Shoes with arch support that aren't sketchers!

[latenightprep]

I've found out recently that I need arch support in my shoes (I have some insoles that promise arch support but don't think they really do much), so can anyone recommend something that isn't sketchers trainers? Thanks in advance!

[Netcam]

@Enko

Shop there called cheerful sole. Sells. Joya. Allegria Panama Jack and waldlaufer. Shoes.

I did order some Joya shoes from there once to try but returned them as they didn't feel right.

[Netcam]

@Awumminnscotland

Podiatrist I saw said fit flops are good for home and new balance trainers also good.

I find Fitflops good for home, but not really supportive enough for going out. My Mukluk II shorty shearling boots have been great for keeping my feet warm in the winter at home. Plus they are really easy to get on and off, which I find important at home.

[Enko]

@amberedover

Two things -as someone says at start of thread -
one person's comfy shoe with arch support is anothers pain .Feet are so different .My Birkenstocks work for me though I've had to, v counter intuitively for someone with cuboid barge shaped feet ,size down!

what's the Skipton love ?

Shop there called cheerful sole. Sells. Joya. Allegria Panama Jack and waldlaufer. Shoes.

[Awumminnscotland]

Podiatrist I saw said fit flops are good for home and new balance trainers also good.

[amberedover]

Two things -as someone says at start of thread -
one person's comfy shoe with arch support is anothers pain .Feet are so different .My Birkenstocks work for me though I've had to, v counter intuitively for someone with cuboid barge shaped feet ,size down!

what's the Skipton love ?

[Britinme]

Maybe you could buy orthotic inserts for your ordinary shoes? A friend of mine with very bad foot problems does that and finds them helpful. She goes to a professional guy to have them made to fit her though.

[WhatHaveIFound]

@RampantIvy

Why is it that most of these super comfortable shoes are only available online? I have to try on about 20 pairs of shoes before finding something I can walk in. Both Ecco and Hotter closed their shops in my local shopping mall.

I can't order 20 pairs of shoes, and I don't have time to spend hours queuing in our local post office to send stuff back.

I also have very painful arthritis in one foot @WhatHaveIFound and love walking, but find that I can't walk much more than two or three miles these days due to the pain. I have had a look at MBT and they only have a small handful of outlets, and the nearest one is 52 miles away. Do they have concessions in other outlets?

I haven't seen and concessions and just ordered online using the measuring method they gave. Walked 7 miles around Paris the other day and although my foot was a bit achy by the end of the day, it was fine the next morning.

You might have better luck finding Cloud Monsters. More outlets for On shoes I find.

[Enko]

@RampantIvy

I fancy a trip to Skipton now

Let's do it 😁

[RampantIvy]

I fancy a trip to Skipton now

[Enko]

@Cantonet

I agree with you about some Vionics @Enko. But it's the only brand with remotely on trend shoes I can wear. Plus I buy mine on sale from eBay or Tk Maxx. So if they don't wear too well I can bin them without feeling too bad. Saying that the boots, flip flops & stacked trainers seem to last a long time. The everyday trainer soles are too thin & wear badly. However the limitless walking trainers are brilliantly squishy & supportive, with a bit of a rocker sole.
I love the sound of the other shoes mentioned here. But I wouldn't know where to go to try them on. Plus at £200 approx. a pop I would be very wary of ordering them online in case of returns.
However this is all very interesting and the more brands we know the better for those of us with delicate 👣.

I bought my first pair of Alegrias on ebay however Cheful sole Ive bought the others fro are really good with refunds. Especially as Allegrias can be a bit funny with shape.

I am still considering a trip to Skipton :)

[FixTheBone]

Nobody other than @AppleKatie has really addressed the opening assertion that Skechers have an arch support.

Some do. The vast majority don't.

They are known for their memory foam soles, which is essentially the exact opposite of an arch support. They can be beneficial for some things such as plantar fasciitis, plantar fibromas, and metatarsalgia, but useless for tib-post tendon dysfunction, flat feet, or, the podiatrists favourite "over pronation"...

[Britinme]

@Netcam - I have a pair of Riad sandals and another pair of sandals I can't see on the website now. I have two different pairs of Amalfi shoes (one black, one blue) and a pair of knee high boots that I can't see on the website now. I wear the Amalfis more than anything else and they've had a few years' wear now. They've all been comfortable right from the beginning and are worth their extortionate price IMHO.

[Cantonet]

I agree with you about some Vionics @Enko. But it's the only brand with remotely on trend shoes I can wear. Plus I buy mine on sale from eBay or Tk Maxx. So if they don't wear too well I can bin them without feeling too bad. Saying that the boots, flip flops & stacked trainers seem to last a long time. The everyday trainer soles are too thin & wear badly. However the limitless walking trainers are brilliantly squishy & supportive, with a bit of a rocker sole.
I love the sound of the other shoes mentioned here. But I wouldn't know where to go to try them on. Plus at £200 approx. a pop I would be very wary of ordering them online in case of returns.
However this is all very interesting and the more brands we know the better for those of us with delicate 👣.

[Netcam]

@Britinme

They're horribly expensive but I need arch supports and I love my Finn Comfort shoes, boots and sandals. They also last really well.

Glad I'm not the only one. Which ones do you have?

[RampantIvy]

It's refreshing to read a post about footwear that isn't sneery or all about the latest trendy brand. I am finding it very useful, so thank you for starting it @latenightprep.

[Britinme]

They're horribly expensive but I need arch supports and I love my Finn Comfort shoes, boots and sandals. They also last really well.

[LadyEloise1]

But @maddy68 @AppleKatie said "...they ruined ...." her feet.

I have a few pairs of Arch Fit Skechers, trainers and boots.
My podiatrist doesn't rate them, sadly.

[maddy68]

@LadyEloise1

Were they the Skechers Arch Fit type @AppleKatie ?

Sketchers arch support are fairly new they are brilliant

[maddy68]

Similar issues.

Birkenstocks or crocs (I know!!) Are the only thing I can wear in the summer.

Winter. Sketchers , or fly

Insoles in other types of boot

[Enko]

@Netcam

@Enko, it might depend on where you don't like the feeling of feet being enclosed. The Ikebukuro have a very wide toe box which I like as I can move my toes around, even though my feet are narrow. They also don't need much tightening in the laces like trainers or walking boots might. The laces kind of close them rather than put any pressure on. I can spend ages lacing my trainers or walking boots to get them right, not too tight and not too loose. But with the Ikebukuro I just tie the laces quickly, not even a double knot and I can go out, so they are really quick to put on because the lacing doesn't really change the shape or fit of the shoe. So I could wear them all day without feeling pressure around my feet. The Finn Comfort Salo also feel a bit like that, you can get also them from Schuherlebenis in Germany.

My feet overheat in enclosed shoes. I'm not just talking hot sweaty feet I'm talking I physically feel unwell. I cant wear trainers or. Boots for any period of time due to this.

I dont recall last time I found a pair of lace ups I could use for more than 1 hour.

Also I work in an office environment with 69+ I have to look somewhat ok or they comment 😄

[Netcam]

@Enko, it might depend on where you don't like the feeling of feet being enclosed. The Ikebukuro have a very wide toe box which I like as I can move my toes around, even though my feet are narrow. They also don't need much tightening in the laces like trainers or walking boots might. The laces kind of close them rather than put any pressure on. I can spend ages lacing my trainers or walking boots to get them right, not too tight and not too loose. But with the Ikebukuro I just tie the laces quickly, not even a double knot and I can go out, so they are really quick to put on because the lacing doesn't really change the shape or fit of the shoe. So I could wear them all day without feeling pressure around my feet. The Finn Comfort Salo also feel a bit like that, you can get also them from Schuherlebenis in Germany.

[Enko]

@Netcam

@Enko and @AnotherEmma, understand your pain, I had plantar fasciitis too. I managed to treat it myself with exercises, a foot splint at night and replacing all of my shoes.

Really, the only ones that have worked for me for wearing for extended periods are:
Lace up shoes: Finn Comfort Ikebukuro
Trainers: Hoka Challenger GTX
Sandals: Wolky Rio
Mary Janes: Finn Comfort Salo soft
Walking boots: Finn Comfort Elbrus

I also have some Arche Abenoa, which are the most feminine shoes I have for occasions they are required, I got them for my wedding. And I have various shearling boots, Fitflop Mukluk for use as slippers in the house and Fitflop Rally / Ugg shorty for outdoors when I am not really walking much. I also have some ancient Fitflop clogs I wear in the garden. But none of these I would wear for walking very far so wouldn't recommend them as staple shoe options, my staples really are the 4 above.

I have tried many brands, but not Allegria or Vionic, which I might try one day if I feel the need for more shoes.

But really, most of the time I reach for my Ikebukuro if I am going to be walking on concrete and my Hokas if I'm going to be walking on tracks. The Salo soft Mary Janes were also worn a lot at work, in the days before WFH was a thing.

I looked at your Ikebukuro. But I fear they will be to enclosed for my feet. I managed my PF with

Exercises
Foot massages with an electronic machine
And Allegria shoes. And sandals.

I've got some fitflops they are not the greatest and some birkenstock they are so hold they are super comfy now. They are my indoor shoes.

I tried vionix but as I said above I'm not impressed. Looking at Wolky shoes after this thread.

[Netcam]

@Enko and @AnotherEmma, understand your pain, I had plantar fasciitis too. I managed to treat it myself with exercises, a foot splint at night and replacing all of my shoes.

Really, the only ones that have worked for me for wearing for extended periods are:
Lace up shoes: Finn Comfort Ikebukuro
Trainers: Hoka Challenger GTX
Sandals: Wolky Rio
Mary Janes: Finn Comfort Salo soft
Walking boots: Finn Comfort Elbrus

I also have some Arche Abenoa, which are the most feminine shoes I have for occasions they are required, I got them for my wedding. And I have various shearling boots, Fitflop Mukluk for use as slippers in the house and Fitflop Rally / Ugg shorty for outdoors when I am not really walking much. I also have some ancient Fitflop clogs I wear in the garden. But none of these I would wear for walking very far so wouldn't recommend them as staple shoe options, my staples really are the 4 above.

I have tried many brands, but not Allegria or Vionic, which I might try one day if I feel the need for more shoes.

But really, most of the time I reach for my Ikebukuro if I am going to be walking on concrete and my Hokas if I'm going to be walking on tracks. The Salo soft Mary Janes were also worn a lot at work, in the days before WFH was a thing.

[Enko]

@AnotherEmma

Going to come back to this thread and look up all the recommendations. I have a bad flare up of plantar fasciitis atm.

I have Crocs for the garden and they are the comfiest (well, least painful) shoes for me to wear atm - I refuse to wear them out of the house, though! Interestingly the physio recommended Crocs.

I also have Birkenstocks which have very good support although the soles are a bit hard if your feet are in pain.

I do like my footwear to look good but I guess I am going to have to compromise as I haven't yet found anything (apart from Birkenstocks) that has good arch support and doesn't look fugly. I need trainers though...

It was plantar fasciitis. That made me spend the money on the Allegria shoes the difference was gigantic. I do feel for you the pain from PF is awful.

[Enko]

@PillBoxes

Why the hate for Skechers?

Unfashionable? Well mine are like walking on pillows so fashion be damned!

For me I cant tolerate shoes that close all around my feet. So no boots or trainers for me. My feet overheat and I'm not just talking they get hot I feel outright unwell.

If we go for a dog walk i may wear boots but i have a pair of shoes in the car for us going for a coffee. Once we are sat down I can't cope with the heat. Skechers are Almost all full cover (I'm aware some of their sandal type are not but I'm not a sandal in the winter type of person)

So that's the hate from me. I want nice looking shoes that are not a boot or a trainer.