Anyone here have any good experiences with any particular shoe brand for the type of work where you're on your feet most of the day?

I've been buying New Balance for a good number of years (with the occasional Sketchers thrown in) because they're easy to find in size 15. The New Balance 609's have generally been pretty good but the heels of this last pair went flat and lost support fairly quickly (within 3 months).

I know Sketchers has a "work line", but I'm open to suggestions for other brands to look into it. I never paid much attention to what shoes I wear, but I'd be open to "invest" in a high quality comfortable pair of shoes.

3/30/2011 9:21:19 PM

Give us some context. You could work anywhere from Burger King to Berkshire Hathaway.


I like Ben Shermans. Check those out.

3/30/2011 9:26:02 PM

yeah, we talkin construction or desk work?

3/30/2011 9:31:12 PM

I wear asics nimbus at the hospital and they are absolutely fucking lovely


http://www.asicsamerica.com/products/product.aspx?PRODUCT_ID=240015032&TITLE_CATEGORY_ID=250001543&PARENT_CATEGORY_ID=250001538



[Edited on March 30, 2011 at 9:43 PM. Reason : asdf]

3/30/2011 9:41:10 PM

I'm running around a chemistry lab all day, staying on my feet. I normally wear basic cross-trainers, but since the last pair flattened out/lost support, I've noticed I'd been locking my knees more and having more knee and foot pain at the end of the day.

The shoes don't have to look nice. I'm just looking for something with a good amount of support and cushion when I'm walking around/standing. I figure if i could spend about 50% more on a better pair of shoes that I won't have to replace in 3 months, it might be worth it.

Thanks for the suggestions. I'll check them out.

3/30/2011 9:41:18 PM

All my waitress friends swear by SAS Shoes. They seem like they'd know a thing or two about being on your feet all day

3/30/2011 10:21:34 PM

I'll look into SAS. I know that a majority of my foot and knee problems went away when I was wearing my Vibram FF's every day last year (I think they just force me to put more weight on the balls of my feet an take the pressure off my heels), but I really couldn't wear those to work. I've considered getting some Merrell True Glove or Trail Gloves, but I don't know if I want to dive right into wearing zero-drop shoes all the time.

http://www.zappos.com/merrell-barefoot-true-glove-brindle-harvest-pumpkin

or

http://www.zappos.com/merrell-barefoot-trail-glove-olympia?zlfid=111

or possibly

http://www.zappos.com/merrell-jungle-moc-gunsmoke-leather~2



[Edited on March 30, 2011 at 10:45 PM. Reason : options]

3/30/2011 10:43:19 PM

Terrra Plana's Viviobarefoot Oak is the defacto minimalist work shoe and there are plenty others if the brown/black leather look is not a must (these are all expensive though).

Might want to give the NB Minimus a try if you want the trail shoe and like NB lasts.

I own 4 pairs of VFF's and go barefoot at work but for standing you really need padding (either through floor surface or your shoe). If you can use padded chef mats then any minimalist shoe is great (I'd even go SoftStar) but if not then I'd consider a thicker sole like a Nike Free for the cushioning. Of course, the heel-toe drop should be as close to zero as possible when standing for long periods so keep that in mind

3/31/2011 1:15:31 AM

Merrells and Danskos are the best shoes to wear if you're going to be on your feet all day and you don't want to wear athletic shoes. They're pretty much the go-to shoes for food and beverage people who are going to be on their feet for 6-10 hour shifts. Most are non-slip as well (don't want you busting your ass in a lab).

3/31/2011 7:16:19 AM

Starting residency next year and for the past two years all I've worn are Merrell's. Very comfortable although not the best when it comes to contact with bodily fluids. I own a pair of the Jungle Moc's from above and they are very comfortable, but seem to run about a half size bigger than my other Merrell's, could just be the fit. Still comfortable to wear when standing/walking all day.

3/31/2011 9:47:29 AM

Quote :

"I own 4 pairs of VFF's and go barefoot at work but for standing you really need padding (either through floor surface or your shoe)."

agreed. standing in place in those things is misery.

i have the merrell trail gloves (women's version, has a slightly different name, can't remember it). they have slightly more padding, are much more comfortable for just shopping/around town, and you can wear normal socks! i still wouldn't wear them in any situation where i was just going to be standing here for long periods.

[Edited on March 31, 2011 at 10:17 AM. Reason : ]

3/31/2011 10:16:02 AM

my wife is a medical resident and is on her feet for 80-90 hours a week.

She swears by Danskos. and if you're a female on your feet a lot, compression stockings are a good idea too.

3/31/2011 10:25:49 AM

^ I need to make a note of these different shoe brands. I will be on my feet a lot for clinicals next year and need to invest in a quality shoe. Which are the best for narrow feet? I wear a women's size 8.5 or 9, but my feet are somewhat narrow.

3/31/2011 3:20:06 PM

Look into Keen. They won't have the most padding, but the footbed shape is better than most athletic shoes so imo they are comfy.
Throw in a pair of superfeet insoles. A nice set of shoes is crap without decent insoles.

[Edited on March 31, 2011 at 3:32 PM. Reason : ]

3/31/2011 3:31:12 PM

I bought the Merrell True Gloves, and I'm hoping for the best. I'm probably going to try them for a few days, but treat them well so i can return them to Zappos if they just aren't cutting it. The Jungle Mocs were tempting (and cheaper), but I really enjoyed wearing my VFF's, so I wanted to give these a try.

If I find that I like wearing them, but not at work, I may just get the Jungle Mocs too and have one pair of work shoes and one pair of knock around shoes.

3/31/2011 11:20:08 PM

For those that got the Trail Glove, did you also try on the NB Minimus?

3/31/2011 11:37:33 PM

dansko makes a narrow pro closed back clog

i think the narrow pros come in white

4/1/2011 1:00:30 AM

^^no. i wouldn't say they're on the same level, minimalist-wise, with vffs or the trail gloves (my opinion). the sole thicknesses are way different. 4mm (like vff kso treks & trail glove) vs 11mm-15mm for the minimus. most reviews say the minimus doesn't have as much of a barefoot feel.

4/1/2011 8:45:05 AM

Quote :

"The New Balance 609's have generally been pretty good but the heels of this last pair went flat and lost support fairly quickly (within 3 months)."

You could buy New Balances that are better built for getting lots of miles, but they're going to cost you proportionally more. After buying my first pair of 993s on sale I decided it was worth it to never go back to the lower end lines. I got 7 months out of my last pair which included casual wear, walking/jogging, gym time, and the occasional day at work. Now I just keep an eye on Joe's New Balance Outlet and buy them for $65-$80 shipped when they are on sale and let them sit in the closet until I need them.


For work I buy Merrell leather shoes. I get hundreds of miles out of them and they last for years; not months. The uppers never fail, but eventually the bottom sole wears out. The cushioning degrades very little over the life of the shoe. They're ~$110 if you don't find them on sale, but you'll get your moneys worth after you've been wearing them for 2 years and they still look and feel fine. Check out the "World Rambler" for example. They're comfy enough that I don't hesitate to walk 3-5 miles around Lake Johnson if I'm already out and don't have a pair of running shoes to change into.

[Edited on April 1, 2011 at 10:02 AM. Reason : s]

4/1/2011 10:00:09 AM

on a related note.. anyone have any good recommendations for steel toed (STEEL, not that plastic safety toe bullshit) boots for working on your feet all day?

4/1/2011 11:03:37 AM

Red Wing

4/1/2011 4:16:19 PM

Quote :

"on a related note.. anyone have any good recommendations for steel toed (STEEL, not that plastic safety toe bullshit) boots for working on your feet all day?"

http://www.pfiwestern.com/pfi/western.wear/itemdetl.html?lvl1=Mboot&lvl2=timberland-pro-boots-mens&item=24097%20COFFEE

Timberland Titan Safety Shoe... I've had these boots over the past 5 years and can't bear putting anything else on my feet - I've gone back to them time and again. Reasonably priced, TITANIUM toe, which is lighter, and an outstandingly comfortable upper and sole. They also offer a waterproof-lined model as well.

[Edited on April 1, 2011 at 6:26 PM. Reason : ]

4/1/2011 6:26:25 PM

Allen Edmonds Fifth Avenue
http://www.allenedmonds.com/aeonline/product_6484040_1_40000000001_-1

4/1/2011 8:00:30 PM