support. Much like the Professional, it’s stain-resistant, with the addition of a patented slip-resistant rubber outsole that’s suitable for dry, wet, and oily/wet surfaces. And did we mention it’s waterproof? Basically, nothing can touch this shoe—or you while you’re wearing it.
Women’s Dansko XP 2.0 Waterproof – Black
Women’s Dansko XP 2.0 – Black Tooled Floral
Best Clogs for Nurses
Clogs are easy to dismiss as “unstylish,” but don’t count them out! Our favorite brand of clogs is Dansko, and their patterns, colors, and construction make clogs just as fun as they are functional. Here are the two best options for nurses:
Shop Nursing Shoes in Milwaukee & Chicago
Nurses in Milwaukee and the Chicago suburbs don’t need to look far for shoes that support them the way they support our community. Stan’s Shoes and Waxberg's believes in everything a single pair of shoes can be, and SHOULD be.
That’s why Midwest Shoe Merchants curates the best brands from all over the world and is staffed by experts in the art of fitting a shoe—and caring about the person wearing it. Because we think one can’t happen without the other.
Come experience the difference when you shop in store at Stan's Shoes in Brookfield, Greenfield, and Glendale, WI or at Waxberg's in Niles, IL. You can also enjoy the convenience of shopping online 24/7 at stansshoes.com. Either way—Welcome to Stan’s Shoes.