# Comfort-Focused Walking Shoes Samuel Hubbard Shoe Company Sells Stylish Shoes for Middle-Aged Men By Joey Haar | Published 2016-11-24 | Fashion Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/samuel-hubbard References: [nytimes](http://www.nytimes.com/2016/08/04/business/smallbusiness/the-hottest-start-up-market-baby-boomers.html) & [samuelhubbard](http://samuelhubbard.ca/) 'Samuel Hubbard Shoe Company' brands its footwear as "un-sneakers." While much of the men's shoe market is devoted to style and form over function, Samuel Hubbard's un-sneakers put [comfort and wearability](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ultrastylish-footwear) over everything else. Though such a stance shouldn't be considered bold when it comes to footwear, Samuel Hubbard's insistence on comfort is indeed a departure from the norm. To be sure, the footwear doesn't abandon style, with classic looks that are virtually indistinguishable from other stylish loafers. However, Samuel Hubbard shoes are far more [lightweight and comfortable](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cole-haan-comfortable) than competing brands. The impetus behind a focus on comfort lies in the company's target market. Samuel Hubbard knows that for many baby boomers, walking is a key form of exercise, so providing a shoe that can handle long walks is essential. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.5/10 - Popularity: 76% | Activity: 81% | Freshness: 8% - Audience gender: 90% men, 10% women - Primary generations: Gen X - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Fashion](https://www.trendhunter.com/fashion) > [Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/shoes) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Comfort-first Shoes:** Opportunity to disrupt the footwear market by prioritizing comfort and wearability over style. - **Lightweight Design:** Disruptive innovation opportunity to create shoes that are more lightweight and comfortable than competing brands. - **Functional Fashion:** Opportunity to cater to the baby boomer market by providing stylish shoes that can handle long walks. ### Who This Affects Most - **Footwear:** Opportunity to introduce innovative comfort-focused shoes that meet the needs of consumers. - **Fashion:** Opportunity to revolutionize the fashion industry by combining style and functionality in footwear. - **Fitness:** Opportunity to tap into the baby boomer market's interest in walking as a form of exercise and provide shoes specifically designed for this purpose. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Comfortable Casual Lifestyle Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/casual-lifestyle-shoe.md) - [functional footwear brands](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lifestyle-brand-brunch.md) - [Minimal Everyday Walking Sneakers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/signature-comfort-walker.md) - [Comfort-Focused Hands-Free Slip-In Shoes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/slipin-shoes.md) - [Comfortable Spring-Forward Footwear](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/clarks-offers-spring-comfort.md) - [Hybrid Trail-Ready Loafers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/hoka-speed-loafer.md) - [Comfy Anti-Fashion Footwear](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/rhodes-suede-mule.md) - [Comfort-Focused Urban Shoe Campaigns](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cole-haan-comfortable.md) - [Stylish Everyday Men's Footwear](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/lululemon-2.md)