Originally Posted by
Colorado Kid
Are all Touring Shoes the same? (As far as stiffness?) I'm very Flat Footed so I need something stiff but you can still walk in it. What does this list recommend?
In my experience, "touring shoes" for bicycling tend to be on the lower end of the price/quality spectrum when it comes to bicycling shoes. They tend to be less stiff than other shoes. A good quality mountain bike shoe is usually stiffer but still walkable.
Sometimes you can even walk in them a lot further than you think. I had a pair of Pearl Izumi carbon fiber shoes that I once had to walk most of a marathon in. The wheelchair "runner" that I was shepherding was incredibly slow and I could pedal at her pace. I ended up walking most of the event with her...probably 20 miles. It wasn't comfortable but it can be done.
As for individual shoes to look at, I've had good luck with Specialized's house brand and some of the Pearl Izumi, although their quality has gone down a bit. I also like Shimano's shoes, although I hate to give them any more business. Lake's are good and I've had Northwave that I liked. Sidi's are excellent but damned expensive.
My current shoe is a
Mavic Crossmax which is a pretty good shoe at a decent price but they are white which isn't my first choice for bicycle shoes.