p.s. I will also add that the adjustable criss cross Mary Jane strap makes it so nice if your feet are swollen a bit from travel.

I am beyond help and have a nasty habit mutiple posts, sorry! Wish all my thoughts just came to me during my original post. Risking public humiliation, I will add:

These shoes are VERY lightweight. I have a tough time with heavy shoes due to a bad left knee. These shoes do not weigh you down or pull in any way, just super light weight.

Ok, sorry for the multiple posts, I am done now (I *think* LOL)

The best and most comfortable shoes I have ever owned are made by the German firm Berkemann. They are expensive, but boy, do they last! The footbeds are better than any others I've come across; some sandals have a removable cork bed. When I wear the sandals during the summer I'm never troubled with ankle-swelling, which happens even with my SAS and Clark brands.

Tiff, I've never tried Sketchers but your post makes me think I'll give them a try. Thanks. For that price, it is well worth a try.

Skechers. Yes.

I could never wear Skecher's like Tiff linked. Any shoes with a rubber or leather strip around the toes like those Skecher's make my toes hurt.

What is comfortable on one person isn't always comfortable for someone else. It just depends on what foot issues you have.

DW swears by Wolky's and never takes anything else for travel.

Here's a company a friend told me about. The shoes are made in the U.K.

http://www.hotterusa.com/

Hi kybourbon say just in case you check back in on this thread, they do have shoes with a mesh toe front, I wonder if that would work for you?

I have the Hot Ticket shoe, in a pretty light green and grey color and also in black. I did not mention them above because they are more my Pup walking shoes (and would not transition into dinner shoes unless it was a casual place and that is what Polly229 reqested) however I have worn them all day, they are incredibly comfortable, as comfy as my Mary Jane's and I would travel with them. Hope that helps a little! >

http://www.skechers.com/style/21159/...ot-ticket/ccgy

Also, for a first time buyer I would try them out in store first before ordering online because sizes really vary. I tend to 1/2 size up on Sketchers. They have a store locator tab on their website.

Stopped by DSW, nearest big shoe store, last night and didn't have a great deal of luck. Nothing I wanted or they didn't fit, but this seems to be a good time of year to shop because they had 9 1/2s in 90% of the shoes. Did find some Clarks that seemed to fit better than the last ones I tried some years ago, but the heels were still a tad looser than I might like and wasn't crazy about the styles DSW had. But I won't dismiss them without trying on anymore.

Anyone know anything about Cliffs by White Mountain (Baylee Mary Janes)? Seemed more comfortable than a lot of the others but largest size was a 9. Tried that on and it seems like a 9 1/2 would fit. Biggest problem with it is that it's synthetic, not leather, although the one I tried had a lot of fabric in the upper. But it's a cheap enough shoe ($39.95 at DSW, list about $59 I think) that I suppose I might try it if I can find a 9 1/2 and it fits, and nothing better comes along.

I have several pairs of synthetic leather shoes because I no longer buy real leather anything. My experience has been that the cheaper synthetics don't wear very well, and they don't "break in" and soften and stretch the way leather ones do--they sort of bend, if that makes sense. And they don't breathe well. The pricier synthetics are much better, but I'm talking $100 for a pair of boots. Not the most expensive shoes out there, but not cheap.

(Synthetic sneakers, running shoes, etc. are a different story. Those are great, IME.)

So while I don't know anything about White Mountain, I guess even I would hesitate to recommend synthetic leather shoes for walking long distances.

I feel your pain. My favorite travel shoes are by Propet available at footsmart.com. I like them because you can insert an orthotic, which I have to have when I'm on my feet all day. I have their Wash 'n Wear leather walker in denim, black and white and Mary Janes in black and and gray/lilac. The soles are much thicker than Easy Spirit, Naturalizer, etc. so they're more comfortable for extended walking, especially on uneven streets.

>>>Hi kybourbon say just in case you check back in on this thread, they do have shoes with a mesh toe front, I wonder if that would work for you?

Thanks for the Propet reminder. I only learned the other day that they make anything other than athletic shoes. My first pair of athletic shoes were Propet and I now have 3 others - the best-fitting ones I own. Had no idea they made other shoes - have never seen anything but athletic in stores - and after seeing a pair on a website, I forgot to do a search.

Shoes are 75% of the solution but good socks can account for the balance. If you are buying one-size-fits all socks in plastic sacks six pairs at a time, you are missing out. Good socks (SmartWool, the REI store brand, etc) can help prevent blisters and keep your feet dry and cushioned.

I just hate all the ads on Fodor's these days. I can't even open this thread without a virtual parade of shoes marching across the top of my screen (sorry off topic but it's driving me NUTS!)

My socks are good - no cotton, only good wool, double-layer walking socks, etc. But most of those are not appropriate except with athletic shoes.

Suze, have you noticed the shoes marching across are just the kind of shoes we're talking about - great for walking around Rome or London all day, huh?

If you are seeing shoe ads on Fodors, I imagine it isn't Fodors but your own browsing history doing it. Some websites have cookies that track what you were looking at and then show ads from those websites incorporated into a lot of other sites you look at. If you look at certain hotel websites, for example, you will then see ads for those same hotels when you are looking at unrelated things. There is some option in your browser that allows or doesn't allow that, I believe, but I'm not sure if you have to not allow all cookies or what.

This is one article on the subject http://www.pcworld.com/article/25337..._showdown.html

Nope, this is a Fodor's ad, not an ad personally directed at individual users.