Tieks?

First of all, I am 60, so take my advice in that context. I bought a pair for my trip to London and Greece this spring, but I am only figuring they will work for the evening part. I probably ordered 6 pairs of ballet flats besides these trying to find one I thought I could get the most mileage out of. The price was a jaw-dropper for me, but I stuck with them over the other pairs. Of the others, I was impressed with the Cole Haan " Air Baraca" and the Yosi Samra ( you may need to check my spelling). Still. The Tieks fit the best. There doesn't seem to be any rubbing and for something that folds, they have considerable support.

Wore my Tieks on a 3 week trip visit through Switzerland and France.....most comfortable pair of ballet shoes I have and very stylish too! I typically wear a 9 shoe but in ballets I go up a size. I have 4 pairs of Tieks.

I know this may sound crazy but do any of these ballet fold-up type shoes accommodate orthotics? That's my biggest challenge for my upcoming trip. I am only bringing one carry on bag for the 15 days of travel to Great Britain and I absolutely must wear the orthotics all the time. They work great with my Merrill hiking shoes which I plan to wear the majority of the time, but, I'd like to bring another shoe that is more dressy or casual. (don't plan to wear dresses) Does anyone have any suggestions for a lightweight shoe that packs well and has a removable footbed to accommodate orthotics? I'm in my early 60's.

Thanks for any and all suggestions. These Rick Steve forums are fantastic!!

Maureen

Tieks do not have a removable foot bed. Air Bacaras don't either. But, what you could try is order up a full size with Tieks and see how your orthotics fit. If you're a half-size you need to order up already.
They have a lot of stretch and the footbed doesn't have much of a defined arch.

I have a pair of TOMS ballet flats. I love those, they are really comfy. I don't have Tieks, but I do have the Cole Haan ones (someone mentioned those earlier) and those are pretty comfortable as well. The TOMS are more casual looking though, so may not suite your needs. Just another thought - I'm trying to figure out shoes for my upcoming trip too. Such a hassle!

I plan on bringing my black leather Cole Haan Air Bacaras on a 14 day trip to Italy. I am on my feet 12-14 hours a day at work and these are the most comfortable shoes I've ever worn. In fact, the rest of my flats have started collecting dust as I never wear them anymore. I've tested them out on short weekend getaways as the primary shoe and am very pleased. The black leather seem to be the most comfortable for me but I do have about 10 other pairs of Air Bacaras and two other style Cole Haans. I have incredibly flat feet so the slight sole and heel really works wonders and I never have any soreness or fatigue at the end of the day. I know the black leather is versatile so I plan on wearing it most often this summer in Italy. I may pack a second pair in a different color for some variety. Plus they're lightweight and can be easily packed. I did a lot of research and found the Cole Haan's to be a better option than the Tieks for me. Unfortunately they're now discontinued so I'm frantically scooping up anything I can before they're gone for good.

My Tieks are so comfy! I wore these on my week long trip to NY where I spent most of my days walking and wasn't in any pain. I would totally recommend them.

Don't buy Tieks if you (1) have wide feet, (2) have plantar fasciitis, (3) need arch support, or (4) wear orthotics, because they will not work. The soles are thin and provide no arch or heel support at all. The shoes are tiny, which is the whole point. They are narrow to medium, at most. However, they are cute.