Sensible sandals - please help!

[MsTwankeyToYou]

I may be asking for the moon on a stick here, but please bear with me... I need sandals. They must be:

• durable (i.e. not flimsy, quickly worn down, or impossible to get resoled);
• good for walking in (i.e. no toe posts or backless styles, no hard wooden footbeds);
• able to accommodate my orthotic insoles;
• not hideous;
• not hugely expensive.

Most of the time, I wear these with crazy laces and slightly gothy clothes, so I can pull off ugly shoes as long as they're not too "middle of the road". Black, purple, or red would be best.

So far, these are the very best I've found, but I really don't want to spend £100 on sandals when we get so little by way of good weather.

Please, please, please may you help me?

Oh, I should have mentioned: I spend all day running around after animals, and end up walking ridiculous distances for work. When I say they need to be practical, I mean practical for that type of use, rather than loitering around at the weekend .

Ha! I came to your thread wanting simmilar - I was looking at those today in the shop. They are SO comfy but really above my price range. I'd also rather dark brown...

I need proper supportive soles for walking too - they were comfy... The other ones I tried on were by "Art" that were nice. I've liked FLy ones before but the ones in the shop didn't have anything around the heel and I want to be strapped in!

Hi Beatrice - it's good to hear that they're comfortable although DH would not agree, since it makes me more tempted to buy them!

Thank you for the recommendations - I'll Google them now .

Have you seen these? Birkies don't feel quite right on me, but the price is very reasonable for the quality IMO, and the website says that they can be resoled which is always nice...

Merrell do some nicer "walking" or travelling sandals.
I like these: www.blacks.co.uk/womens/60032443-merrell-womens-jacardia-black.html
I can vouch they are like wearing comfy trainers.

How big are your feet? A lot of mens walking sandals look like that eg shoes with the sides cut out- just google.like the dm sandals I mean.
I would say birkinstocks are very unsupportive and no good for walking miles.
I have just ordered beautiful brown leather teva sandalscalled capri- my mum has them and you could walk up a mmountain in them but they look like smart sandals.

These?
www.blacks.co.uk/footwear/065226-teva-women-s-kayenta-dream-weave-sandal-red.html

It is the holy grail and I have yet to find it. There are makes out there where you take their insole out and put your orthotic in.

After perusing a large selection of bugly sandals on t'internet I bought a pair of Waldlaufer
www.waldlaufer.com/styles/sandals.php because they have removable insoles- however my orthotics didn't quite fit properly or something and they wrecked my ankles- I managed to bugger the tendons in my ankles when I was pregnant (5 years ago), and have fallen arches.

I was keen on a few Wolky styles especially these www.wolkyshop.com/uk-en/ladies/sandals/ride/6405/6422 but I couldn't find a stockist near here to see them in real life and they are ££ if they don't work. You alos lose any perspective on what's really bogging and what's a bit geek chic.

If you google removable orthotic sandal you will find more makes than you think but most of the nice ones are American.

I will probably end up spending all summer in boots again.

Omg those teva Capri are amazing! I might have to treat myself.

I have ugly teva which are the comfiest thing ever. But ugly. All other sandals incl birkies rub if I walk too far or get too sweaty.

Juju jelly shoes?

Thank you all for the ideas! I'll start by trying out the jellies, as they look ridiculously good for such a low price...

Keen?