<p>They’re not for everybody. On the running forums, about half the posters love them and the other half HATE them.</p>
<p>I have serious arch problems, and I own a pair of the berry Superfeet. I wear them frequently, but they only make some of my shoes tolerable, at best. I can’t do serious all-day walking in them. The only shoes that work for that are supportive shoes with built-in arch support.</p>
<p>Most of the posters on this thread probably don’t have the problems with their feet that I do (I have chronic running injuries). Just be aware that you may love Superfeet, but you may not. They actually cause foot pain in some people.</p>
<p>That’s the great thing about being able to go to a store and slip a pre-cut demo pair into your own shoes. I knew instantly that they were for me and I’ve had excruciating arch pain over the years from soccer shoes, hikiing boots, ski boots, and ice skates. It’s all in how much arch support your foot likes and where it likes it. The SuperFeet arch support is more towards the heel. Other people try them and know instantly they don’t work. </p>
<p>I’ve the BLUE (thinner, fits in most dress shoes) and the ORANGE (more cushion, but requires a removable insole), so now it’s easy to test which version will work best in a pair of shoes.</p>
<p>The one thng I know for sure: if you need arch support, the drugstore Dr. Scholls and the insoles in standard off the shelf shoes, even expensive ones, won’t give it to you.</p>
<p>I am someone who has no luck whatsoever with arch supports (including superfeet). Doctor recommended Mephistos or THINKS. (plantar fasciitis stinks)</p>
<p>For me, the best arch support is built into the sole of the shoe and not the insole. Have you ever wondered why nurses wear Danskos? Also, the shoe itself has to offer some type of support along the sides and top for all-day comfort. Shoes of this type are not inexpensive, and they’re often not pretty, either.</p>
<p>FOr me Danskos ( and Birkenstocks) are good for standing, but not for walking.</p>
<p>I like Think also- only they are out of my price range for the styles I like.
( however I just ordered another pair of Doc Martens- they don’t have a lot of arch support- but they have a great sole)</p>
<p>Ariats are also very good- they are made for working people & while I do put an extra set of insoles in them- with that I can work from sunup to sundown. </p>
<p>I have high arches and osteoarthritis & while I do still have intermittent foot pain ( I need to get the screws removed from previous surgery I think)- I also found that when I lost a great deal of weight about 8 years ago, ( 40lbs), that made a huge difference on the stress on my joints.</p>
<p>It really depends on finding a company & a shoe that makes a last that fits your foot.
Along with the Ariats, & Born ( which can run a little narrow for me) , I like The North Face for snow boots & trail running shoes.
Oh since you are going to Vietnam- I would suggest Chaco sandals, my podiatrist recommended them- they have good soles with lots of traction & arch support and the straps can be adjusted so they fit perfectly.
[Podiatry</a> Shoe Review.: Women’s Sandals at REI (Near Paradise Valley Mall)](<a href=“http://podiatryshoereview.blogspot.com/2008/09/womens-sandals-at-rei-near-paradise.html]Podiatry”>Podiatry Shoe Review: Women's Sandals at REI (Near Paradise Valley Mall))</p>
<p>I stumbled upon a pair of Merrell walking shoes on deep discount a couple of years ago at TJ Maxx. Wonderful! And since then I have bought several different styles and all have clocked some serious miles (including hiking 10 miles along the Cornish coast path last year.)</p>
<p>Try the Merrell Siren Sport. I have two pr. and really like them. Don’t get the Gortex version if wearing in hot weather.</p>
<p>Keens are very comfy too if you don’t mind the big black toe bumper. </p>
<p>Chaco sandals are great. Nice arch support and no problem if you get caught in the rain. I like the all over adjustable straps. Don’t get the ones with the strap that goes around your big toe. It tends to tighten up as you walk. I had to return that style and get the reg. style with strap over instep and around ankle.</p>
<p>I have one pr. of Mephisto sandals that I love. They are the “Helen” style. I could walk around the world in them.<br>
Love my Danskos but they might not be good for hilly or uneven terrain. I wear them to work every day in the cooler months.
My berry Superfeet insoles are great in running shoes. </p>
<p>I have ordered a pair of Wolkys. All the reviews said they had great arch support.<br>
After a battle with plantar fasciitis, I have vowed to never wear cheap flat shoes with no arch support ever again!</p>
<p>Also, GOOD SOCKS are invaluable. I tried several before settling on Thorlos. They really make a HUGE difference. I was miserable until we bought these and have been VERY happy ever since. It is important to try the shoes on WITH the socks you will be wearing so the shoes fit properly (not too tight or loose to avoid blisters or other problems).</p>
<p>I like SAS, Dr. Scholl’s, and Clarks. All are quite comfortable & I can walk great distances, including criss-crossing conventions with any of them. Athletic shoes or Dr. Scholl’s walking shoes in black are indistinguishable from other walking shoes to me. Comfortable feet are a very high priority for me.</p>
<p>Another vote for Merrell here. They have a lot of cushioning and decent arch support.<br>
A trip to your local sports store should have a good variety of styles. It’s important to try on whatever shoe you’re looking at and to walk in them for a bit at the store. Once you find a brand you can count on, then a store like Zappos is a great option.
For hiking, a Merrell’s hiking shoe with Superfeet insoles added works great for me. I walk 3-5 miles a day in my Merrills. For everyday, a nice Merrill sandal takes my 60 year old feet through the day with ease, even when traveling and walking everywhere.</p>
<p>Funny you should ask, OP – I just finished the same search, in anticipation of an upcoming 2 week trip to Italy. I did a TON of online research and came up with these:</p>
<p>They come with 3 different inner soles to customize the fit, they’re very lightweight, and amazingly comfortable. (At least so far – haven’t gone on the trip yet!) For my 2nd pair of shoes to wear with a skirt or something a little dressier, I got these from Lands End:</p>
<p>Wow–I am overwhelmed with all the suggestions–thank you everyone! And, just to keep this connected to college…I posted from a hotel last night before our college visit to Kenyon today and I’m reading this from another hotel, ready for our departure home tomorrow morning. BTW, Kenyon is beautiful!</p>
<p>collage, since you are going to Vietnam, which is not exactly the fashion capital of the world, you’d be fine with many of the choices recommended here. And unless you are Vietnamese, you will look like a tourist no matter what you will be wearing! If you are going to be touring countryside, I highly recommend geting a pair of sneaker-like shoes to be worn with socks. You never know what can be lurking in that dirt under your feet. I do not mean to scare you, but some things can get inside our bodies through the skin on our feet. A pair of sandals can be worn in more urban environments.</p>
<p>When we went to Russia a few years ago, I got a pair of black Ecco sneakers and a pair of Rieker sandals (recommended by CCers!), and I never had any problems with my feet despite walking miles every day. At the end of our trip, DD, who insisted on wearing her heely shoes to look like a local fashionista, ditched them and wore my Riekers! I thought it was funny that one of our guides wore a pair of Rieker sandals that I initially thought of buying, but Macy’s did not have them in my size!</p>
<p>do not mean to scare you, but some things can get inside our bodies through the skin on our feet. A pair of sandals can be worn in more urban environments.</p>
<p>Good point BB
D went barefoot through much of her time in India, because that is what others did- ( the rest of the time she apparently wore flip flops :rolleyes: )and she still is battling various illnesses which may or may not be connected.</p>
<p>I have these shoes in both black and brown. Have owned them for about 8 years and have traipsed over four continents and at least a dozen countries in them. They’re my go-to travel shoes. They look great with jeans and pants - they look almost like boots. Never had a blister or one minute of discomfort with them - that have lots of cushioning in them and good arch support. I have worn them in the rain and snow many times and they still look great. They must be popular as Eastland has been making them for years. They will run you about 65 dollars.</p>
<p>If I am somewhere that I want to wear capris or skirts or just need a lighter look, I wear a mary jane style shoe very much like the one CBBBlinker linked to the Lands End website. Those were the shoes I wore everyday in Japan last summer. </p>
<p>My cardinal rule when traveling outside of the US is to never wear white sneakers. Almost no one but Americans wear white sneakers outside the gym. It’s not that you aren’t going to be identified as a tourist if you don’t wear them, it’s that they are considered to be the height of tackiness especially in countries that are very fashionable like Italy or France or Japan. They only people I saw wearing white sneakers in Japan last summer were school children and the very elderly. Black or dark leather sneakers are ok.</p>
<p>Also, I have been known to wear my croc flip-flops in warmer weather - they are the most comfortable flip-flops I’ve ever owned.</p>
<p>Just got my order from Sierra Trading Post yesterday.</p>
<p>Go to their website and do a search for Wolky.<br>
I got the Wolky Dione leather sneaker for a way less than half of retail.
They are so comfortable. I read the reviews and took the advice of ordering a half size down, perfect fit.
I also got a pr. of Danksos for a very good price. Great deals on Sierra Trading Post if they have your size. </p>
<p>I tried to link it but couldn’t make it work…I’m a computer klutz:)</p>
<p>MomLive, are the Eastland Newport shoes heavy? They look like they’d weigh a lot to pack in a suitcase for air travel. They do look very sturdy.</p>
<p>A little off topic, but I had to get a pair of shoes for an occasion that will require me to dress up a bit. I HATE most women’s dress shoes, esp. anything with a heel. Still, there are times that I feel that I need to wear such a shoe. I found these in TJMAXX for 1/2 the cost of what Zappos is charging. I am not saying that I’d want to walk long distances or stand around for 10 hours in these, but these are as comfortable a shoe as I can find for this type of shoe:</p>
<p>I vote for Keen’s for the walking shoe (and add a self-adhesive metatarsal support- stick it onto the insole…), and birkenstock SOFT-FOOTBED (not the regular cork one) for sandals.</p>
<p>I bought a pair of the black Eastland shoes in 2006 at Kohl’s for much less than $65.00. They are comfortable, sturdy, and still look great – I wear them all winter.</p>