tracilee

I totally agree with you, janisj. I wasn't so much asking about comfort with the Walking Cradle shoes, but was more interested in if she had walked all day in them. I have tried similar shoes on before and found them comfortable but didn't purchase them as I wasn't sure how a backless shoe would work for long periods of walking.

I often read the shoe threads for ideas, but I know it doesn't matter what someone else likes unless they work on my feet.

nturner508

I could never walk in my Nike Air Cole Haan wedges but I do love Clarks sandals. I got the cutest pair in black patent leather gladiator sandals. For boots, I also love Uggs Simmens. They are not fully fur lined so they are good for warmer days and very durable for hiking. They are also waterproof which rocks.

starrs

tracilee, I don't know because they are only about 24 hours old. But I usually take two pair of shoes on trips to switch them up and I certainly think so.

I did walk all over Paris and the south of France in Mephisto slides, with no backs. I can't find a photo that is similar but here's my third pair* of Mephistos -
http://www.zappos.com/mephisto-ulda-black-old-vintage

I've wore my "Paris" Mephistos for two years (and still use them around the yard) and have worn these for a couple of years too. I'm such a strong believer in Mephisto (for my feet), I was surprised at how much I liked the Walking Cradles. I tried on a lot of shoes including Danskos.

*I bought these at Harry's in NYC.

starrs

<I>"everyone's feet/arches/heel bones are different. What fits starrs or suze or me or RainyDay09 will not be the same"

</I>I think every grown adult knows that, janisj.

That doesn't mean a recommendation of brand of a shoe isn't appropriate. I read about Mephistos on this board many years ago and have been happy with three pair so far.

Perhaps a post mentioning "Walking Cradle" will help someone else in the future. I walked past the shoe several times because I was not familiar with the brand.

<I>"So asking what is comfortable to others means nothing"

</I>Perhaps to you. Please allow other posters to ask whatever questions they wish to ask without criticizing them for it. TIA.

janjanjan47

I personally find these threads helpful and interesting. I never wear closed toe shoes if the weather is halfway decent, thus found folks reasons for doing so illuminating. Please don't discourage this kind of conversation.

tracilee

Thanks, Starrs!

starrs

You're welcome!

Here's an excerpt from one of the Mephisto reviews -
"Wore them for 2 weeks throughout Europe, love the large stable footbed on their uneven roads, love the added height, and have gotten many compliments on them. Great shoe"

That's been the case for me too. VERY comfortable and lots of support without any "sliding" problems. I had a bout with plantar fasciitis and I love my Mephistos. Another sandal (that another Fodorite told me about) were FitFlops. LOVE them too and they provide far more support than one would expect from a sandal.
http://www.zappos.com/fitflop-the-skinny-black~2

WeisserTee

I have a few pair of ARA shoes and they've held up really well. I can walk to work and back (about 5 miles total) in them and they're perfectly comfortable. Waterproof and non-slip too.

I have several pair of Brunate loafers which are very comfortable for urban walking but they're not as good as the ARAs for what I'd call "semi-hiking". I still like them though because they're stylish, made in Italy (in the Lake Como area), and are much less expensive than more famous Italian brands like Ferragamo or Prada.

Re Think! brand shoes, I like them, they're quirky and pretty comfortable, but I wouldn't wear them all day. The soles are too thin in the models that I like best. I prefer a little more support in the front of my foot as well as the heel.

Right now, I'm eyeing a lot of the slip-on sneaker types of shoes that are being offered by several designers. Jimmy Choo has some really cute ones, esp the Brooklyn and Demi models. But I just can't get my head around spending $400 for slip-on sneakers...
http://row.jimmychoo.com/en/women/shoes/trainers/

janisj

>>Please allow other posters to ask whatever questions they wish to ask without criticizing them for it.<<

And please allow others to post <i>their</i> opinions w/o criticising/attacking them . . .

I didn't call you or anyone else out. Please give me the same courtesy . . .

starrs

Of course you did.
11 minutes after tracilee posted you "corrected" her. You most certainly did call her out. You may not have used her name but you referenced her post in a very condescending way. As far as I know there is no designated Shoe Boss on Fodors so tracilee nor anyone else needs you to school her on what she needs to do:
<I>"So asking what is comfortable to others means nothing. You need to find out what works for you. And the only way to do that is to try on many different brands/styles."

progol

<<Perhaps a post mentioning "Walking Cradle" will help someone else in the future. I walked past the shoe several times because I was not familiar with the brand.>>

Well, I want to say thanks to starrs for the mention of "Walking Cradle". I never heard of this brand before, and am trying them out.

As a person with many feet problems, I know that what works for others may not work for me, but I'm always appreciative of recommendations to try. So thanks for sharing your info!

PS - starrs, I much prefer shopping at Tip Top on W. 72nd Street over Harry's. Harry's will not allow returns, only exchanges. With so many foot problems, I like having the option to return a shoe after trying them out for a while at home. And I also go to Eneslow's, which specializes in hard-to-fit folk. Of course, now I order on line with shoebuy or zappos!

suze

Since Mephistos run about $300, I might have just saved someone a lot of money.

mmc923

I walked all over England in my J-41 lovely flats last year. Cobblestones, dirt, anything. VERY cushiony footbed, breathable uppers, great arch support, rugged soles, a velcro strap (so when my feet swelled a little, I could adjust it!), and very cute, to boot! They had a little ribbon detail. I walked all over the mediterranean in a pair of J-41 clogs in 2009 and loved those as well (wore them out!). I recommend the brand. They're available online just about everywhere (amazon, zappos, DSW, etc.). They run true to size and are of average width (not narrow, not wide).

mmc923

This is the shoe I wore in England: http://www.amazon.com/J-41-Womens-Mi...hoes+for+women - hope this helps!

nanabee

I like Tom's slip on shoes because I have a bunion and they don't cause discomfort like leather or even tight tennis shoes do for me.

Walking with them on limited cobblestone streets don't bother me, but they might others.

starrs

I couldn't do it, nanabee. I need more arch support. That's the reason I love the cork bed of Mephistos so much - and why it's impossible to throw them out.

You're lucky. Cute shoes!

indianewbie12

My doctor (DO) recommended the Dr. Scholls supports, where you stand on the machine and it tells you what you need. I've found that I can put them in loose nicer looking shoes, and still get the support I need.

HTH

RainyDay09

I am finding a lot of helpful information in the comments. Thank you all for sharing. I will try ARA, Walking Cradle, and, perhaps, Mephisto, if my wallet can handle it.

starrs

RainyDay09, if you click on the link you'll see those Mephistos are $199. Is that "too expensive"? Depends on the individual and/or their foot needs. After one bout with plantar fasciitis the "right" shoe for me is more important than their cost. I developed the pf after my luggage was delayed (flight was cancelled and the new flight went into JKF instead of LGA). It took a couple of days for my bags to catch up with me at the apartment. I was wearing Merrill sandals (chosen for easy on/off at the airport) but they were NOT good choices for walking around NYC. By day 2 I was wearing too big Crocs out of my friend's closet but the damage was done by the time the luggage made it. I limped my way to Harry's and bought those shoes. Is it worth $5/ week for shoes that take the pain away and keep it away? Definitely. Is my decision right for another person? I have no idea and I certainly don't care what shoes they buy nor how much they spend.

The other shoes I wear the majority of the time are my FitFlop sandals in summer and my Ariat cowboy boots (with high tech soles) the rest of the time. But I needed dress shoes, hence the shopping trip that resulted in Walking Cradles.

"...perhaps, Mephisto, if my wallet can handle it."
If they fit your foot well, I can recommend splurging for them. I'm still wearing my Paris shoes from years ago. It is money very well spent for me. Some people spend $5/ day for a coffee from Starbucks. If I did that every work day it would be $1300. Am I worried about $199 shoes? Not for a second.

nturner508

I love my Toms but they have garbage support for all day wear. I can wear them all day but my mother isn't as much of a fan for longterm wear. I've worn them all day in Houston, NYC, Vermont, etc, but I'm not sure that they would hold up for all day walking on a long trip. My friend's waved about the support but I feel like they are pretty flat/minimal support.