I've been walking 4.5 miles a day, 5 days a week since Jan 2nd. As of today, I have lost ~53 pounds, gone from being pre-diabetic to normal levels, lost my entire wardrobe in the process, and finally my Vans died. They have been loyal a.f.
Glad they helped me on this journey to better health.
How the hell are your toes doing that? I can land on the ball of my foot and roll back a bit to land on my heels but you've completely lost me with the landing on toes and absorbing the shock.
My understanding is the ball of your foot (the part you would spin on just behind the toes) is well connected to the muscles and can act as a spring and a shock absorber. The toes are there for balancing and spreading the weight around. The ball of the foot is usually the first part of my soles to wear out.
My advice to OP is to look for a shoe they find comfortable but with a bit more sole than vans so they can take a better beating on walks.