Most comfortable informal dress shoe?

[JeansMan]

Recently bought my first quality leather shoes, a pair of Morden by Barker shoes. They're very stiff. No doubt they will break in, but now I'm thinking. What's the most comfortable informal dress shoe? Specifically, I was eyeing Thursday's Statesman and wondered what the comfort difference might be. The Morden seems to be veg tan, and the Statesman is chromexcel. Is chromexcel always more supple? I'm also interested in differences in comfort with different rubber outsoles. Supposedly, vibram makes a Dainite sole softer than Dainite. Does anyone know what the comfort differences between the Morden and the Statesman are?

What are your thoughts in general on the most comfortable informal dress shoe?

 

[obc28.5]

You're not getting any feedback b/c these "absolute" type of questions ("best" anything, highest quality, most comfortable etc.) are highly subjective and variable, and the typical enthusiast here doesn't have the time/interest to respond to those. You might get a better response at r/goodyearwelt, they are more newbie focused and have a younger base.

That said, my 2 cents is: comfort is more based on 1. your personal preference/experience- I reckon you being new to welted shoes, at first any shoe with a leather insole is going to be stiff. And, 2. the last of the shoe and your foot shape. For example, I have a high instep and narrow heels, so my most comfortable shoes are those which accommodate a high instep and have a narrow heel cup and an extended heel counter. This would mean Alden's modified last or many made to order dress shoe lasts or bespoke shoes.

 

[dieworkwear]

I find crepe and studded Dainite soles to be easier to break in than double leather. Unlined shoes are also softer than lined. Agree that the most important thing is fit and that "traditional" shoes are tougher to break in than sneakers.

If you're new to higher-end shoes, I would just wear those for a while and let the break-in process happen. It only takes about maybe a week or so of light wearing.

 

[broiler]

As per posters above, it's subjective but I don't think you can beat Alden Barrie PTB for comfort in an informal dress shoe you can still wear with a jacket or blazer. IMO comfort tops out with shoes at the Alden/Carmina price point assuming the size and last fits your foot. These shoes generally have high quality, well-finished calfskin lining which requires minimal break in and won't cause blisters. Allen Edmonds used to be in this category but IME their quality is now hit or miss and they've gone downhill in the past 10-15 years since being bought out by private equity.

For me, most comfortable outsole is double leather as featured in Alden PTB or Ralph Lauren Marlow (made by C&J). I wore these while walking 1-2 miles/day on concrete in NYC and the outer leather surface with wear develops a slightly "spongy" feel that I prefer over dainite or synthetic outsole. After wearing out, I had my single leather outsole shoes re-soled with double leather and the comfort difference on concrete is very noticeable - while double outsole looks slightly less dressy, it's a good trade-off for me and the leather goodyear welt still looks dressy enough for business casual.

If you don't walk significant distances on concrete, the outsole almost doesn't matter and it's more about lining and build quality, but I'd still recommend Alden/Carmina.

 

[Ed13]

Fit, fit and fit. Find a company with a last that fits your foot.

As mentioned above pay attention to the shape of your foot. Heel, instep, arch support and the ball of your foot are good places to start to find a last which works for you. Arch support seems to not get much attention but will make a huge difference when on your feet all day. There are lasts available for flat feet all the way to high arches.

I have found Dainite and crepe (unless it is very thick) to break in easier but not as comfortable if walking all day. If walking long distances on gravel, uneven ground or hot pavement I prefer a Ridgeway or double leather sole.

Make sure the shoes fit properly when you try them on, don't make compromises. They may fit Ok but will never fit really good. My best fitting shoes get worn the most and the others languish on the shoe rack.