Are carbon plated super shoes comfortable for walking, or does the plate make it awkward?
A little background so you know why I’m asking- I’m a former runner, ran in college. About 5 years after college I developed an osteochondral defect of my talus, necessitating an OATS procedure. Got back to a very small amount of running for a few years, then the cartilage transplant ultimately failed and was removed, and I’m now awaiting an allograft match to try to fill in the defect. Running is out, probably for the rest of my life, and even walking in the wrong shoes can be fairly painful. I have to stick to low-drop, high cushion shoes when I’m going to be in my feet for a while. At work I’ve been using New Balance Fresh Foam More V3, which are great but I don’t love the appearance. The Altra Torin 4.5 plush was soft and great for my ankle, but newer versions are much firmer. I’ve tried on Bondi’s but they’re not as soft as the Fresh Foam More. Since the super shoes typically have a lot of soft foam, and some have a low drop, I’m wondering how these would feel for walking. I know that would be a lot to pay for a shoe I’m not getting the main benefit from, but I’m willing to pay if it’s comfortable.