Well, one thing you don’t have to sweat are those hot feet. We found three pairs of shoes designed for comfort first, but they’re hot-weather friendly.
Hey, it’s nearly August already – free those tootsies and let them breathe!
The Marian Sandal from Aravon
Aravon puts a lot of thought into the design of its footwear.
In Aravon shoes, the foot fits and sits properly on the outsole for best support throughout the dynamics of the gait cycle. The arch is gently fortified as it flexes and every step is cushioned in the heel and forefoot. Over the course of a day, this finely tuned support adds up to feet that are less stressed and less tired.
Our tester secretary loved the Marian sandal. “It felt like I was walking on bubble wrap – in a good way!” she told us. “The sandal fit my foot perfectly. I was able to customize the fit because of the strap across the foot. It gave plenty of room to pull the sandal tighter or more loosely across the top of the foot, and it closed easily with Velcro."
"I also liked that the other two leather straps had a small gap in them with some stretchy fabric, because it meant that the straps didn’t pull too much across my feet. With shoes of this style, I often get blisters because my foot rubs up against the straps. In these sandals, the straps had some ‘give’, and my foot didn’t feel abused.”
She added, “My feet stayed nice and cool. I didn’t feel like they were ‘cooped up’ in my shoes. Also, I was amazed because my feet didn’t SMELL at the end of the day. I wore these sandals every day for a week and NO SMELL.” Editor’s note: That must be because of Aravon’s “Ionact” antibacterial feature. Every surface of the Marian sandal is treated Ionact antibacterial protection to deter the growth of bacteria and reduce odor. Gotta love that!
Did our tester have any complaints?
“The Marian sandals came with a set of optional extra insoles, which were removable. I started the day using them, but in the middle of my lunch hour I noticed one of them was riding up my ankle, and actually up under the cuff of my pants! That was a little embarrassing, so I stopped and pulled the insoles out. But I didn’t really need them. The sandals were comfy and attractive without them. I would say, skip the insoles. They don’t stay in place, and the sandals are a dream just as they are.”
Aravon shoes come in narrow, regular and wide widths. The Marian comes in black leather and copper metallic leather, and retails for about $128. Find out where to get yours at www.aravonshoes.com.
The Flip by Chaco
Some of us here at Just A Sec cringe every time we see a woman running around Manhattan in a pair of flimsy, cheap flip-flops. We don’t know how they do it – that’s gotta hurt! If you really need to go nearly-bare, here’s a much better option: the Flip by Chaco.
First of all, Chaco is all about healthy feet. They design the contours of their footbed with the help of a certified pedorthist to control pronation (that’s when your feet have a tendency to roll inward) and maximize performance. Chaco aims for a supported, comfortable stride in any activity.
Our tester secretary told us she had never been a “flip-flop person”, but was willing to give Chaco’s Flip sandal a try. After one week with the product, she started wearing them every day on her commute.
“I keep my work shoes under my desk now, and wear the Chaco Flip sandals to and from the office every single day!” she told us. “My feet don’t get sweaty, they feel so dry and free. And I swear, I’ve never owned a pair of shoes that was as comfortable to my feet as these little flip-flops. I really feel like my feet are getting total support. I can walk for ages without my feet or ankles getting tired. I always thought wearing flip-flops was a really careless thing to do to your feet, because it seems like you can’t possibly be getting the support you need. But these Chaco sandals are awesome. I’m actually going to check out their web site to see what they have for fall and winter, because I’m going to be so sorry to give up the Flips when it gets cold.”
She also added: “I have thick feet, and the straps on sandals like this are almost always tight on the top of my foot. The Chaco Flip sandals fit great.”
Enough said? The Flip is also water-friendly and machine washable, and comes in a variety of cute color combinations. It retails for about $56. Find out where to get yours at www.chacousa.com.
Angie by Munro
Not everyone likes to expose their toes and heels in summer. We understand that. If you’re one of those foot-modest types, we’ve got the cooler shoe for you: Angie by Munro.
Munro uses comfort footbeds and carefully chosen materials combined with specialized manufacturing techniques, all with an eye towards making the most comfortable shoes you’ll ever own.
At first, our tester was skeptical about her Munro “Angie” shoes. She’d had bad experiences with Mary Jane-type shoes before. The rounded edge of the shoe opening, which rests against the top of the foot, had given her grief with Mary Janes in the past. They never fit quite right. She complained that Mary Janes always left a semi-circular imprint on the top of her foot, and dug into her skin every time she lifted her foot and caused a bend in the shoe. She was also wary of the strap across the top of her foot. “The straps are always so uncomfortable. They either bite into you or make you sweat under them, or both.”
Ah, but she was pleasantly surprised by Munro’s Angie.
“I honestly thought, no, these shoes won’t be any different than the other Mary Jane styles I’ve tried,” she said. “But I have to admit, I was completely shocked. These shoes are so comfy. The whole opening of the shoe is edged in a stretchy, soft material, and it doesn’t bite into the top of my foot at all. I also feel like there’s plenty of room inside the shoe. They feel very stable and supportive. I also like that the uppers are made of a sort of meshy-stretch material. I feel like my feet can really move in these shoes. The soles flex, the whole shoe flexes without feeling schlumpy and weak and not supporting my foot. The inside of the shoes is so soft, too.”
“I also love that the strap is elastic and closes with Velcro. It makes it easy to adjust to a good fit. It gives me the Mary Jane look without the pain and sweatiness of a hard leather strap.”
Any downside to these shoes?”
“The only disappointment was that they gave me blisters the first day, on the back of my ankles, just above my heels. As soon as I started wearing bandages over them, it took care of the problem. I have a feeling it’s because the shoes are new, and as they stretch and give a little, they won’t rub against the back of my foot as much. It would be nice if I didn’t have to wait to break them in, but I do think the problem will resolve itself.”
The Angie shoe by Munro is available in black or gold, and in a variety of widths, including double-wide. It retails for about $165. To find your pair, visit www.munroshoes.com.
