Hi.
I’m looking to invest some hard-earned cash in a pair of excellent shoes. Having spent my entire adult life in second-hand, cheap when bought new shoes, I’m now ready to go to the next level, so to speak.
What I want is a pair of shoes which will be so comfortable I can hardly feel them, with a classic style that will transcend fashion. I’m an eccentric hippie, but I don’t like Birkenstocks. I wear black more often than I wear tie-dye. I’m also 40 years old and not getting any younger, so I want my shoes ideally to not cause any discomfort upon wearing them for 8 or 10 hours straight.
Knowing that there are many people on these boards who have enjoyed disposable income for years, I am willing to bet that some of you can recommend shoes which fit my wants. I just want to know: What do you Dopers recommend I invest in? Anybody out there who has found the holy grail of long-lasting, comfy, beautiful shoes? I want to hear from you!
My suggestion would be to look into some Merrells. I bought my first pair last summer for a 60K walk and I can’t stop singing their praises. I loooove them.
The Boy turned me onto them because Merrells are pretty much the only shoes he’ll buy (he’s on pair #3 now). They’re comfy, versatile, and near indestructible (his first pair lasted through 3 years of near-daily wear before falling apart). They’re not cheap, but still cheaper than Manolos.
Official website here if you want to check them out.
I was lucky enough to try on a pair of Pikolinos…in 40+ years, these are honestly the most comfortable shoes ever. And they’re high heels. And gorgeous. And I’m truly not much of a shopper but I was very lucky to run into these. Made in Spain. All leather. Comfy.
I have mucho feet problems and I can wear these for hours.
I’ll give a nod to Zappos. They have many name brands and shoes get reviewed by customers. They tell you things like how narrow it is, whether the straps stay up or slip down, how comfortable the material is, if it squeaks, etc.
Best of all, free shipping and free returns!
My experience with quality, comfortable, if not somewhat pricey, work shoes extends to Red Wings. Red Wings are pretty utilitarian and not high fashion, but they’re built for comfort and can literally last a lifetime if sent back to the company or taken to a cobbler for repair. They have a Women’s line that seems pretty nice-- again, not the height of fashion, but I can vouche for Red Wings comfort.
One of my best friends and his Dad owned a Shoe Repair Shop when I was growing up (Honest to God Cobblers) and they swore by Red Wings, both in quality of construction, value, and repairability.
I second Merrell shoes. I bought a pair of Merrell sandals to take with me on a trip to Japan and wound up wearing them every day for two weeks straight of walking around- no blisters or problems whatsoever! Also Born shoes, which used to be simpler, but now they’re getting fancy. I don’t know how their fancy-pants shoes feel, but the standard ones I’ve had have always been very comfy!.
Most people say they’re not what they used to be, but I still swear by Doc Martens. The regular 8-eye black boots are my daily footwear. I have bad plantar fasciitis in both feet, and aside from my Birkenstock sandals they’re the only shoes I can wear for long stretches without tremendous pain. (Of course, every foot is different.)
I bought a couple pair this past summer to replace a couple of decades-old pair, and the new ones are crap.
At one point all of my day-to-day shoes were Docs. These last 2 are the last pairs I will ever buy.
I don’t know if you’re male or female, but either way I heartily recommend Merrill’s Chameleon II Stretch. (The link is to the mens version, but they have womens as well. Or if you wear a larger size they are basically unisex so you can wear the mens as well.) They are the most comfortable shoes ever, no matter if you walk for hours or sit all day at a desk. Plus they are great to wear year round in any weather.
Take it from someone who has had plantar fasciitis for about seven years, Keen shoes are the best thing to hit the planet since sunshine. I’ve tried Merrills and damn near everything else, but these gave me instant and continuing relief. I can honestly say they changed my life, going from someone who was in constant pain, to someone who can tramp around the hills of Seattle for five days with minimum problems.
I’ve only had them for two weeks, but so far I’ve been enjoying my Josef Seibel shoes. They’re definitely not pumps, but they’re black leather and they have more heel than a loafer.
And since Red Wings are best to get fitted from the store and the company doesn’t have a catalog, you could head over to Springfield and support your local business.
I’m really digging this thread for a couple of reasons. Like I said, I’ve been disappointed in my last 2 pair of Docs, and have been wondering what other brand to try to combine comfort and durability. Plus, In January I’m having foot surgery which is going to significantly change the shape of my one foot, so I’ll have a perfect excuse to go shoe shopping. Finally, I found a Red Wing store less than 3 miles from my house. I’m happy to consider that decision made!
I was wondering about Mephistos, so I checked them out on-line. Damn, those are some pricey shoes!
