Best footwear

[Nevada]

When in Vegas what is best footwear . I wear New Balance sneakers but still have a lot of discomfort .Is there better things out there or do I just grin and bear it:eek:

[sonntex]

I wear Reebok walkers that are old, worn out and have dirty shoestrings.

[MHIROTSU]

When in Vegas what is best footwear . I wear New Balance sneakers but still have a lot of discomfort .Is there better things out there or do I just grin and bear it:eek:

Believe it or not, this is a very difficult question to answer. I'm not sure what kind of discomfort you've been having. Pain in your feet, toes, ankles, arch, heal, knees, etc.? Or maybe blisters or rashes? Hammer toes, blisters, calluses, etc.? Many of these are caused by different conditions.

If you are wearing an old pair of shoes, it might be that you have worn down the soles to a point that you are walking incorrectly (you don't notice if you walk around the block, but when in Las Vegas and walking maybe miles at a time the problem compounds). Look at the outside part of the heal of the shoe. If the tread is gone, your soles are worn out. I'll tell you that I don't listen to myself and will wear my shoes until they fall off of my feet. But when I put on a new pair of shoes, I immediately know that I should have bought the new pair a long time ago. And I can feel the extra tread on the outside part of the heal of the sole.

Maybe you have the wrong size shoes. New Balance is one of the few companies that makes different widths for each of their shoes. When I buy shoes to walk in, I buy shoes that are a little shorter than if I buy shoes for tennis or basketball, where I like a little more room in the toe. An orthopedic surgeon once told me that if you jog in a pair of shoes, the wear patterns are different than when you walk in the same shoes, which can cause some discomfort.

Maybe go to the New Balance specialty store to make sure you have the correct size shoes. They are pretty good at this versus your local Foot Locker.

You didn't say whether your "sneakers" are jogging shoes, tennis/basketball shoes or walking shoes. I believe New Balance makes them all (and probably a whole lot more). Maybe change from one style to another.

Maybe the toe box (the amount of room at the front of the shoe, giving your toes room to move) is too small and cramping your toes. Maybe the heal is too wide and doesn't "grab" your heal which allows your heal to move up and down in the back of the shoe and cause blisters. This can also be a product of shoe that are too large which will allow your entire foot to move in your shoes and cause blisters on the bottom of your feet and even jam your toes into the front of the shoe.

Some people do better with jogging shoes, others with tennis/basketball shoes and others with walking shoes. Some people need the extra support of leather uppers and a more solid sole (another orthopedic surgeon told me that his general rule is that he would not allow people with feet problems to wear jogging shoes. He thought they needed the extra support of leather uppers and firmer soles). Others like the cushion of the soft soles in jogging shoes (but believe it or not, soft soles, though more comfortable, cause more injuries because they allow more movement of the foot within the shoe).

One other thing that people don't think about is their socks. You might want to buy some good socks, like Thorlos. The theory is that the sweat from the foot is "wicked" away from the foot to the outside, thereby keeping the foot dry. I'm not sure how accurate that is, but you might just give it a try. When you take off your shoes, don't stuff your socks back into the shoes. And open up your shoes to allow the inside to dry out.

So, there are a lot of factors when purchasing shoes. Most of them we don't worry about because it really doesn't matter. But when you start having discomfort, you have to start paying more attention to how your shoes fit and using the proper type of shoe.

There are a lot more issues, but I think I covered the main ones.

Mike

[ClintP]

I usually wear a pair of Nike Airwalks walking shoes - so much air/padding around the foot that it feels like walking on kittens wrapped in clouds :)


I think you'll want shoes that are worn in, even a little. If you buy new shoes you should make sure to wear them plenty before you go.

For only $7-15 you can buy gel heel inserts for your shoes that can make walking more comfortable. I'd reccomend the heel inserts only over the ones that fit the entire shoe (just the heel feels more comfortable to me and I do a lot of walking every day).

Sandals and flip flops can be ok but if you retain water while in Las Vegas your feet might swell up, so a pair that is a nice comfy fit might become uncomfortable fast.

As said, I walk a lot every day... I have a new pair of shoes that have a hard sole and little padding inside. It almost feels like I am walking barefoot on concrete. Going to tough it out for a month or two and then go back to a pair with lots of padding inside.

[nchikk]

I find that with the amount of walking I do there, Reebok DMX walking shoes are the best for me.

[Jacqui, Duskette8]

Converse (in any shape or colour) with a pair of good $10 insoles. The insoles are the key - without them Converse have no support.

[jr7110]

I second the Nike Airwalks - they are the most comfortable shoes in the world...

[Treasurerat]

I swear by Echo - have tried quite a few, and by far. these are the best.
They are expensive, but worth it.

[sonntex]

I find that with the amount of walking I do there, Reebok DMX walking shoes are the best for me.

I stand by the Reeboks, too. Just be sure they fit comfortably in the toe box. I bought some new ones several weeks before my last trip to get them broken in. Never did. They kept rubbing my pinkies, so I had to wear my old ones with the dirty shoe laces again.:D

[jr7110]

I stand by the Reeboks, too. Just be sure they fit comfortably in the toe box. I bought some new ones several weeks before my last trip to get them broken in. Never did. They kept rubbing my pinkies, so I had to wear my old ones with the dirty shoe laces again.:D

No matter how comfortable a shoe is, my pinky toes get the same rough treatment from so much walking in Vegas - so I have found that putting a band aid on my pinky toes from the start before anything happens is a good solution. I also just found a new product that I am going to try for my next trip that is manufactured by Band Aid called "Blister Block" - you glide the product wherever you get blisters like the toe or back of the heel and from the rave reviews I have seen online, it seems to really work.

[Lori R]

No matter how comfortable a shoe is, my pinky toes get the same rough treatment from so much walking in Vegas - so I have found that putting a band aid on my pinky toes from the start before anything happens is a good solution. I also just found a new product that I am going to try for my next trip that is manufactured by Band Aid called "Blister Block" - you glide the product wherever you get blisters like the toe or back of the heel and from the rave reviews I have seen online, it seems to really work.

I tried one of those products on my heel (on shoes that I know will do that to me) and it was very unsuccessful.

[jr7110]

I tried one of those products on my heel (on shoes that I know will do that to me) and it was very unsuccessful.

uh oh. I guess it's back to the old band aid trick.

[Y2J2006]

Just remember that if the shoes are new, wear them for a while before you go to Vegas...I did the mistake of not doing that one time...ouch is all I can say LOL

[Lori R]

uh oh. I guess it's back to the old band aid trick.


It might work better on the toe--it just didn't work on the heel, you know? Of course, with the toe, I'd just stick a corn pad on there and be done with that. They have great adhesive.

[ltslovak]

One newer type of shoe that is great for summer is what they are calling the Fit Flop......it's like a flip flop sandal but with padding and support like an athletic shoe....just do an internet search for Fit Flop and lots of them come up.
For a closed walking shoe I agree with the Ecco recommendation. I do dance exercise and a lot of us swear by Ecco shoes for casual wear and we are all really hard on our feet so we like support and comfort.

[KenoMom]

Easy Spirit shoes - any type - seem to work the best for me. The tennis shoes were particularly good in Vegas, Paris and walking up and down at craft shows.

Overall, I find that cloth type of athletic shoes work better then the ones that are designed with canvas and/or plastic. Those seem to cause more swelling in the heat. I tried those gel inserts but since they are not allowed on the airplanes, I don't bother with them when traveling.

[MHIROTSU]

No matter how comfortable a shoe is, my pinky toes get the same rough treatment from so much walking in Vegas - so I have found that putting a band aid on my pinky toes from the start before anything happens is a good solution. I also just found a new product that I am going to try for my next trip that is manufactured by Band Aid called "Blister Block" - you glide the product wherever you get blisters like the toe or back of the heel and from the rave reviews I have seen online, it seems to really work.

Blisters, and virtually every other similar problem, are usually caused by shoes that don't properly fit. It sounds like your pinky toe is being crushed, thus it sounds like the shoes are too narrow at the toes. You might have to look into a shoe that is wider at the toes. Believe it or not, all shoes are not made equally. Reebok, Nike and New Balance are shoes to look into. It's been awhile since I wore K-Swiss, but their shoes were cut a little narrow at the toes.

The same thing goes with the heal. Most blisters on the heal are caused because the heal is too wide for your heal, it can't grab your heal, so it moves up and down. Some are caused because the soles are so stiff that they don't bend when you walk, so, the heal of the shoe will slip off your heal, and you get a blister. If you have a narrow heal, I like Reebok and K-Swiss. Nike's tend to have a wider heal.

Sorry, but I just don't recall the characteristics of the other manufactures.

My mother liked Ecco, and I recall they come in a wider toe area (my mother has wide feet). I was told to look at Easy Spirit when buying her shoes, but they just weren't wide enough for her. (Our family has duck feet: wide at the toes, narrow in the heal).

One thing to consider, especially if you have trouble with your feet. Comfort does not necessarily mean it's a good fit or a good shoe for you. Some shoes are so spongy in the soles, and feel comfortable, but they actually can cause more damage.

And by the way, those shoes with the soles that are about 1/4 inch thick, canvas uppers and slip on your feet, aren't too good for long walks.

And somehow within all of this, you have to consider ventilation.

Mike

[jr7110]

Blisters, and virtually every other similar problem, are usually caused by shoes that don't properly fit. It sounds like your pinky toe is being crushed, thus it sounds like the shoes are too narrow at the toes. You might have to look into a shoe that is wider at the toes. Believe it or not, all shoes are not made equally. Reebok, Nike and New Balance are shoes to look into. It's been awhile since I wore K-Swiss, but their shoes were cut a little narrow at the toes.

The same thing goes with the heal. Most blisters on the heal are caused because the heal is too wide for your heal, it can't grab your heal, so it moves up and down. Some are caused because the soles are so stiff that they don't bend when you walk, so, the heal of the shoe will slip off your heal, and you get a blister. If you have a narrow heal, I like Reebok and K-Swiss. Nike's tend to have a wider heal.

Sorry, but I just don't recall the characteristics of the other manufactures.

My mother liked Ecco, and I recall they come in a wider toe area (my mother has wide feet). I was told to look at Easy Spirit when buying her shoes, but they just weren't wide enough for her. (Our family has duck feet: wide at the toes, narrow in the heal).

One thing to consider, especially if you have trouble with your feet. Comfort does not necessarily mean it's a good fit or a good shoe for you. Some shoes are so spongy in the soles, and feel comfortable, but they actually can cause more damage.

And by the way, those shoes with the soles that are about 1/4 inch thick, canvas uppers and slip on your feet, aren't too good for long walks.

And somehow within all of this, you have to consider ventilation.

Mike


Thanks for all that info!! It is very good information for people who are wondering what kind of shoe is best for Vegas. Would you believe Mike, that when I was a teenager I worked in a local shoe store so I know all about shoe fit (we would have to fit customers the old fashioned way with one of those measuring devices) and there are always going to be people who insist they are a certain size out of vanity, even if the shoe is not a good fit at all (you would not believe the number of women who would come in after childbirth who insisted on squeezing into a size 51/2 when they were now a 7 because women's feet usually get larger after a pregnancy (no they do not shrink back lol). The store I worked in sold Easy Spirit and they do make a very wide shoe EE but we would usually only special order that large size, so that may have been the problem with your mother's shoes - she would probably have to get a wide width and put some kind of insert in the heel to keep the shoe from slipping.

For me, it is not the fact that the toe is too narrow - the sneakers I get are Nike Airlwalks and have plenty of the room at the toe. I think it is because there is so MUCH room in the toe that it tends to rub a little (but only if I walk a good distance - which of course I do in Vegas). But the rest of that model of shoe is so comfortable on me so if I sometimes have to use a band aid on the pinky toe to prevent rubbing...well it is ok. Another thing people don't take into consideration is that the cushioning in a sneaker does wear down after a while and putting a new insert into the shoe can make a world of difference in an old shoe if it is still in wearable condition but the cushioning is no longer as effective.

[sonntex]

Thanks for all that info, Mike. You are a walking Wikepedia on shoes. LOL

Like your family, I have duck feet, too. My feet are really wide at the toes. I've had several surgeries on them because of ingrown toenails and corns. I have a high instep, too. Reebok Walkers have always worked best for me, but this last pair I bought has a stiff panel on the side of the toe box that just won't limber up. I can't walk very far in them without some discomfort - Reebok must have changed the way they build them. So now I will probably have to shop around to find another manuacturer.

My daughter used to work for a podiatrist who recommended New Balance and she loved them. All of the girls who worked in his office wore them, but I could never get a good fit in that brand. I tried Nike, too, but ended up giving them to my ex-DIL - they fit her fine and I think she wore them 'til they fell apart.

I do a lot of walking for exercise and my old Reeboks don't have much tread left - I really do need some new ones - not to mention some good shoes to take to Sin City. I'll try New Balance and Nike again and maybe give K-Swiss a try.

Thanks again, Mike, I appreciate your input, and if anyone else has some suggestions don't be shy about posting 'em.

Edit: Now I see what jr7110 posted. Thanks. I'll have to try Easy Spirit and maybe give Nike Airwalks a try.

[jr7110]

Thanks for all that info, Mike. You are a walking Wikepedia on shoes. LOL

Like your family, I have duck feet, too. My feet are really wide at the toes. I've had several surgeries on them because of ingrown toenails and corns. I have a high instep, too. Reebok Walkers have always worked best for me, but this last pair I bought has a stiff panel on the side of the toe box that just won't limber up. I can't walk very far in them without some discomfort - Reebok must have changed the way they build them. So now I will probably have to shop around to find another manuacturer.

My daughter used to work for a podiatrist who recommended New Balance and she loved them. All of the girls who worked in his office wore them, but I could never get a good fit in that brand. I tried Nike, too, but ended up giving them to my ex-DIL - they fit her fine and I think she wore them 'til they fell apart.

I do a lot of walking for exercise and my old Reeboks don't have much tread left - I really do need some new ones - not to mention some good shoes to take to Sin City. I'll try New Balance and Nike again and maybe give K-Swiss a try.

Thanks again, Mike, I appreciate your input, and if anyone else has some suggestions don't be shy about posting 'em.

Edit: Now I see what jr7110 posted. Thanks. I'll have to try Easy Spirit and maybe give Nike Airwalks a try.

When I worked in the shoe store another popular brand was Rockport, but I have never even tried a Rockport shoe on so I can't comment on that one.
Nike has so many different types of sneakers for several different kinds of activities (including basketball) so your previous Nike experience was just probably not the right activity shoe or model for you - if you try the Air walk my tip would be to wear them around your house for a little bit so they will not show outside wear on the bottom and you can return them if you feel they are not right for you. I just also bought a pair of Nike Free 5.0 V4 shoes this past weekend. It is a running shoe that Nike makes and I have never held a pair of shoes that were so light - it was almost like holding a piece of paper!! They do have support because they are for running so now I have to decide if they are Vegas-worthy! Another shoe that I wear a lot is the Nike Shox model - they have a very cushioned sole and they are also like walking on air. A walking shoe tends to be a little heavier - I always get a running or performance shoe because those tend to be the lightest and most cushioned.

[sonntex]

When I worked in the shoe store another popular brand was Rockport, but I have never even tried a Rockport shoe on so I can't comment on that one.
Nike has so many different types of sneakers for several different kinds of activities (including basketball) so your previous Nike experience was just probably not the right activity shoe or model for you - if you try the Air walk my tip would be to wear them around your house for a little bit so they will not show outside wear on the bottom and you can return them if you feel they are not right for you. I just also bought a pair of Nike Free 5.0 V4 shoes this past weekend. It is a running shoe that Nike makes and I have never held a pair of shoes that were so light - it was almost like holding a piece of paper!! They do have support because they are for running so now I have to decide if they are Vegas-worthy! Another shoe that I wear a lot is the Nike Shox model - they have a very cushioned sole and they are also like walking on air. A walking shoe tends to be a little heavier - I always get a running or performance shoe because those tend to be the lightest and most cushioned.


I had forgotten about Rockport. W used to play golf a lot and he wore Rockport golf shoes. He really liked them.

Thanks for all the input. Now I have several options for new shoes.

[GREGRIO]

Well I still love my signature RED 'Chucks', but I can't ware 'em
all day like I used to (insouls or not...) they just don't have the
support. 'Merrell's' work best for me now these days...
Las Vegas doesn't make it easy on our feet what ever brand works
best for you. All the cement, tile and marble are just hard to walk on
all day. Hittin' the casino and that carpet is aways WELCOME!

[Nevada]

Thanks to the great replies so far. I've narrowed the search down to Nike Air 0r New Balance. I've never heard of Ecco shoes. My problem is a lot of burning sensation on bottom of feet on soles so probley a softer sole would be better. Any more ideas will be welcomed.

[sonntex]

One thing I do is always wear socks that are not worn thin. The thicker the better - and I'm always sure the shoes are roomy enough to give the extra room for the socks. That seems to give me that little extra cushion I need to keep away that burning sensation of the hot pavement. If you're concerned about perspiration, sprinkle a little foot powder inside your shoes.

Another thing - take care of your feet. Period. I'm a freaking nut about that. I rub my feet EVERY night with a foot cream and I rarely have any hard places or cracked areas on my feet that could cause discomfort. Keeping your feet soft makes a lot of difference when you are doing a lot of walking. I have one that I prefer but I won't give the name here as that could be classified as an advertisement. But if you're interested in knowing the brand, send me a PM.

I rarely have any problems walking the strip in Vegas. Just ask Matthew. I gave his long legs a run for their money one day walking from Harrahs to the Venetian. LOL

[AppleGreenJade]

Easy Spirit shoes - any type - seem to work the best for me. The tennis shoes were particularly good in Vegas, Paris and walking up and down at craft shows.

Overall, I find that cloth type of athletic shoes work better then the ones that are designed with canvas and/or plastic. Those seem to cause more swelling in the heat. I tried those gel inserts but since they are not allowed on the airplanes, I don't bother with them when traveling.

I second the vote for Easy Spirit. One of their shoes is extremely popular. I keep buying the same style over and over and have been doing it for over 15 years. It's a leather sneaker that is extremely lightweight.

[MHIROTSU]

For me, it is not the fact that the toe is too narrow - the sneakers I get are Nike Airlwalks and have plenty of the room at the toe. I think it is because there is so MUCH room in the toe that it tends to rub a little (but only if I walk a good distance - which of course I do in Vegas). But the rest of that model of shoe is so comfortable on me so if I sometimes have to use a band aid on the pinky toe to prevent rubbing...well it is ok. Another thing people don't take into consideration is that the cushioning in a sneaker does wear down after a while and putting a new insert into the shoe can make a world of difference in an old shoe if it is still in wearable condition but the cushioning is no longer as effective.

Jr,

Having too much room in the toe area is almost just as bad. With so much room, your toes can move too easily and will constantly rub against each other and cause blisters and other problems. Something you might consider is that when you try on a new pair of shoes, a "tighter" shoe might not feel very good but might be a better fit.

You are correct about using new inserts. But the problem is that the soles might also be worn down thus making the shoes ready to be thrown out.

Mike

[KenoMom]

The Blisterblock stuff sounds like "Nu Skin". That's a product that bowlers use to cover the blisters to allow them to continue bowling :)