Good Walking shoes for Italy
 

I must have a closet full ( in fact 2 ) of <BR>different shoes that I bought ---- in the hopes that I would find the "right ones".<BR><BR>I'm 56 and I still have NEVER had a good pair of walking shoes. <BR><BR>I promised my husband that before we go to Italy I would find a good pair.<BR><BR>Suggestions please!! <BR>

Hi, we are going backpacking for 5 weeks in the fall so I just bought a pair. The brand name is Lowa (made in Germany). They are hiking boots but wouldn't look bad with dress pants, we are only taking this one pair of shoes. We went on a 45 minute hike the first time we wore them and didn't have one complaint. We wore Dr. Martins the last time we went for 4 weeks and I would not recommend them. When you do buy shoes look for arch support and rubber soles for the most comfort. Leather is probably best and waterproof doesn't hurt. Good luck.

I hope you get some good suggestion, I too have never been able to find good,cimfortable walking shoes.

Ok, based on your volume of shoe purchases maybe it is not the shoe, maybe it is your foot. Have you thougth about seeing a podiatrist and seeing if perhaps you need orthopedics. I don't wear them, but my friends that do would never go on a european vacation without them.

Everyone, please. Just buy a pair of black Dansko clogs (the kind with the heel) and be done with it. You'll never need another pair of walking shoes again.

Hush Puppies and Eddie Bauer.

Shoegal, believe it or not, there is no one solution to everyone's shoe problem. Some of us, especially people with high arches, can't wear any type of clogs at all.

The problem with walking shoes is that you don't know how they are going to perform until you spend a day walking in them. I have never walked so much in my entire life before I went to Europe. I bought a very expensive pair of walking shoes that felt fabulous until I spent my first day in Rome walking everywhere. My feet never hurt so badly. Luckily I had another pair of shoes to trade off. Whatever you do, buy them early and break them in. Take another pair of shoes just in case.

Donald J. Pliner - simply the most comfortable shoes! Made in the mountains of Italy. I bought my first pair prior to a trip to Italy 2 years ago and will never buy any other shoes again. They have a rubberized bottom and a fabric top. Somewhat expensive, about $160.00 a pair, but absolutely worth the investment. He has many styles to choose from, check for a store in your area, I'm not sure if there is a website. Good luck and have a wonderful trip!

OK, I've been watching the 'sneaker' thread as well. Here is my $.02 (since that is about all I have left to spend!)<BR><BR>I even read a thread on this a few months ago, got all excited and checked out all the great shoes everyone mentioned and DAMN, I didn't find a single pair under $150. I can't/won't pay that for shoes. But I want great shoes to be comfy in, so I am stressing over this!<BR><BR>But... I think I've decided my good-ole-Nike's will do. And since I only paid $40 for them, when I look like a putz in Rome, I will know it only cost me $40 and not $200 :) <BR><BR>And I did buy a pair of comfy sandals at Walmart, they are called EarthShoes, and they are not pretty, but are like EasySpirits and are very cushy. While I have only given them a one-mile test, I think they will work for sight seeing when I need sandals. <BR><BR>(ps, though my age group, mid 20's, is associated with sneakers, I swear I only wear mine to the gym or outdoor events!)

Dena, I found the Donald J. Pliner shoes on www.shoes.com. They look wonderful, maybe shoe discussions can be put to rest now. The European shoe secret has been discovered by Americans!! Thanks. Now we can be comfortable and fashionable.

Oooh, the Dansko shoes are there too.

I need good walking shoes too.

My black leather Ecco soft spots are heavenly. Cost under $100. I also have a pair of Rockport World Travellers that I wore 3 years ago almost exclusively for 2 weeks in Europe and my feet never hurt. <BR><BR>One thing that helps me too is some of those squishy gel heel inserts.

I think everyone who has spent days walking in Europe (or elsewhere) will agree that money should be no object when it comes to comfortable shoes. On my first trip to Paris several years ago, I very foolishly wore some darling little black flat alligator loafers that I thought would be comfortable. At about 5 p.m. that day (after walking since around 8 a.m.), I was ready to cry and simply couldn't go on. After that, I knew how vitally important it is to have comfortable shoes, and that's when I discovered the Dankso clogs I mentioned earlier. I guess they may not be for everyone, but they are worn by doctors, nurses, chefs, professionals who are on their feet all day. (I'm talking about the kind with the closed-in heel, just to be clear.) Bottom line, don't skimp on cheap shoes. It's the best investment you can make, because if your feet are miserable, you will not be able to enjoy yourself.

Topping

In regards to the Dansco clogs --- are they the one's call the "Professional"?<BR><BR>I'm on line at clogscentral.net and there are several kinds.<BR><BR><BR>Thanks,<BR>Cheryl

My feet are scarred from my many, many years of wearing cheap shoes. Since I began powerwalking over a decade ago, I do wear proper shoes for that, but have been wearing "cheap but stylish" for all social/dress uses. I wore duty clogs when I worked as a floor nurse, and now that I am a nurse manager in a job that involves walking all over the hospital several times a shift, I have started buying "good" shoes. I own a pair of Clark's slip-ons, a pair of Clark's "sunbeat" sandals, and I just picked up a pair of Teva "typhoon" sandals. In the fall, I plan to get a pair of Easy Spirit or Aerosole pumps to wear with skirts. Yes, they cost more than several pairs of more stylish shoes would cost, but my feet have never been happier! <BR>Cheryl, you may want to explore a store that carries a variety of brands like Clark's, Merrill, Josef Siebel, Ecco, Rockport,Aerosoles, etc. - the staff who work there tend to be familiar with which styles/makes work best with which foot types.

I swear by ECCO! I now have 2 pairs and love them. I've always had a tough time walking long distances between my back and feet. The ECCOs are great. I do, however, throw in a pair of black flats if I need them to be dressier for someplace where I don't have to walk much. The cost was about $110-$125 each (I know I got one pair on sale) and well worth it. If the cost seems high, it's so much better not to hurt! Also, a friend just told me she only takes her ECCOs on trips.

Well, thank all of you for being so helpful.<BR>This is what I have done-<BR>I ordered a pair of Pliner, Dansko and Merrell, and I will try all of them and then decided which I like best!<BR><BR>Nancy -- which Ecco's do you wear?<BR><BR>Most of the sites I used had free shipping ---- so I'll only have to pay <BR>for the one's I send back!<BR><BR><BR>