<h1>Cariuma Walk Test: I Walked Over 10,000 Steps a Day in NYC. Here’s What Happened.</h1>You learn a lot about a pair of shoes when you wear them for over 10,000 steps a day — for a full week — in a city like New York.I touched down at JFK with one carry-on and a loosely planned itinerary built around parks, galleries, museums and food spots. What I didn’t bring was a backup pair of walking shoes. I packed one: the <a href="https://www.cariuma.com/products/oca-low-off-white-canvas-sneaker?variant%3D8103199899749" target="_blank">Cariuma OCA Low</a>. They’d come recommended by a friend who’s big on <a href="https://www.cariuma.com/pages/about-us-sustainability" target="_blank">sustainable brands</a>, but I’d never worn them for more than a quick grocery run. With my Garmin tracking everything, I figured I’d find out pretty quickly if they were cut out for city mileage.Spoiler: I walked over 70,000 steps in seven days. Here’s what I learned about the shoes — and my feet — by the end of it.<img alt="" src="https://ghqazurestorageanon.blob.core.windows.net/ghq-azure-filehost/pouncepromo/CariumaWalkTestIWalkedOver10000StepsaDayinNYC/image2.jpg" class="heroImg" /><h2>Day 1: First Steps</h2>Fresh out of the suitcase and onto the sidewalk — I started walking straight from Midtown down toward the West Village. <a href="https://www.cariuma.com/products/oca-low-off-white-canvas-sneaker?variant%3D8103199899749" target="_blank">The OCA Lows</a> didn’t need breaking in, which surprised me. With past pairs (especially Converse and even some Nike lifestyle sneakers), I almost always got heel blisters or hot spots when walking this much. But even by midday, weaving through Times Square and along the High Line, I wasn’t thinking about my feet — which was kind of the point.They felt soft underfoot but not squishy, with a <a href="https://www.cariuma.com/pages/about-us-design-philosophy" target="_blank">cork and foam insole</a> that had a bit of arch structure, which I normally need. I’ve had plantar fascia pain flare up on past trips, especially after museum days. But nothing yet.Garmin: 11,342 steps. Feet: 0 complaints.<h2>Days 2–3: Museum Floors and Subway Miles</h2>On Day 2, I made the rookie tourist move of walking from SoHo to the Metropolitan Museum of Art — a route that looks much shorter on a map than it actually is. Add a few hours wandering museum halls on hard marble flooring and it’s usually a recipe for foot fatigue.This time, my feet held up surprisingly well. The sole of the<a href="https://www.cariuma.com/products/oca-low-off-white-canvas-sneaker?variant%3D8103199801445" target="_blank"> OCA Low</a> isn’t built like a running shoe, but it didn’t need to be. There’s enough cushion in the footbed to soften the impact, and they didn’t flatten out or overheat after hours indoors. Even better — no heel rub, and still no blisters.The next day, I did MoMA in the morning and Central Park in the afternoon. That mix of hard floors, trails, and stairs gave me a chance to test the grip and flexibility. The sole wasn’t slippery, even on those slightly damp subway steps, and it didn’t feel stiff on inclines.Garmin: 24,019 steps across both days. Feet: Surprisingly fresh.<img alt="" src="https://ghqazurestorageanon.blob.core.windows.net/ghq-azure-filehost/pouncepromo/CariumaWalkTestIWalkedOver10000StepsaDayinNYC/image1.png" /><h2>Day 4: Rain Test</h2>Wednesday it rained — not a thunderstorm, but that persistent NYC summer drizzle that soaks your backpack and leaves puddles just deep enough to be annoying. Not exactly canvas-sneaker weather.To the <a href="https://www.cariuma.com/products/oca-low-off-white-canvas-sneaker?variant%3D8103199801445" target="_blank">OCA’s</a> credit, while they aren’t waterproof, they handled it better than expected. The rubber sole had decent grip on slick pavement and subway platforms, and although the canvas got damp, it never felt soggy or heavy. My socks stayed dry until I stepped in a puddle off a curb. That one’s on me.I stuffed them with some hotel paper, and they were dry and fine by the next morning. No warping, no stains — and most importantly, no wet-shoe stink.Garmin: 10,807 steps. Feet: Dry-ish and fine.<img alt="" src="https://ghqazurestorageanon.blob.core.windows.net/ghq-azure-filehost/pouncepromo/CariumaWalkTestIWalkedOver10000StepsaDayinNYC/image3.jpg" /><h2>Days 5–6: Dressing Up, Dressing Down</h2>By now the shoes had fully moulded to my feet, and I started testing how far they could stretch — not in distance, but in style.After a full day walking the Brooklyn Bridge, browsing bookstores in Dumbo, and catching the ferry back to Manhattan, I didn’t go back to change before dinner. Usually I’d feel underdressed walking into a nice spot in sneakers, but these felt clean and minimal enough to pass. I paired them with a black dress and denim jacket and didn’t feel out of place at a mid-range restaurant in the East Village.They’re not flashy, and that’s kind of the point. You don’t get big logos or statement soles. Just a classic shape, with canvas that holds its structure and stitching that still looked intact after five days of wear.Garmin: 21,901 steps across the two days. Feet: Slightly tired, but never aching.<h2>Day 7: The Long Haul</h2>Final day, and my longest yet. I covered Chelsea Market, walked the length of Hudson River Park, got sidetracked by street art in the Lower East Side, and somehow still made it to dinner with friends.By evening, I hit just over 13,000 steps — and I realised something: I hadn’t once had to swap insoles or add heel pads, which is rare for me. The arch support had held up, there was still cushioning underfoot, and most importantly, my feet didn’t feel compressed or boxed in. The canvas had softened slightly but hadn’t stretched out. The rubber sole still had plenty of tread.Garmin: 13,284 steps. Feet: Slightly sore (I mean, 7 days!) — but still blister-free.<img alt="" src="https://ghqazurestorageanon.blob.core.windows.net/ghq-azure-filehost/pouncepromo/CariumaWalkTestIWalkedOver10000StepsaDayinNYC/image4.png" /><h2>The Verdict</h2>A week, 70,000+ Garmin-tracked steps, one rainstorm, multiple subways, and zero blisters later — the <a href="https://www.cariuma.com/products/oca-low-off-white-canvas-sneaker?variant%3D8103199899749" target="_blank">OCA Lows</a> came out impressively well.They're not performance running shoes, and they’re not claiming to be. But as an everyday walking option — especially for city breaks where you want something stylish and low-maintenance — they tick the boxes: no heel pain, solid arch support, comfortable out of the box, and easy to pair with anything.Most of all, they didn’t let me down once. I didn’t need to switch shoes halfway through the trip. I didn’t come home with bandaids on both heels. And I didn’t have to think about them much — which might just be the best thing you can say about travel shoes.