You've Got to Be Carefully Shod

We come from a long line of shoemakers, seriously we do.  When the family came over from Germany, that was their trade.  And their surname.  Nevertheless, cobbler wisdom isn't passed down through the genes, or at least not in my case, and as the years have advanced, so has a particular need to be choosy about shoes.  Or rather, choosy about shoosies.  Extended walking can cause not only general foot fatigue but can also make the little bones in the balls of my feet hurt.  It's an especially uncomfortable feeling.  In March I began a quest to find just the right shoes for walking in Paris and Ireland.  I wanted something that would be both comfortable and fashionably-acceptable.  I went to a store specifically designed for that purpose but when I got there they said they recommend orthotics for everyone. What good are they?  I thought.  I can buy orthotics and put them with cheap shoes.  I decided that store was not going to be much help.  My next step was to consult Consumer Reports.  They test virtually everything, and I have consulted them on numerous occasions when I have been looking for a variety of products.  And sure enough, they had tested both running and walking shoes.  I bought the top-rated walking shoes through an online shoe store and had them shipped out six weeks before my trip.  I was going to get very used to those things before I hopped over The Pond.  Less than a couple of hours in them was enough to know those were not the shoes for me.  I also ordered a pair of Dr. Scholl's walking shoes.  Those things were wonderful from the get-go.  They have pillow-cushion soles and a nice little rise at the place where the balls of the feet meet the toes.  My feet are very happy in them but I have returned the walking sneakers to the online shoe store.  My next stop was the New Balance store.  I had run into a friend who I knew had severely chronic feet problems and he was wearing New Balances.  I went to the store.  They had a very nice device for analyzing feet.  Their computerized gizmo not only detects pressure points but also has little pins that rise up from the base of the machine and measure your arch.  I bought a pair of shoes there.  At this point I am not sure whether or not I will keep them.  Are they too tight?  Do I lace up my shoes too much?  How do the balls of my feet feel?  How will these shoes look?  Will they be acceptable in Paris or will they scream, "Hey!  Look here!  I'm an American tourist!"  I have until Monday to return them.  In the meantime I am being seduced by another pair of Dr. Scholl's and they might give me some sweet street cred.

Beth, on the other hand, did some one-stop shopping when I was visiting her last month, and ended up with some fabo walkers. Here's a picture of them.

I have now returned the NB's to the store and await my refund.  I have purchased a pair of Reeboks that, although the balls of my feet are in some discomfort, will match my clothes better than the NB's.  I am now collecting different comfort-inducing products for the balls of my feet and will continue experimenting with them.