Help me find ultra-comfortable, padded sole, but stylish footwear

September 14, 2015 4:00 PM

I need various styles of footwear that work for me, which seems to mean extremely padded, soft, pressure absorbing soles, which are very gentle on my feet even when I walk and stand a lot, with my relatively high body weight.

I've recently lost a lot of weight (and I'm still working on that), and as a result, my body no longer hurts when I do physical activity, with the exception of my feet, which still get sore and uncomfortable when I stand and walk a lot. This is bad, because a lot of the exercise that works for me is walking (I walk in the range of 15k-25k steps per day).

However, I've managed to find sneakers that let me walk and stand basically as much as I want while practically not getting sore at all, specifically, Adidas Ultra Boosts. Before that, I used some Sketchers with a memory foam sole, and they were not bad, although not as good as the Adidas.

However, now I kind of want that kind of comfort in all parts of my life, as well as being able to walk and stand a lot without having to look like I'm about to go for a run. So, I'm looking for suggestions for footwear that have a similar feel and sole, with lots of damping and pressure distribution, but in other styles. Specifically, I'd like suggestions for the following styles:

• Dress shoes, or at least something reasonably dressy (oxfords, not brogues). These could also be low/ankle boots. Basically, something to wear with dressier outfits, from dress casual up to a full tailored suit
• Casual/fashion sneakers (either of the Converse/Vans variety, or more like casual leather sneakers, like Sketchers makes a lot of)
• All-weather, rugged boots, preferably army/Doc Martens style, not so much hiking boots, although I'm open to suggestions. Ideally waterproof or at least water-resistant
• Other footwear that's comfortable and that you'd suggest. I've been looking to make my style a bit classier lately, so there might be something I need that I'm not aware of. As long as it's very comfortable, suggestions are welcom.

My taste tends towards simple, dark colors preferred (I dress in black a lot), which is why I think even the Adidas Ultra Boosts, which are mostly black, are kind of tacky with their side of the sole white. My style is probably somewhere in the alternative, dresses in black a lot, likes stompy boots and leather, but is generally pretty casual about it type of range. Durable is good, but comfort is more important. I'm told the Adidas don't tend to last that long, but they're so comfortable I don't have a problem buying new ones even if they wear out fast.

I travel to the US fairly frequently (LA area, mostly), so whatever brands are generally available in the US should be ok, although if someone wants to specifically suggest stores in the LA area, that's great too.

Alternatively, I'd also like to know if there are insoles that will convert other shoes and boots to the level of comfort I'm looking for, and what I'd need to look out for to make that happen, say, if I buy a pair of Doc Martens, do I need to just buy the size I usually get, or do I need to size up to fit the insoles?

posted by Joakim Ziegler to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (12 answers total)

Have you considered tactical boots? I have bought a pair (this is the most recent model of the same line, although it seems the older models might be better) to attend music festivals and gigs and also walked around a lot with them.
posted by lmfsilva at 4:17 PM on September 14, 2015

I have a few pair of sperry slipons which have a memory foam type insert and they're fairly dressy and super comfortable. I'm on my phone so research is a little challenging but I think this is them, or similar: http://www.sperry.com/en/gold-cup-kennebunk-asv-venetian-loafer/10639M.html?dwvar_10639M_color=STS10250#cgid=men-shoes-loafers-mocs&start=1

I usually wear them in place of my Allen Edmonds when I am traveling and I think they're fantastic.
posted by primethyme at 4:24 PM on September 14, 2015

I have looked at tactical boots, and they do certainly look comfortable (and at least some of them look quite good, although I don't love the ones that look like MILITARY SNEAKERS), but I have no idea how comfortable they really are, and which brands would be better than others. I do assume they're geared towards people who wear them a lot and walk and run a lot in them, though.
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 4:26 PM on September 14, 2015

Blundstone boots are so ridiculously comfortable. I'm not exactly sure how they make their soles, but they feel slightly springy but very supportive. They wear like iron and look great with a variety of outfits. There are a few different lines within Blundstone and I'd try one of the more solid/basic versions first. Maybe someone else here can speak to the differences between models.

I'm so excited that it's fall again (here) because I can wear my Blunnies without getting hot feet!
posted by barnone at 4:33 PM on September 14, 2015

barnone: "Blundstone boots are so ridiculously comfortable. I'm not exactly sure how they make their soles, but they feel slightly springy but very supportive. They wear like iron and look great with a variety of outfits. There are a few different lines within Blundstone and I'd try one of the more solid/basic versions first. Maybe someone else here can speak to the differences between models."

Oo, those at least look really nice. Several models I could totally see myself wearing. I'm going to have to look for those the next time I'm in the US. Thanks.
posted by Joakim Ziegler at 4:41 PM on September 14, 2015

but I have no idea how comfortable they really are
Keep in mind this will be the same of any footwear. It's not just foot size that matters but also ball/waist/instep girth, as well as toe spring and heel elevation. I almost got burned buying some super-recommended running shoes online, and lucked out after finding a store that carried my number, and found them to be a potential problem because the ball girth was too thin. Same thing with a lot of regular shoes I wanted to buy, but would have to chop a toe and break and bind my metatarsals to fit properly.
posted by lmfsilva at 4:53 PM on September 14, 2015

Crocs do a line of normal looking shoes which are popular in healthcare and food service. I have crocs loafers I have been wearing so long the grips are gone. Super comfy, no stink even thought I never wear socks with them.
posted by Iteki at 9:30 PM on September 14, 2015

I second the Blundstone recommendation, and have also found Fluevogs to be comfy (although horribly expensive) if you need something dressy. You definitely need to try them on, though, as fit varies widely with them.
posted by bighappyhairydog at 10:14 PM on September 14, 2015

I'm sad you don't ask for sandal suggestions, because I am nearly evangelical about my Alegria sandals - and I am tall and very heavy, and these are always like slippers, no matter how much I'm on my feet or walking. I note they do other shoe types as well, so maybe they are worth trying a pair on to see?
posted by mythical anthropomorphic amphibian at 10:25 PM on September 14, 2015

I'm not entirely clear whether you're male or female, though I'll assume from the name and description that you're male. I'm male and have (had, hopefully) similar foot issues due to a sports injury.

* Converse is going to start making more comfortable Chucks real soon now.
* Cole Haan has a line of dress/casual shoes that have Nike Air technology in them. (I scored a pair of these on eBay for about 1/3 of retail).
* For generic dress shoes, I've had good luck with Rockport. Their casual shoes are too grandpa for me though.
* Vionic's entire line is made with orthotics in mind.
* Ecco and Clarks have a good reputation for making comfortable shoes.
* Also note that Adidas puts their boost tech in a lot of shoes now, and some of them look more like casual shoes than running shoes.

I'm going to recommend you use either replacement insoles in your shoes, or a layer on top of the insoles you have. This is going to require some explanation.

Note that I'm not an expert or an engineer. This is just based on my research and experience in trying to heal a foot injury. There are dozens of brands and types of replacement insoles out there and each brand makes multiple models. It's maddening. I stopped focusing on brands and models and started looking at materials.

Most shoe insoles, including in running shos, are made of EVA. My experience with EVA insoles is that you slowly pound them flat as you walk, where they eventually become useless and need to be replaced. I usually wear out EVA insoles inside of six months. EVA insoles just aren't durable.

You can buy silicone insoles in drug stores, but those are really spongy, like walking in wet socks. They probably last forever, but I personally can't wear them. The soft, white fabric topped insoles, sold in pairs, that are tan on the bottom and labeled Dr. Scholls in the US, only last about a month, so they're effectively useless.

There's another material used in insoles called Sorbothane that's like a hard rubber. They absorb impact really well and I think they're pretty durable. These are probably worth trying for you. They weren't soft enough for me.

The material that really worked for me is called poron. Poron is soft and springy without feeling like you're walking in sand or in wet socks (like silicone). My experience is that poron lasts a really long time - 6-12 months for me, and maybe longer. (I haven't worn out any poron yet.)

You can buy complete insoles with poron ball of foot or heel cushions. New Balance does make some insoles that are all poron (arches too high for me), and Powerstep has a layer of poron in some of their insoles (not enough cushioning for me). I actually found this Feet Relief site pretty helpful in determining what was out there.

What I ended up doing was buying shoes that are relatively high volume and then layering these poron insoles on top of whatever came in the shoe. These are (I think) 1/8" thick, so I didn't have to buy HUGE shoes. They don't work well with Chucks and Vans, because the back heel is low and it makes your whole heel slip out. The other shoes I have are fine, as long as I loosen the laces and allow a break in period for some of them. This saved me from buying a bunch of the really expensive shoes above.

tl;dr
My advice is to consider Sorbothane, understand the limitations of EVA and try the poron insole layers linked above, or other poron or poron-layered insoles.
posted by cnc at 12:26 PM on September 15, 2015

One more note - the mold to fit or heat to fit insoles you'll see out there are, as I understand it, probably EVA. The molding that happens is just flattening out the insole, which would happen over time anyway. I needed more cushioning, so this didn't work for me at all. It definitely does work for some people.
posted by cnc at 12:36 PM on September 15, 2015

Lucha's Comfort Footwear in South Pasadena carries European brands and extended sizes.

Softwalk makes a family of shoes on a "egg crate breathable footbed for superior comfort; lightweight durable Sure Step outsole, and Constant Air Flow technology."

The Acton clog has stretch fabric cutouts over the ball of the foot-- the most comfortable shoe I have ever worn.
posted by ohshenandoah at 8:19 PM on September 15, 2015