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Post by lagatta on Apr 24, 2009 13:08:11 GMT
As usual this time of year, I'm looking for good walking sandals that aren't too ugly (for walking round town at home and when travelling). But of late, I've had disappointments with brands known for being sturdy, such as the old reliable Clarks and some of the German brands such as Rohde and Rieker. A lot of those sandals and shoes are now outsourced to low-wage countries, and don't seem to be the quality they once were. I had a pair of Clarks sandals that only lasted me a single summer, walking here and in Europe; not hiking or anything out of the ordinary. I am very happy with some shoes I bought by Josef Siebel (now made in Hungary or elsewhere in Central Europe), but haven't found any sandals by that make that fit and that I like.
There are always Mephistos, but they are very, very expensive and I don't know if they are worth the extra price.
Have any of you found sandals or (urban) shoes that you find comfy, sturdy and not too ugly?
I know this is a golden-oldie of a travel topic, but hey, we do have to walk if we are going out and about, eh?
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 24, 2009 20:52:16 GMT
How much do Mephistos cost nowadays? They used to be in the hundred-dollar range & gave incredible service, but I keep hearing how prohibitively priced they are.
The shoe thing is problematic, because you really need to buy them long before the trip takes place. I no longer have any really good walking shoes or sandals, and will need to wait until I go to the States to get some. What makes me the angriest is the combination of no arches and poor quality in brands we should be able to trust.
I have a pair of knock-off Crocs that are great to walk in, but I simply cannot be seen in public in them.
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Post by lagatta on Apr 24, 2009 21:27:04 GMT
I guess it would be hard to have sandals made in Mexico, with proper arch support and all?
Yes, here Mephisto sandals are well over $200Cdn, even with the exchange I think they'd be over $200US. I once saw some on sale in France, but they were out of my size. The shoes can easily exceed $300. I know barristers/trial lawyers who have them, but they need something that is the equivalent of work shoes, while looking like dress shoes, with the marble floors and all.
I have a friend who actually walks around in bright-coloured Crocs knockoffs, but no, I won't either.
That is indeed why I have to start thinking about new sandals now; if I go travelling it will be late in June or early in July, as I may well have a conference across the pond. If I don't, I'll quite happily spend the summer in Montréal, as I was away for a good part of the summer and while our winters are harsh indeed, our summers are very pleasant and the fresh local vegetables and berries are much more flavourful than most stuff in Amsterdam.
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Post by Jazz on Apr 24, 2009 21:46:55 GMT
Oh god, my most dreaded task...looking for any shoe. One that is great for walking while travelling, yet not too hideous, is the supreme challenge, always. I need a pair as well, but am on the verge of breaking down and buying Mephistos again. They are very expensive (200-300CDN) but years ago I bought a tan pair and wore them for 8 years! Outside in warm weather and inside as slippers in the winter.
For the next few years I bought cheaper ones (about 50-100CDN). I have worked my way through Romika, Clarke's, Dorfer, and Teva. Crocs are out of the question for me, not enough arch support. I chose the ones that were the least ugly. Most lasted only one or two years and none of them felt as good as the Mephistos. I am thinking now, just buy the Mephisto and have maximum comfort and wear them for another 8 years and forget spending 100-200/year on experiments.
We love to walk when we travel and this is very important. I often walk 6-10 hours a day. I would welcome any ideas from anyone and will of course post any hot sandal bulletins.
Your worst shoe nightmare: Before I went to spend a month in Paris, I bought 2Pr. of sandals (60ea.), one low pr. of heels (85), and 'threw in' my heavy ugly comfy sneakers. It was June. Once there, I couldn't wear any of the shoes and suffered from horrible blisters. Oh my god, I had to waste time in shoe stores in Paris! (I hate this at any time)...bought a pair of Sketchers (another 70), too little support. Finally I found a lighter pair of sneakers (140) and wore them non stop. Like you, Lagatta, I find that I need to buy shoes months before travelling in order to break them in.
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Post by gyro on Apr 24, 2009 23:21:17 GMT
I had a pair of Joseph Siebel sandals a while back. They were really comfortable and soft feeling, but the soles wore down waaaaay too quickly and I ended up taking them back and getting a refund on my next pair of shoes.
The best sandals I've ever had - bearing in mind I currently have 5 pairs on the go - are my beloved Doc Martens. They're a little on the heavy side, but are hard as granite and are almost as unworn now as they were when I bought them almost 8 years ago. And MAN, have I done some walking in those babies ! Rome, Venice, St Petersburg, Prague, Pompeii, Berlin, Barcelona .....
The best footwear, let alone sandals, I ever bought, and well worth the 50 quid price tag.
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Post by bixaorellana on Apr 25, 2009 3:40:32 GMT
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Post by pookie on Apr 25, 2009 5:49:06 GMT
I wear Mephistos all the time. I need them for arch support.They are very expensive .I cannot buy in Australia, shipping cost $A40+ if I buy online.
I always buy some when I go to the US or France and England.I currently have 7 brand new pairs and 2 pairs I'm wearing.I swear by them and have never found anything here in Aust that come close to them
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Post by pookie on Apr 25, 2009 5:57:20 GMT
Forgot to add ,I bought some in the US in December for about$US 130 and some in London for about 70 pound.
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Post by gyro on Apr 25, 2009 9:26:38 GMT
My darlings :
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Post by bazfaz on Apr 25, 2009 10:12:26 GMT
Gyro, those look nice. They are your Doc Martens? And, without heel strap or back, they stay on?
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Post by pookie on Apr 25, 2009 10:20:23 GMT
Nice. They look like nice soft leather and mould to the shape of your foot.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 25, 2009 10:58:32 GMT
We can even see your cute little toes pressed into the leather.
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Post by lagatta on Apr 25, 2009 12:29:51 GMT
You can tell they are dearly beloved!
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Post by gyro on Apr 25, 2009 22:20:56 GMT
They're not really soft , but are the best things I've EVER had on my feet. And yes, Baz, you get sue to walking in them. Same as you do any 'mules'. ....
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Post by Jazz on Apr 25, 2009 22:39:28 GMT
Your darlings look like what I am wearing as I type. (but yours are a better quality of leather). I will go and look at Doc Martens and also the Naots which Bixa suggested....good possibilities!
I like a sandal with no toe, no heel, no crap of any kind (ie buckles etc.)....essentially just like yours, a good austere piece of leather, arch support and flexible soles.
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Post by lagatta on Apr 25, 2009 23:16:38 GMT
I'd like no buckles but one of my feet in particular is wide in parts - a deformed toe? so buckles are better than the gord-orful velcro sticky tabs they have on so many "comfort" sandals nowadays. I don't trust them. I like a bit of a "heel" or wedge as opposed to Birkenstocks but that depends on where one's feet have gone to seed. Right now I'm wearing Clarks mules very similar to gyro's faithful friends but the leather has split by the errant toe so I only wear them as house slippers or for very local errands any more. I wear them at home all the time when I'm working or bumming around alone, with fleece socks - the horror! - in the depth of winter.
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Post by gyro on Apr 26, 2009 19:57:48 GMT
I like Birkies, although they do make you feel a bit more flat-footed. As well as my Docs and Birkies, I have 2 pairs of Reefs and a pair of Teva's; all of which are suitable for all weathers and going in and out of the sea.
I LOVE sandals. Fuck you, socks.
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Post by komsomol on Apr 27, 2009 8:09:16 GMT
I don't think that I have ever worn sandals.
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Post by gyro on Apr 27, 2009 12:41:13 GMT
Then you haven't lived.
"A person who is tired of sandals is tired of life."
- Oscar Wilde.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2009 13:17:29 GMT
I have a pair of black sandals that are made by Birkenstock but look nothing like regular Birk's. They are a style called Tatami which upon googling covers many,many styles but not mine. Anyway,a shame if they dc'd them because I have had them for about 4 years now and they show no sign of wear and are comfy,comfy and can be dressed up or down. And they're slid in's. Will look some more.
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Post by gyro on May 5, 2009 5:18:02 GMT
The only problem with Birkenstocks for me is that I wear the heels/ soles out too quickly.
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Post by bixaorellana on May 5, 2009 5:31:45 GMT
I wear down the heels of shoes while posing in front of the little slanted mirror in the shoe store, which is a reason for me to seriously think about investing in another pair of Mephistos.
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Post by gyro on May 5, 2009 6:01:16 GMT
That's not exactly true, is it ?
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Post by bixaorellana on May 5, 2009 13:59:18 GMT
Okay, it might be a teensy exaggeration, but I'm pretty rough on shoes. I think it's because I'm knock-kneed. A side effect of that can be flat feet if one doesn't wear the right shoes. I used Dr. Scholl's Exercise sandals for years, so my arches are fine. But I'd wear those poor sandals right down to woody nubs.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 16, 2009 13:14:24 GMT
As the season has moved along, what is your take on boots?
I used to wear boots sometimes, but I can't imagine doing so again unless I move to some place with snowy slush or permanent mud.
Boot mania starts hitting the women of Paris at this time of year, but it really looks like a waste of leather to me, since it normally just isn't all that cold.
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Post by lagatta on Nov 16, 2009 13:29:33 GMT
Yes, a style blog I look at has travelled to Paris and taken oodles of photos of women in knee-high boots.
I do have ankle boots (with laces and a little heel) that I wear on the colder days this time of year. There has been no snow whatsoever yet. I have horrid things to wear in snowy slush; this is a great source of shame for les Montréalais and above all les Montréalaises as we want to look urbane and cool and have this shit on the ground - not nice white snow except when it has just fallen. Not that I like that much either, but at least it is pretty.
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Post by bjd on Nov 16, 2009 15:06:49 GMT
Yeah -- boots are in style this year again -- even when it's too warm for them. Actually, they don't seem to be made for cold weather or snow or anything -- the soles are pretty thin and they often have heels.
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Post by imec on Nov 16, 2009 15:52:20 GMT
I bought this pair of Merrell's for walking on my vacation this summer: I like them so much, I just bought this insulated, waterproof pair in Quebec: These shoes are crazy comfortable.
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Post by lagatta on Nov 16, 2009 16:45:12 GMT
Those are good. I don't like really high boots even in the winter (they do clear the snow from our streets and sidewalks in central urban neighbourhoods such as mine, in central-northern Montréal). I do have a pair of more formal boots, but they are just for dressy occasions.
A lot of waterproof, or rather slush-proof, footwear is synthetic and it really hurts my feet as I have a bit of arthritis.
Winnipeg is colder, but not nearly as damp. But today is NOT a day to complain about the weather - it is beautiful, sunny and not cold by our standards!
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Post by Deleted on Nov 16, 2009 18:49:05 GMT
Those shoes look so comfortable, Imec. My favorite shoes are my hiking boots.
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