Are Mephisto shoes worth the price?
I’ve got a pair of Mephisto loafers that I really like, but I didn’t pay anywhere _near_ that amount for them. I’m certain I paid less than $125 for the pair, and almost certainly closer to $90 or so. Who knows…I may have just bought shoes from a totally different, lower-cost line of theirs. That being said, I’ve got very wide feet, and they’re great shoes. Without a doubt, they are the most comfortable shoes I’ve got if I’ve got to stand around a lot over the course of a day.
I also take a size 14 or 15, width 4E, and I weigh over 400 pounds, so I’m pretty tough on shoes. I’ve been very happy with a New Balance #975 walking shoe lately; I wear it everywhere. You can find these online for about $75. My wife is also fat and has serious foot problems, and she won’t wear anything but New Balance. Also (it says here), NB don’t use sweatshop labour and they pay a fair wage. Alas, you won’t get anything like eight years out of these shoes; more like a year. Hope that’s another useful datum for you.
I have never regretted any amount paid for shoes — as long as they fit. Any shoe that does not fit comfortably at the moment I first try it on I have learned to reject — having flat feet and following this policy means I might go for very long periods searching for a shoe that meets a particular need. My foray into Mephistos was short lived when I bought a pair without following these rules — they did not work for my feet. For dress/casual wear, you might want to look at Allen Edmonds. All kinds of sizes have they.
I’m not sure where you live, but I just discovered this great shoe store in NY called Eneslow. I highly recommend it. They specialize in foot comfort and shoes for people with foot problems. The sales people are well trained (they measure both feet, etc.) and there’s even a doctor and custom department on the premises. The website looks pretty thorough as well, there’s an “Ask The Pedorthist” form on there if you can’t get to the store. And check the tips page too. I bought a pair of stylish Dunham’s there that I love. Also, having had ACL surgery recently, my physical therapist told me you shouldn’t wear shoes past nine months (of course, depending on how much you wear them). After that, they can start messing with your body’s alignment. I generally wear shoes until my socks get w
