Shoes:

Shoes are the most important piece of equipment for safe and effective walking. It’s important to find a good, supportive pair of shoes. Here are some of the things you should look for when shopping for walking shoes:

• Proper support and comfort for your entire foot
• Extra support depending on specific issues you might have (i.e. whether you tend to put more weight on the outside or insides of your feet, whether you have a high or low arch in your foot, etc.)
• Flexible, cushioned sole to help with shock absorption
• Enough room in the toe to allow you to wiggle your toes
• Firm support in the heel of the shoe
• Made of a breathable material to allow perspiration to evaporate
• Lightweight
• Within your budget and still considering all of the above characteristics

For a guide to finding the right walking shoe for you and reviews of different walking shoes, click here.

Other Walking Gear:

Pedometers

Pedometers are a great tool to compliment your walking program. If you find the right one, you will learn how much you actually move; some count steps, while others count minutes or distance. They also help you keep track of your progress towards goals.

Most pedometers will also come with a chart that converts steps into miles so you know how far you’ve actually walked. The better models of pedometers will provide a more detailed chart that also takes into account your stride length.

The key to effectively using a pedometer starts with wearing it in the proper place. You should clip your pedometer on the waistband of your pants so that it is in line with your knee. Most come with instructions of how to calibrate it according to your stride length. Take the time to set it up properly to avoid frustration later. If you have a tendency to brush into things during the day, you may want to consider a model that has a cover that closes in the front to prevent accidentally resetting your step count.

If you want to be more selective about your pedometer, click here for a guide to buying a pedometer that’s right for you.

Safety Gear:

If you are walking early in the morning, dusk, or at night, wearing reflective products are a must. There are lightweight reflective vests and bands you can purchase at most running stores to wear over your clothing as well as clothing items with reflective strips built into the fabric. Another good, inexpensive investment is a walking light that you can clip to your back (similar to a tail light for a car or bike) so you can be seen from further away; otherwise, you should carry a flashlight.

Regardless of the time of day you walk, you want to make sure that if something happened to you, your loved ones would be contacted.

• www.roadid.com – personal identification tags to wear on your shoe, wrist, ankle, or neck when out and about – safety is important! What if you had an accident while running, walking, or biking? It’s worth it to you and your loved ones to check out this inexpensive, handy tool.