Nurse-loved Hoka Solimar Shoes Are on Sale

Ask anyone about their mom, and they’re likely to use the word “superhero”—but fewer can say that total strangers consider their mom a hero, too. Since 1988, my mom has been taking care of patients across all walks of life, helping them heal and get back on their feet (with a few jokes thrown in along the way). From working rounds at a labor and delivery floor to instructing students on how to take vitals, she’s been living and breathing the nursing profession for over 36 years.

Nursing shifts, not unlike hectic travel days, call for a reliable pair of comfy walking shoes. As for my mom’s preferred pair, perhaps unsurprising to other medical professionals, hails from podiatrist-approved brand Hoka. Specifically, it’s the Hoka Solimar—a comfy, neutral trainer that’s built to handle anything a day at the clinic (or the airport) might throw your way. 

The Hoka Solimar has EVA foam midsoles that are incredibly lightweight, durable, and compression-molded to mimic the anatomical contours of the underfoot. This, along with its molded sock-liner and breathable engineered mesh uppers, helps to deliver that straight-out-of-the-box comfort. 

This cloud-like, sink-in fit is paramount for ensuring they’ll still be comfortable after hours of wear, hence why the Solimar has become one of her go-tos. “As a nurse manager, I am on my feet attending meetings, making rounds, assisting with triaging patients, sometimes giving medications, and checking in on administrative staff,” my mom shares. That means that even on slow days—which are 10 hours long, by the way—she clocks over 7,000 steps. 

This amount of action can make anyone’s feet feel sore, but my mom also deals with foot pain issues. “I have flat feet and neuromas on the soles of my feet which can cause pain when walking or standing for long periods of time,” she says. That’s why she always tries on walking shoes before trusting them to keep her going on clinic days. “I used to wear Dansko nurse clogs for over 20 years, but the firm insole left my flat feet aching at the end of a long shift,” she shares. It wasn’t until 2018 that she tried on her first pair of Hokas, after my avid runner brother suggested them to her while browsing at a sporting goods store. “I was hooked!” 

Now, she cycles through three different pairs of Hokas during a busy workweek: The older iteration of the Bondi 8, the newest Bondi 9, and, of course, the Solimar. 

The features that set the Solimar apart from other Hoka styles are their adaptability and resistance to wear-and-tear. These running shoes also have “great stability when having to quickly change positions,” my mom says. Whether she’s quickly pivoting in the halls to grab a file or bending down to assist a patient, she’s able to “stay balanced” the whole way through; and any traveler who’s had to race to a boarding gate or shuffle their way through TSA understands how easy it is to trip and fall in the wrong pair of shoes. As for their longevity, the proof is in the outsole: High-abrasion rubber pads are strategically placed along the bottom to both prevent slipping and withstand degradation in high-wear areas like the forefoot and the heel. 

Not only are they lightweight, breathable, and supremely supportive, but they’re also easy to wipe clean—yet another major selling point for my mom. But my mom isn’t the only nurse who trusts the Hoka Solimar for hours-long shifts. “These are the best shoes for work,” a neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) nurse wrote in their review on Zappos. “I’m a nurse and wear this for 12+ hour shifts,” beamed another Zappos shopper who claims their feet and back are pain-free after wearing them all day. A third reviewer who now owns three colors wrote, “I’m a nurse in a very busy environment and I’m standing and walking around 90 percent of my shift. I love this style because they’re not so wide and bulky like other styles.”

The running shoe’s latest version—the Hoka Solimar 2—debuted just last month, and boasts a few notable upgrades. This iteration comes with a more streamlined, sleek silhouette, with a lower-profile collar, an extended heel crash pad, and additional rubber pads on the outsole to help it hold up to daily use.

Despite only being on the market for a few weeks, they’ve already begun garnering positive reviews from Hoka fans. “This is my fifth pair of Hoka shoes and these are absolutely like walking with clouds on your feet,” reads one five-star review on the Hoka site. “They are true to size…, this pair is perfect for running errands and days off work.” Another shopper wrote that they love the “feminine” appeal of the newer, low-profile version, while a third even shared that they think they’re “much better” than the original.

Looking for more Hoka styles on sale? Keep scrolling to shop the Hoka Clifton 10, Hoka Bondi 9, and more, all praised by nurses who spend all day on their feet—with discounts up to 37 percent off.

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