I am in good physical shape, walk 5 mile per day. Husband and I are going to Eastern Europe for 5 weeks, need ideas on good walking shoes, I have a bunion on one foot, need a wide toe box, thanks Sharon
I feel your pain. I, too, have a bunion. I enjoy both Keens and Merrells. The Keens have a wide toe box. I have an older model, Bronx, but the newer models all have the wide toe box. My Merrells are the Quartz and the Waterpro models. All three are very comfortable. There are many brands out there to from. You might want to take a look at Zappos or Shoebuy. Both sites allow you to ship and return for free. Have fun on your trip, we leave for 2 weeks in Ireland soon.
Walmart carries a walking shoe by Danskin. Black leather with velcro fasteners. Very wide toe box and it also comes in wide width! Only about $12, but very sturdy and well padded collar, too.
I have been wearing Shape-ups for almost 3 years now exclusively and can't imagine wearing anything else. For foot problems, they are a dream. Really cushy for miles of walking on any kind of surface you find, from cobblestones, to forest paths or asphalt. They are great in rain or snow too. My feet never get wet nor cold. So far, I have 6 pair and have yet to get a blister, even wearing them for 4-5 miles the first day.
Bunion here, too, plus metatarsalgia at times. I have had good luck with SAS shoes. I wear double wide and they even have a triple wide in the black leather walking shoe, and they don't look especially clunky. You just have to find the brands that make your feet happy.
Another vote for Keens. Loads of styles to choose from.
The sad truth... none of this is really helpful You just have to go try them on because what fits person A is painful for person B. I have a wide toe area and think Keens are HORRID. So YMMV. But I would vote for trying Merrills, Ecco and Murono (last one can be harder to find)
Easy Spirit Traveltime shoes work great for me. I'd never go to Europe without them.
Comfort with bunions is as much about proper support and stability as fit. I have the best luck with Danskos (not the clogs, but thei rregular shoes), Mephistos, and Merrills. Have walked miles and miles in Paris, Barcelona, and other cities in my Danskos in particular. Some shoes that seem to fit fine at first can turn into torture for bunions if you walk very far. Some like this I have rehabilitated by adding Superfeet insoles, which work great for me.
You said you walk five miles per day. Why not wear the shoes that you walk five miles a day in? They're obviously comfortable and also broken in. Otherwise, I suggest New Balance walking or running shoes. These were recommended by my orthopedic doctor. I was having foot problems, bunions, plantar fasciitis, and he specifically told me to always wear them. He also said go to one of their stores, and get them properly fitted by their fit specialist. The NB's feel great, even pounding the pavement in Europe.
I too have bunions and agree with the poster who said you really need to try them on.. I have ordered an returned over the last two months, new balance, mehphistos (several pair different allrounders) I had success with keens (love love love them) actually just ordered keen hikers to see if they will work for me. and i also had luck with orthoheel... cute mary jane great arch support and wide toe box ( I need both after bunion surgery on my left foot and bunion on my right..
Good luck with this its tough when you have bad feet to find shoes that fit well!
May I suggest starting at a local store, whcih tho part of a chain has a good variety of shoes- the Walking Store ( Circel Center, The Fashion Mall,Hamilton Town Center,)? Or possibly Stouts might have what you want? My second suggestion is to call an ortho doctor - possibly you have one- or a podiatrist- for a recommendation. My doctor wears mephistos. I like most of the above mentioned shoes. You can also check "comfort shoes, Indianapolis" for ideas.
Also, as Lola mentioned, the "superfeet" insoles are great- added arch support and heel cushioning. At 40 or 45 $, you may think that's almost as much as the shoe- but they make a good shoe better.
I'd also suggest the Fashion mall. Both the Walking Store and Englins. My favorite brand is Naot. You can find a few examples at those stores also I think, at Nordstroms. Another place to look is Goodmans which I think, is in the Nora plaza on 86th (the one with Target).
I love Munro's for great walking shoes. You can get them at some Nordstrom's, or on-line at Nordstrom.com, or at Zappos.com. Nordstrom cna also order them and have them sent to your house - free shipping. Zappos offers free shipping both ways. Nordstrom offers free whipping to your house. You would have to pay to return them by mail or take them into a Nordstrom store. Zappos has the best customer service. They offere a 365 days return policy. All you have to do is go to their site (Zappos.com), print out a pre-paid (free) shipping label. Then you take them to any UPS store and mail them back. Within a week you have your credit. I have had numerous Munro's. I wore one pair two years in a row in Euopre for a whole two months. I recently bought a new pair. I have used them almost everyday for the past two months. You can order them in different widths. I recently ordered a size 11-12 wide, Munro - TESS. I love them. Munro also offers great supportive sandals.