Jane

I agree with Kay that Mephistos are the best money I ever spent on shoes. Another important item is socks. On my last trip to Europe I took cotton socks - a BIG mistake. My socks were so bad that I don't think it would have mattered what shoes I wore. I am going again this month and have really researched the sock angle. The new ones I have tested make an enormous difference in walking comfort. Be sure to try some of the newer fabrics. Wool is nice too and not hot like I expected. Good socks are worth the money too.

jacquie

Thanks for all the advice - roughly how much do Mephistos cost? <BR>

Mary Ann

Mephistos run generally about $180 to $250 depending on the shoe. Sandals may run less. I bought walking mephistos 2 years ago and they were great, even for hiking in the Alps. My problem is that we are going back this fall and I have no idea how to minimize shoes. We will be on the Riveria and Venice which seem to say sandals, but we will be doing alot of walking in Chamonix and Prague, but we will need to dress up for concerts in Venice or even in Paris or Monte Carlo. As a result, it seems like sandals, walking, dress shoes and a dark flat are in order but packing standards seem to say that 4 pairs is way to much!!!! Any suggestions? Fall is tough because you need shorts in the south and warmer in the North. Thanks for any ideas.

elvira

Mary Ann: I have found ballerina slippers to be the answer to that dress shoe thing. Black ones in the winter, white or black ones in the summer. They are very small, lightweight and comfy (for sitting in the theatre, not tromping through Provence)and double as house slippers. If you find a pair of sandals that are beachy and comfortable, let me know. All those walking sandals are heavy like full shoes, not strippy-strappy like beach sandals, which are totally UNcomfortable.

Brian in Atlanta

And where can Mephistos be purchased? And are they only for women?

Brian in Atlanta

And where can Mephistos be purchased? And are they only for women?

martha fright

Mephistos are also available for men. Nordstrom sells them, and you can get them by mail/Web order from Norm Thompson (www.normthompson.com).

wendy

Shoes, ah shoes.... <BR>I have black suede Rockport walking shoes - I bought them for $60 at an outlet and they are comfy and not too walking-shoe looking. <BR>For dress shoes, I bought $5 Chinese slippers. They're black with embriodery on the toe - pretty, feminine and a nice accessory for the black dress, and very easy to pack!

Stephanie

This place is a full of great advice!! Sock...the best we have found are "Thor-lo" Brand...they have socks for every purpose and their wool hiking socks are great. I thought they would be hot and sweaty..etc. But surprisingly they are quite cool..considering I am currently living in HOT and STICKY Asia!!! I also vote for Timberland hiking boots...the first time I put them on...thought I'd been wearing them for years...no blisters yet!!! They are rather cumbersome and hard to pack..but I wear them on the plane...also take along a pair of Nike hiking type sandals(with velcro straps)..which are great..wet or dry!

jane

Socks are indeed very important. Good hiking/ camping shops have numerous varieties and can help with both the shoe and sock choice if you tell them what you plan to do. <BR>

kathy

Several months ago there was a thread about shoes. Someone suggested LLBean lightweights. I bought a black t-strap walking shoe that is very comfortable - wore them all over Paris with no trouble. Won't pass for an evening shoe, but are nice looking for a walking shoe. I called them (LLBean) and received the shoes within a week.

kathy

Found the LLBean Flexlites information. They come in three styles; zip oxford, slip on and t-strap (black and brown, whole & half sizes). As advertised, they are waterproof NuBuck, soft, flexible, lightweight and stylish. # is A28226.(1-800-441-5713). The original poster wore hers on vacation right out of the box; I wore mine before we left. Neither of us had any trouble at all. Just one more suggestion for the mix. Hope it helps. <BR> <BR>

martha python

I had a pair of Flexites that are hugely comfortable, but the uppers weren't well constructed. The edges of the tongue of the slip-ons came unglued, so they sort of spread out like a wimple (or whatever that nun headgear is called). I realize this is not very clear, but if you look at the shoes on the Web site, you'll see that the edge of the tongue has a sort of hem at the edge--that's the part that went curyly on me. <BR>Luckily it's LL Bean, so they were happy to exchange 'em for a different style.

lynn

Jacquie - <BR> <BR>You have quite a few responses here but I just had to add to the fray. <BR> <BR>1st - take 2 pair. I just spent a week walking around in only 1 pair (a pair I don't usually use for travel) and although it's great for a full day, it wasn't great for a full week. Wrong support. You really should take 2 so you can switch around when one starts bugging you. <BR> <BR>2nd - The sock thing is an issue. The Thor Lo socks are great but expensive. My only problem with them was that they were almost too thick. I've since tried different brands and found the various Dickies work socks to work just as well. Also, you can buy 2 pair of Dickies for almost 1/2 the price of 1 pair of Thor Lo. Try them all. I do have one pair of shoes that's a little loose so I love the Thor Lo socks for those. It depends. <BR> <BR>Most imporant, don't get cotton. The fiber cannot be natural. Natural fibers are a nesting place for bacteria, hence the "smell." Manmade fibers, such as acrylic, don't soak up the moisture and allow bacteria to breed. Keep this in mind and try some non-cotton socks if you haven't already. Not even part cotton. <BR> <BR>Just say NO to cotton! <BR> <BR