Official Shoe Recommendation Thread

[Benzino]

I believe that this would be the best forum for this.

I work at a shoe store that sells some of the best name-brand shoes for comfort, work, and style. This isn't a Payless or Foot Locker. The shoes here are some of the best you can buy. I figured I would share my knowledge to Gen[M]ay and to those who have difficulty finding shoes they need. I will describe some of the brands that are the best quality and best selling shoes that I sell on a daily basis.

"I need a good hiking boot that is waterproof and will keep my foot warm in the winter.

Merrell is without a doubt the best shoe for the outdoors kind or those who live in cold places.
Merrell boots come cut in either a low, mid, or high. Some of the upper-end shoes have a technology called Gortex. Gortex is a waterproof booty (lol) within the boot that keeps your foot dry, yet allows for air-flow in and out of the boot. The pores in Gortex are small enough to allow air to travel through but not water droplets. Merrell also has Thinsulate, which is the lining that keeps your foot warm in cold weather.

I don't know about you, but here in Montana, Gortex and Thinsulate are a must.

Merrell makes both men and womens hiking boots. They are priced between $75-$100. The top quality boots will run in excess of $100. Merrell only come in mediums and sizing is pretty good. Men's 7-8 is usually limited, as well as Womens 4-6 and 10-12.



(All sizes are US unless otherwise stated.)

"I need a good work shoe for the factory/garage/warehouse/ect...

Keen is an excellent brand for this kind of work. Keen originated from a guy who worked on a boat and wanted a sandal that had protection over the toe. Thus, all Keens have a protective rubber toe that will protect the toes in case you run into something. They're not steel toed, but do provide good protection.

Keens come in either a sandal or shoe. The shoe comes in a casual look but has the support and cushioning needed for work in a labor-intensive setting. Keens have a Anti-Slip Oil Resistant Outsole, which is ideal for garage work or work in wet settings. The outsole is also non-marking, which is great for use on surfaces that scuff easily. Some styles of Keen are waterproof. Keens are stylish and come in a wide variety of styles and colors.

Keens makes both Men and Women's shoes and sandals. They are fairly priced, usually between $60-$90. I haven't seen any that go over that. The sizing is pretty good, and Keens usually manufactures a good selection of shoes for Women with smaller feet (5-7).



"I need a good dressy shoe that is comfortable

Rockport is definitely the way to go. Rockport has been around for mor than 75 years. Rockport manufactures many classic shoes, including the Penny Loafers, Yacht Shoes, and the Wingtips. Rockport products range from dressy business Wingtips to walking shoes, casual shoes, and even a few outdoor styles.

Rockport shoes adhere to the strict business look for shoes, yet they don't sacrifice comfort. Certain lines contain a Waterproof exterior. Certain business lines of Rockport contains a technology called Dynamic Suspension, which is a cushion of air in the footbed.

Although Rockport does make Women's walking shoes, they mainly concentrate on Men's dress shoes. Pricing can be pretty high, ranging from $75-$140. Rockports come in Medium, Wide, and Double Wide Widths, making it the perfect shoes for someone with wide feet.



Alright Gen[M]ay, time for me to go out and have a social life. I will add more to my list later. Please feel free to contribute if you are particularly knowledgeable on a brand or have good experiences with a brand. I never understood the need to wear quality shoes until I started working at a shoe store and wore some of the brands. I'd never wear anything other than the brands at my store...ever.

UPDATE: So I'm not having a social life just yet. One more recommendation for the night.
Feel free to ask me questions. After spending every day at work explaining the benefits and features of our shoes, I know this stuff like the back of my hand.

"I need a dressy shoe that is comfortable but not old-school Rockports. Something contemporary and stylish.

Clarks would be my recommendation. Clarks are more contemporary and stylish for the younger generation than Rockports. I own two pairs and love them. They are my clubbing shoes for the weekend.

The features of Clarks will vary by style and line. My personal experience with the two styles I own shows that they have excellent padding in the heal and medium arch support.

Clarks come in Medium and even Wide for a few styles. Prices run roughly $80-<$100.

Here are pictures of the two that I own.




"I can't find any shoes with good arch support"

Dansko would be the way to go, particularly the South Street series. Dansko shoes are designed to provide full arch support from head to toe. The footbed is anatomically correct and forces a rocking motion in the heel when you walk. This takes the stress of walking off of your back.

Dansko shoes are more geared towards Women, but they do have a small yet excellent line of shoes for men. Dansko's have European sizes (men add 33 to their US size for Dansko sizing.) They only come in medium widths. Danskos are made larger than US shoes, so even if you wear a wide, Danskos will be pretty accommodating. They don't come in half sizes, so you would round down since the shoes fit large.

There is an adjustment period for Danskos. If you are not accustomed to wearing shoes with high arch support, your feet will take some time to adjust to it. It can be rather painful, so wear them around the house a bit while your feet are adjusting to them. Wearing them for a full days work without your feet being accustomed to to is just a really bad idea. Mine took about a day and a half of wearing at the store to adjust. But once they do, you'll realize what you've been missing all these years.

Danskos are a bit expensive, but provide good quality, support, and last. Price usually ranges from $100-$160.



The clog is the more traditional shoe. You probably see a lot of women wearing these.

[ph00ny]

Kenneth Cole New York
One of the best dress shoes brand available. Very well designed and comfortable. Most unique thing about them is their name. Kenneth Cole does offer a cheaper brand (Kenneth Cole Reaction) and quality is nowhere close to their NY brand.
http://www.kennethcole.com/scripts/s...S&viewall=true

As for Rockport, they're comfortable but design seems little old fashion IMO. My dad loves his rockport shoes and i think it fits his age group better than mine

[fiber]

Recommend me a shoe that looks dressy - but is comfortable enough to stand on your feet for long periods of time.

Those Keen look to be the best bet - do you have any specific line recommendation?

[Benzino]

Originally Posted by fiber

Recommend me a shoe that looks dressy - but is comfortable enough to stand on your feet for long periods of time.

Those Keen look to be the best bet - do you have any specific line recommendation?

The Men's Presidio Walnut and the Men's Portsmouth Bison have been the best selling Keen's at my store.

I've tried on both of them and they are great.

Links:

Presidio
http://www.keenfootwear.com/pdp_page.cfm?productID=146

Portsmouth
http://www.keenfootwear.com/pdp_page.cfm?productID=40

[Benzino]

Originally Posted by ph00ny

Kenneth Cole New York
One of the best dress shoes brand available. Very well designed and comfortable. Most unique thing about them is their name. Kenneth Cole does offer a cheaper brand (Kenneth Cole Reaction) and quality is nowhere close to their NY brand.
http://www.kennethcole.com/scripts/s...S&viewall=true

As for Rockport, they're comfortable but design seems little old fashion IMO. My dad loves his rockport shoes and i think it fits his age group better than mine

I'll take a look at Kenneth Cole.

Same here, my Dad is a straight up Wingtip kinda guy. I own one pair because I won it in a contest. I showed my Dad my black Clarks, and my Dad said "You need some good black dress shoes.."

I was like "Hello, these ARE dress shoes!!!"

I agree 100%, Rockport is a bit old fashioned. I personally prefer Clarks. More contemporary.

EDIT: I'm impressed at the Kenneth Coles.
I don't think anyone i Montana carries those

[ph00ny]

Originally Posted by Benzino

I'll take a look at Kenneth Cole.

Same here, my Dad is a straight up Wingtip kinda guy. I own one pair because I won it in a contest. I showed my Dad my black Clarks, and my Dad said "You need some good black dress shoes.."

I was like "Hello, these ARE dress shoes!!!"

I agree 100%, Rockport is a bit old fashioned. I personally prefer Clarks. More contemporary.

EDIT: I'm impressed at the Kenneth Coles.
I don't think anyone i Montana carries those

Thing about kenneth cole is that they come up with new designs constantly so you can pick up a nice pair for not too expensive. Their designs like porsche, they all look similar.
I also have their messenger bag that i used in college, when the strap broke after 5 years of usage, i got a full refund at their store (lifetime warranty)

[Manik]

Timberland makes the most comfortable shoes ever. Kenneth Cole makes a comfortable dress shoe.

[darkninja67]

I will recommend the Asolo TPS 520 at around $218 online. Gore Tex lining and one piece construction for waterproofing. Fits well right out of the box. One of the best hiking boots I have ever used.

[apaininthebutt]

much as i love Merrels, but the last 2 pairs i've had haven't lasted very long. I'll still be replacing these ones with Merrels, but i was a bit disappointed at how soon they started to fall apart.

[SKYY]

"I need a good shoe for running."

Do not buy shoes based on looks, price, or brand name. Go to the athletic shoe store, have the dude there help you try on running shoes that match your foot structure (ie. arch, heel, width, etc.).

When you find the pair that fits your feet, take them home and go for a good run in them to see how well they work for you. If they're good, buy a second pair so that you can alternate use (if you run a lot).

[Aleksandra]

I will just say, Born > *

Love their shoes, boots, sandals... Very comfortable, quality leather, last long and have them in all varieties (somewhat dressy for everyday on pants, sporty etc).
http://www.bornshoes.com/
also can be found at:
http://www.zappos.com/n/br/b/342.html

My husband loves Sketchers and I must admit the Sketchers stores have great selection, they are a little bit cheaper than Born, but have comfotable and nice styles.

For really nice dressy women shoes, I have always bought NineWest. I have only 1 pair of Liz Claiborn Sports, must admit very comfortable to walk in all day and have a nice clean look to wear on skirts.

[Talenos]

Steve Madden's are very stylish, but they take a while to wear them in.

[Tacit]

Originally Posted by darkninja67

I will recommend the Asolo TPS 520 at around $218 online. Gore Tex lining and one piece construction for waterproofing. Fits well right out of the box. One of the best hiking boots I have ever used.

Asolo and Lowa are also very good hiking boot manufactures though it's likely they will cost more ( they will also use more expensive materials-steel toe, goretex, single piece leather- the works)

[yoda634]

comfortable everyday shoe for college students/anyone that doesn't have to dress up for work:

New Balance 574 or similar (576/594) -- i've owned like 7 pairs of these now, they're amazing

comfortable as all hell, look halfway nice, hold up pretty well -- i'm fairly rough on them, and they manage to last me at least a year. plus, they're pretty cheap -- you can easily find them for $50-60/pair, and are available in just about any color you want (i've had navy, 3 pairs of gray, a 2-tone gray, brown/orange, 3-tone green) as well as both leather and suede

[Benzino]

Originally Posted by Aleksandra

I will just say, Born > *

Quoted for great justice.