Born in the backyards of the American mid-west, dad shoes were originally designed as an affordable and stylish footwear option. Throughout the 1980s, the heavyweights of the footwear industry, such as Nike and adidas released a series of thick-soled lace-up sneakers that were renowned for being ultra-comfortable. Generally adorned with a double white colourway with navy sole, the iconic sneaker was a staple for most, but as the world neared the changing of the millennium, the chunky design fell out of fashion.

Suffice to say, when it comes to dad shoes, there are some requirements. Here’s everything you need to know to uncover a grill-master in the wild.

From the icons to the new school, there’s a great number of dad sneakers on offer right now. If you want to join the herd, the time is nigh to slip your feet into a pair of Nike old man shoes. Here is a list of the best dad shoes you can buy.

The king of the cookout, the New Balance 624 is the ultimate dad-wear. Emblazoned with the famous N, these puppies are ready for anything. Vintage throwback style meets modern technology, with these New Balance dad shoes making the most of IMEVA (injection-molded EVA foam) midsole for firm yet flexible cushioning, meaning the possibilities — and comfort — are endless. Grill on, brother.

With the Men’s Nike Air Monarch IV Cross Training Shoes, your grill game just got better. Strap on these bad boys with some ankle-high socks and a freshly steamed pair of jorts and you’ve got full mobility. Blending the best of streetwear and cross-training functionality, the Air Monarch IV’s feature lightweight cushioning from the full-length Nike Air unit, making them easy on the calves. Best worn by men named Don.

If the 624s just don’t cut in in the world of New Balance dad shoes, the 608v4 double white makes a strong case for sneaker supremacy.  This new generation of the classic trainer features an enhanced ABZORB heel pad for premium cushioning and abundant outsole flex grooves for superior flexibility. It also comes in three widths for dads with a girthy foot.

The Classic Croc dad is an interesting beast – By day, he’s an accountant, but by night, he’s also an accountant. This hard-working white-collar guy likes to let his hair down and toes free in the evenings, and the original urban clog delivers the goods. Come Saturday, he’s flipping these puppies into turbo mode and going ham at Red Lobster.

They don’t do names like The Disruptor anymore. Pulled from the badge of a 1980s muscle car or recently acquired vacuum cleaner, Fila’s Strada Disruptor is the dad shoe for men who don’t wear dad shoes. Loud, crisp and entirely chunky, these leather-synthetic blend trainers might have been born on driveways of middle America but they wouldn’t look out of place on the runways of Milan.

People who talk sh*t about Skechers clearly haven’t worn Skechers. The ultra-lightweight and ergonomically designed footwear is the height of comfort, which makes perfect sense in the realm of dad sneakers. Copping the iconic white on white silhouette, the Skechers Afterburn is an ode to the great chunky shoes of the ’90s. Aptly named after dad’s Busch Light and brisket-fulled post-cookout indigestion.

Some dads are definitely cooler than others and if you’re rocking Nike Air Force 1 ’07s to your son’s little league games, you’re probably top shit. Classic styling that goes with pretty much anything, every new-school father should have a pair of these chunky Nike shoes in their wardrobe.

Buy these for the KISS song alone. The adidas Strutter lands somewhere between NMD and DAD, perfectly walking the line between style-conscious and comfort-cautious. These adidas dad shoes have a chunky design that keeps you comfortable throughout your day, with the smooth leather upper detailed with cutouts, overlays and signature 3-Stripes.

Even adidas describes the Response CLs as an ‘ode to the ’00s’. These chunky dad sneakers look back to the decade’s big innovations in running technology, from a generous EVA midsole to the Adiprene insert, a mesh upper, suede overlays and Formotion. Get absolutely amongst this.

One must add a dash of colour, even when talking about white dad shoes. The NikeAir Max2 Light sneakers come in a range of colourways, but for this one, only the white, blue and yellow is worth talking about. The round toe shoe cops a panelled colour block design, a signature Nike Air sole, a signature Nike swoosh, a lace-up front fastening, a logo patch at the tongue and branded heel counter.

Originally designed as a tennis training shoe, the ST329 has now become a cult-classic. Like all good dad-essentials, the sneakers were built to last, thanks to the full leather upper, durable gum rubber outsole and sturdy tread for enhanced stability. The ST329’s K-EVA cushioned midsole and premium memory footbed ensure maximum comfort in classic style.

A decidedly more new-school take on the classic aesthetic, the PUMA RS-X are effortlessly comfortable and stylishly modern. The 2020 revamp saw the brand reboot the design by stripping the silhouette down to the basics then building it up with stronger material mixes and colours inspired by basketball and outdoor hopping.

Ah, the retiree’s uniform. When 50 years of work is finally done and you can sit back and read the paper in peace, what better covering to adorn your feet than Hanes’ iconic Moccasin Slipper? Thick memory foam on the inside for comfort, with a design that pulls double duty indoors and outdoors. Peep the Hanes Fresh IQ advance odour protection technology as well.

Nothing fancy, just straight down to business. That describes these shoes and the men who wear them. The Skechers D’Lux Walker Pensive dad sneakers are for the man who needs a little extra support while he’s trekking around on a European holiday. Smooth leather, synthetic and mesh fabric upper in a lace-up athletic sporty training sneaker with waterproof design, stitching and overlay accents. On, and some Air Cooled Memory Foam for a little D’luxury.

Everybody knows a dad who wears these things. Designed for day hiking, these adventure-approved hybrid shoes bring the support and protection you need for any kind of wet-dry fun. They even feature a quick-drying upper and amazing traction on super slippery surfaces.

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