The myth of expensive shoes being more comfortable?

[MillionaireTeacher]

Dress shoes look great, but mine aren't even in the same dimension of comfort as the ugly/klunky/cheap rubber shoes.
Is that one reason they sell 1 billion pairs of Ecco/Sketchers..?

In my limited experience, comfort is inversely proportional to price.
(I can't speak for costly handmade shoes)

My "new" $500 Saks/Florshiem shells. They are sturdy, but so are cinder blocks. It's like ice skating in sheet metal boxes. I'm afraid to wear them out of the house, frankly.
My $300 Barney's, A&E saddles, etc. Feet killing me after 3 hours. Inner soles like rock.
My $100 J&M? Average. Lots of padding inside. Thankfully.
My $30 Bass "clogs"? Massive rubber soles = soft like a dream. These are what I wear to work. Daily. I could run a marathon in them. They're not sleek/stylish, but I want the comfort/utility.

It it worth noting that I wear the cheap shoes about 20x more than the fancy ones, so the former are much more broken in.
That certainly could be the difference.

If I'm shipwrecked on an island, and there is no party to attend, I'll be begging for a pair of Ecco/Lug Sole/Uggs/Rubber sole/hikers/whatever to get me around.
What's been your experience?

 

[InsBrokerTX]

You need, http://www.sasshoes.com/main/view_st...og.php?catid=1

 

[Working Stiff]

How well do your expensive shoes fit? I hate walking around in cushioned shoes; my most comfortable shoes are leather soled loafers.

 

[well-kept]

A very well made, "expensive" shoe which fits you properly and which has been properly broken in will not only serve you for many more years than a cheap running shoe but will become sublimely comfortable. Putting on a pair of Edward Greens can elicit a sigh comparable to that of getting into bed at the end of an exhausting day. 'At last...'

 

[lasbar]

Bespoke shoes are designed to fit the exact measurements of your feets .

As most of us do not have identical measurements for the left and right feet , it is absolutely crazy to point out that cheap universal shoes fit better than bespoke ones.

If you take the luxury upmarket RTW , brands are also offering different widths and a lot of more sizes than the mass produced ones making your argument absurb.

 

[blofeld]

Completely disagree. I routinely spend 12 hours running around various cities in C&J Handgrades and they are more comfortable than my Nike Air Max 03's that I workout in. My guess is your new ones don't fit well / are not broken in.

and what's the "utility" of your rubber soled clogs? They look terrible with every outfit?

 

[Sander]

I think there are quite a few factors to consider.
First, it's easier to feel comfortable in a cheap ill-fitting shoe than in an expensive (read: traditionally made leather) shoe.
Second, the walking experience in leather shoes (with leather soles) is quite different from that in sneakers. If you're used to sneakers and textile, and at 17 or so step into your first leather shoes, you'll have to take your time to adjust.
Third, many people don't have shops nearby which sell aforementioned leather shoes, so they'll buy online. That results in a bad fit more often than when you buy in a store (sneakers, for example).

My view is: wearing well-fitting leather shoes can be really comfortable, but you have to a) get used to it and b) have well-fitting shoes in the first place.

 

[Intelligent Design]

Your problem is that your ceiling is at a $500 pair of florsheim shells.

Also, $500 for florsheims?

 

[Sander]

Originally Posted by Intelligent Design

Your problem is that your ceiling is at a $500 pair of florsheim shells.

No, I don't think so. My 150 GBP shoes are comfortable.

 

[Ich_Dien]

Yes, this theory is utter nonsense.

 

[lasbar]

Originally Posted by Sander

No, I don't think so. My 150 GBP shoes are comfortable.

Being comfortable is also a different concept for all of us.

For me , being comfortable is having shoes offering real support to my feets...

I like to feel my shoes.

 

[Twotone]

I have a pair of Bruno Magli cap toes that felt like slippers the first day I wore them. I also have a pair of AE wingtips that have yet to break in. Comfort is a combination of fit, leather softness, sole and heal construction and how you wear them. Some shoes I buy for comfort (Ecco) and some for style (AE). The cost of the shoes may or may not have anything to do with comfort.

Twotone

 

[MillionaireTeacher]

Oh, I also had a pair of cardboard-stiff Ferragamo loafers that were god awful. Destroyed my feet. That may have been a bad fit.

I am mainly speaking for the $50-$300 market. Maybe it takes a few years to break in the dress shoes. Otherwise, I can't see how stiff rigid leather (dress shoe) with no padding is more comfortable than soft, roomy, flexible leather on a Bass/Sketcher.

Blofeld, the utility in a nondescript/ugly shoe is that they are soft & comfortable, and don't hurt my feet.

 

[Steven Aver]

Originally Posted by MillionaireTeacher

My "new" $500 Saks/Florshiem shells. They are sturdy, but so are cinder blocks. It's like ice skating in sheet metal boxes. I'm afraid to wear them out of the house, frankly.
?

If you have not gotten a chance to wear them outside, they will absolutely be like ice skates as you havent scuffed the sole yet.

 

[Ataturk]

Your problem is either that your shoes don't fit or that your feet are weak from walking around on cushions for your entire life.

Assuming the shoes fit, your feet will toughen up and all will be well.