I’d have to agree with the OP’s friend who wore Merrel’s. I am on my feet approximately 12 hours a day. I’ve tried all kinds of shoes and inserts. My feet always hurt. The Merrells work best for me. I’m still a bit sore at the end of the day, but I think most people would be after working 12 hours. My feet aren’t painfully sore anymore. I bought the Barefoot Run Pace Glove Shoe and I’m ready to try something new from them. I’love their shoes!!
Also, I’ve tried Croc’s before and they were also great on my feet, but they are Godawful ugly!!
This is a very informative discussion! Thaks, y’all.
Here’s the thing: I was wearing shoes that were very comfortable… for the first eight hours. But by the end of each of the three days, my feet were KILLING me. I could barely walk. I was just hobbling along, but there were still things to do.
For another example, one time I did a 6K walk and wore Reeboks. I thought they would be good for such an event. By the end-- I kid you not-- I took them off and finished the walk barefoot because the g.d. shoes hurt so much.
The contributors to this thread really get what I’m asking.
I actually don’t have a job that requires standing all day. I’m just wondering why the shoes I chose to wear during my grueling all-day move crapped out on me. And looking for shoes that won’t. (Not that I plan to move any time soon. If I announce that I’m moving again, I hope someone will come over here and slap me.)
I have seven pairs of Danskos, several Clarks, some Soffts, too. I’m not looking for dressy (what we used to call “Sunday Go to Meetin’”) shoes. Just shoes that I can wear with jeans all day for running errands. doing housework, shopping in malls/stores as big as small countries where the dairy stuff is at the back so you HAVE to walk a quarter mile for the basics.
As for wanting shoes that are cute: my aesthetic sense requires this. I also wear earrings when I’m at home alone. I wear them for me.
I’m dazzled by all the advanced shoe knowledge here as well as the shoe passion (and amazed at Shoe Indifference, too… are you indifferent to food and air, too… hmmm??). I will be checking out those links.
Tell me more about these. From the picture, the sole looks very thin. Also the word 'barefoot" makes me think there’s not much between your foot and the ground. They are cute…but, hell, I’d buy them just for the name.
I’ve got problem feet because of Morton’s neuroma, but I find generally I do best if I change shoes during the day if I really have to do a lot of walking or standing. Not advice that you want to hear, obviously, but if it’s an option, keep it in mind.
No, that’s good advice. My mother used to say that if she just changed shoes, she could keep right on going. I’ll bet if I had done that, I’d have lasted.
(But you’re not saying I can’t buy new shoes, are you?)
I’m a huge fan of Klogs nursing shoes. They have killer arch support and padding, and I’ve never had any foot pain in them except when I was injured, even when I was routinely putting in 10-hour-plus days when I only got off my feet when I was in the crapper. I wear the relatively orthopedic Dusty clog, but even that looks completely reasonable with jeans or khakis for running errands and such.
You all have me shoe shopping when I’m very very tired. They all look so cute and comfy, like a warm bed for my feet. Warm bed…want to buy all the shoes…
My steel toe Skecher slip-ons were very comfy when I worked in the paper mill but that’s when I was used to them; now they make me tired after a half day of working in them around the house and walking on the concrete floors of Lowes/Home Depot.
I recently bought a pair of boots from Earthies, which is a spinoff of the Earth Shoes brand and I’m really happy with them. The only shoes I’ve been able to wear without inserts since I started having plantar faciitis issues have been the Earthies and Danskos. I’ve found with the Danskos in particular, it’s not just that my feet don’t hurt when standing in them a lot - the rest of my legs and knees are also far less fatigued at the end of the day.
Yes, the sole is thin and that worried me at first. I assumed a good comfortable working shoe was supposed to be thick soled and sturdy/stiff.
A friend of mine had a pair of these and raved about them. I browsed the Merrell website and the many great reviews. The soles are flexible. The quality is great. I feel like they were custom made for my foot.
I really can’t give you a specific answer why my feet feel great in these. They were originally meant for trail walking, so you could feel the ground beneath you which helps to control balance. They feel natural on my feet where I feel like I’m barefoot with just enough support.
I’ve had my first pair for several months now and wear them practically everyday and see no signs of wear and tear. They’re a bit pricey, but worth it to me.
Another cool thing I’ve discovered from their website is you can wash them in the washer. I got mine all muddy accidently, threw them in the wash, hoping the washing machine wouldn’t damage them and they came out looking brand new. I dried them out in the sun and the next day they were on my feet again good as new.
These are the only pair I own so far and I want to try other styles. I hope they’re all as great as the Barefoot Pace Glove.
If you get a pair I hope you enjoy them like I do.
I sound like a damn commercial..haha! But yes, I endorse this product.
You all who like Sofft should look at Helle Comfort. They have some really really cute dress styles. I have a wedge heel clog and a pump, and the clogs in particular are beautiful. The pump is extremely unique
One more thing Thelma Lou, if the Barefoot collection of shoes seem too thin for you, they have other shoes in the Multi-Sport section that have some thickness to the sole that might be more your style.
Ok, I’m done now.
Recently got a pair of the Dansko Vedas – look like Professionals and Chuck Taylors had a baby – and they are surprisingly comfortable. I always wear SmartWool socks with my comfort shoes as well, that seems to help extend the comfort day. I second the notion of changing styles from day to day, and recently survived a very mobile vacation by trading off from Danskos to Columbia Master Fly lightweight hikers. Going to check out the Alegrias now, thanks!
Afterthought – even in the best shoes your feet might crap out if you are working them harder than usual or if there is a underlying problem. Achilles tendonitis (followed by plantar fascitis) were the first signs of an inflammatory arthritis for me so proper stretching, conditioning and posture are very important to go with good shoes. Even with my problems though a pair of Franco Sarto espadrilles got me through a 14 hour day – and I think I was the last woman at the wedding still wearing shoes. : - )
I have problem feet, large and exceedingly wide with a history of plantar fasciitis and bone spurs. So I read this thread with great interest, particularly as it posted the day after I went to a holiday function where I spent nearly the entire time seated but the brief bits of walking in dress shoes I did was enough to make me sore the next day.
Thanks to all the good suggestions, I wound up cruising online for hours and settled on a pair of Munro shoes. Weren’t available anywhere near me to go try on, so I ordered the most expensive footwear I’ve ever had sight unseen from Nordstroms site.
They arrived, I wore them, they fit wonderfully and are cute in a classy understated fashion. I love them!!
