Let's Talk Shoes...

I can't say I've ever seen this topic discussed on POTN.

I'm going to Italy for nine days in April. It's going to be just me and my camera on the passenger seat of a Citroen C4. It's my first "photo excursion" overseas and it can't get here soon enough.

This past weekend I was down at Epcot in Orlando and I was reminded of the need for quality footwear. I don't want to be wearing hiking boots (I love my Vasques), but I definitely want to wear shoes that are uber-comfortable for long periods of time. The Skechers I was wearing on Monday proved they aren't those shoes.

Most of my walking around will be done over two days in Rome. While I'll be taking one of those "hop on/hop off" type buses, I know I'll be spending a lot of time on my feet, too.

I'm not at all afraid to spend a lot of money on shoes. I learned a long time ago that if your feet hurt, it doesn't matter how good everything else is, you'll be miserable.

So, what's your go-to footwear for extended periods of time on your feet?

Shoes are such a personal thing that it's hard to recommend something that works for someone else. For me i like a Nike running shoe. Some of them feel great and some suck even within the same brand. Also Merrell makes a few shoes that are really comfortable. I have a Merrell hiking shoe that is super comfy and I can hike all day without foot discomfort but the bottom tread is geared more towards off road and less for the concrete jungle.

Personal is so true. I'd rather wear leather soled dress shoes than a pair of running shoes. It makes no sense but I can't get running shoes off fast enough and I wouldn't dream of wearing them on a trip or to work. My footwear of choice is the 6" work boot from Red Wings with the white sole. One of my pairs has been all over the world and I walked 14 miles in London one day wearing them. But I acknowledge I am strange.

Appreciate the input!

Yeah, I understand shoes are a pretty personal choice. I have an old pair of Merrel's which, back in their heyday, were unbelievably comfortable. They're simply worn out now.

We have a Merrell outlet store here in St. Augustine, as well as a Teva outlet store. I've never even tried on a pair Teva shoes before, but I know folks who swear by them. Red Wing? May have to check them out, too.

Anyone else?

I've found if they feel right the moment you put them on then they are RIGHT for a good time to come.
I've had several pairs of Merrell's and thoroughly recommend them. Well the ones I've had.
I like shoes (for your type of described use) with Vibram soles. Not thin overlay stuff, but proper soles that don't break apart or are so flimsy they wear out on rocks and rough gravel.
MEN'S MOAB ADVENTURE LACE sorry about caps, just cut and pasted, would be something I'd take.
I bought a pair of slip-ons in Hawaii and used them non stop, walked everywhere I could go, including some of their high hills and still have them several years later, much worse for wear.

If you were happy with Merrell, I'd suggest a revisit.

I've got size 10 Aussie feet, light on my feet, 6'2" just to put a bit of perspective on this from my end.

I can't stress this enough, go to a high quality, specialty running store and get properly fitted. No other type of shop will have a greater knowledge of the interplay between the foot, body, and footwear than the specialty running market.

The custom fit process should consist of an experienced professional studying not only your foot structure, but your gate as well. The professional will have high knowledge of, access to, and a thorough understanding of the specific fit characteristics across high quality brand lines. They will look, listen and read your feedback to put you in something that has the right combination of structure, flexibility, cushion and support for your needs.

To go into more detail, aside from the basic structural differences of feet ... wide, narrow, bunions, etc, one must also consider the needs of a high-arched, rigid, neutral foot, versus a flat-arched foot that collapses, or pronates as one moves through their gate. Brand is less important than what type of foot the shoe is engineered for. For instance, one model of a Brooks shoe might be a perfect fit while a differently engineered Brooks model would be painful and cause you serious problems.

I wear Surfer Joe thongs (flip-flops to most of you) everywhere. Feet never get sore and never smell. Easy to get on and off. Best things ever.

I made a few nerdy shoe posts here:

https://photography-on-the.net …showthread.php?​p=17777973

https://photography-on-the.net …read.php?t=1426​883&page=1

My husband and I like Keen footwear for travel to Europe. They have good support and for us they are comfortable all day. I find most of the shoes and even some of the sandals can handle some hiking. I like that they offer waterproof versions which are good when traveling in the off seasons, which tend to be rainy.

JoelBosco wrote in post #18815270
Personal is so true. I'd rather wear leather soled dress shoes than a pair of running shoes. It makes no sense but I can't get running shoes off fast enough and I wouldn't dream of wearing them on a trip or to work.

I am the same way.

When it comes to clothing in general, I am most comfortable the less I am wearing. . My feet are no different.

Many people talk about "support" or "ankle support", as if that is a good thing for footwear to have. . Whenever I wear footwear with "good support", my feet feel awful and I can't wait to get the damn things off of them. . Hiking boots are absolutely HORRIBLE to wear because they cover a lot of you up and your feet perspire in them and the socks get dampish. . Same with sneakers.

The most comfortable shoes I have ever worn are loafers. . The ones with no laces, so they just slip on and off. . This is what I wear any time I can get away with it. . For hikes in the woods when there aren't wet areas or creeks to cross. . For hikes on rocky slopes. . For times when I will be walking on sidewalks or pavement for hours on end. . My feet just feel so comfortable when they are in loose-fitting slip-on loafers, and they feel so much worse when they are in shoes that cover more of the foot and fit more snugly.

One reason why I like loose fitting slip-on loafers are because they ventilate my feet very well. . I absolutely HATE for my feet to be moist from perspiration. . I bet if you go out to the local grocery store or pub or whatever, and find a guy at random who is wearing sneakers, if you had him take the sneakers off, his feet/socks would be a bit damp. . YUCK! . That feels absolutely awful, to have damp socks. Ewwwww!

With low-cut loafers that are a half size too big, a lot of air circulates around my feet, keeping them dry. . What's more, because they slip on and off so easily, I can remove them any time I am not actually walking. . So if I stop to sit on a park bench for a 5 minute break, or to check stuff on my phone or whatever, I can slip my shoes off for those 5 minutes and let my feet be really comfortable and get really really dry. . Whenever I get in a car - driving or otherwise - I slip my shoes off. . Whenever I enter a home I take my shoes off at the door. . When I go to church or a training or a meeting, once I get seated, the shoes come off.

The less feet have on them, the more comfortable they are, so why not try to have as little as possible on them at all times? . The only times I need less comfortable footwear is when I will be traversing wet terrain or when it is very cold or when I am firefighting and regulations require that I wear firefighter's boots. . For all other times the slip-on loafers are worn.

These are the shoes I prefer to wear, when I can find them:

Well, I found a pair of Merrell shoes that I really like; Chameleon 7 Limit. I liked the price, too: $99 at Academy Sports in Daytona Beach.

They were quite comfortable in the store, and I put them through their paces this weekend during a trip to Savannah. I really can't believe how comfortable they are, and that's something I can't really say about the shoes I wore to Ireland in August. By the end of the day, my feet were screaming. The same can't be said about these.

I am the very embodiment of the term "happy feet"...

Road Dog wrote in post #18822253
Well, I found a pair of Merrell shoes that I really like; Chameleon 7 Limit. I liked the price, too: $99 at Academy Sports in Daytona Beach.

They were quite comfortable in the store, and I put them through their paces this weekend during a trip to Savannah. I really can't believe how comfortable they are, and that's something I can't really say about the shoes I wore to Ireland in August. By the end of the day, my feet were screaming. The same can't be said about these.

I am the very embodiment of the term "happy feet"...

Glad you found these. I was going to chime in about a couple of things, mostly that I agree that choice of footwear is very personal and what works for me isn't necessarily what will work for you. But my experience in Rome is that there are a lot of old cobblestone streets and you will be doing a lot of walking. I didn't bring my Merrells (I have now switched to Keens) and I paid dearly for it with very sore feet. The stiffer soles on shoes like those Merrells makes a big difference and, unless you got a waterproof pair, they breath exceptionally well.

Tim

ps - I'm so jealous of your trip! I hope you have a great time!

I learned in the military that uber soft shoes aren't necessarily the best for a lot of walking. And the idea of dodging Italian traffic and leaping on buses trying to keep on flip-flops scares me. Ordinarily, I'd go for something like Merrells with a thin polypropylene sock inside a thicker cotton sole-cushioned sock. That twin-sock strategy will keep your feet dried and absolutely blister free.

But it's Italy, and I'd sacrifice just a bit not to look like an American dork.

I think I'd get a good pair of loafers, not too loose with leather soles. I might put an ortho insole into them.

Orogeny wrote in post #18826922
Glad you found these. I was going to chime in about a couple of things, mostly that I agree that choice of footwear is very personal and what works for me isn't necessarily what will work for you. But my experience in Rome is that there are a lot of old cobblestone streets and you will be doing a lot of walking. I didn't bring my Merrells (I have now switched to Keens) and I paid dearly for it with very sore feet. The stiffer soles on shoes like those Merrells makes a big difference and, unless you got a waterproof pair, they breath exceptionally well.

Tim

ps - I'm so jealous of your trip! I hope you have a great time!

I walked 37.8 miles in Italy (although, let's be honest here, 60.5 kilometers sounds far more impressive), and my feet were happy the whole time. Sure, they were tired by the end of the day, but these old muscles just aren't accustomed to that kind of workout.

I've checked out Keens, but I just can't fall in love with them. Great shoes, but I'm a Merrell fan...

Road Dog wrote in post #18822253
Well, I found a pair of Merrell shoes that I really like ....By the end of the day, my feet were screaming. The same can't be said about these.

I am the very embodiment of the term "happy feet"...

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Shoes like those Merrills you got would have my feet screaming at the end of a day. . Heck, they'd be screaming at the end of an hour if I wore anything like that!

But we are all different and our feet are different! . I am glad that you found some shoes that make your feet happy.


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