What FootWear Has The Softest Souls In The Heel Area? Huge Thanks for your help.

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bogledogle
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Re: What FootWear Has The Softest Souls In The Heel Area?

Post by bogledogle »

Sandtrap wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:59 pm
bogledogle wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 1:57 pm I have heel pain that closely resembles pain "in the heel area" (or I think it does). I can't walk or stand too long and tried several insoles. One of my friends turned me on to these flip flops have been life changing and now I do not want to wear anything else.

https://www.amazon.com/OOFOS-Unisex-Ori ... B00JWYCCEC

They have shoes too but I have not tried them yet. Also, you want the thong style flip flops because the other "slide style" let your foot slip forward. The only caveat is that they soft foam material holds on to dust and dirt, but these are machine washable - I just hose them down and they are good to go. I highly recommend these if you have heel pain or need arch support.
Great!
Ordered them to try out.

Have you tried the Crocs Classics??

Thanks!!!
J🌺
I owned crocs in the past but I don't remember them being as comfortable as the OOFOS. OOFOS have more of a "jelly soft" feel with good arch support.
MathWizard
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Re: What FootWear Has The Softest Souls In The Heel Area?

Post by MathWizard »

My Keen hiking shoes are my go to.

I wear black New Balance to work, and keep a pair of
dress shoes with inserts in them in case I need to see
VPs or higher.
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Sandtrap
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Re: What FootWear Has The Softest Souls In The Heel Area?

Post by Sandtrap »

MathWizard wrote: Thu Aug 05, 2021 6:18 pm My Keen hiking shoes are my go to.

I wear black New Balance to work, and keep a pair of
dress shoes with inserts in them in case I need to see
VPs or higher.
Thanks for the tips.

I've gone from CEO/owner and a lifetime of (original) New Balance shoes at work (or daily jogging), to zero dress code in retirement, with only one boss that "must" be obeyed!

I've tried a zillion orthotics and insouls in my New Balances but no good result. :(
Aloha,
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HoosierMike
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Re: What FootWear Has The Softest Souls In The Heel Area?

Post by HoosierMike »

-Check out KURU.....sold online from Utah.
https://www.kurufootwear.com
-I own 12+ pairs (walking, hiking, sandals, slippers, dress, casual...)
-KURU shoes address the complete foot.....heel cushioning, plantar fasciitis, toe box, foot pad)
- Prices run around $150
grok87
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Re: What FootWear Has The Softest Souls In The Heel Area?

Post by grok87 »

Mishigami wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:31 am Another vote for Hoka. My wife swears by hers!
thanks.
this guy thinks they may be problematics for folks with knee issues
https://pure-physio.com/do-hokas-live-up-to-the-hype/
cheers,
grok
RIP Mr. Bogle.
InMyDreams
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Re: What FootWear Has The Softest Souls In The Heel Area?

Post by InMyDreams »

OP - another thought: wearing a splint-boot at night helped my day time ankle and foot pain. I adapted to it pretty easily once I changed it to allow a wider angle. I return to it sometimes when my foot is bothering me.
leo383
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Re: What FootWear Has The Softest Souls In The Heel Area?

Post by leo383 »

RickBoglehead wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 8:58 am Wait, wut? Footwear has souls? :shock:
Strange, it's usually bad when socks become holy.
phxjcc
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Re: What FootWear Has The Softest Souls In The Heel Area?

Post by phxjcc »

Sandtrap wrote: Wed Aug 04, 2021 6:27 am
mrjohnanderson007 wrote: Wed Aug 04, 2021 5:48 am Altras. One of their high cushion version shoes. With altra you get zero toe to heel drop. And a wider natural toe box. Check em out let me know what you think
I visited the home page site for "Altra" and they do not have extra wide sizes.
My "Hawaiian Style" feet are 4E to 4EEE wide depending on the shoe so footwear can be difficult to fit.

Thanks for the help.
Aloha
j :D
If you need wide, OrthoFeet go up to 6E, not the NEW BALANCE interpretation of 4E, but HTG FOUR EEEE wide toe box.

They also have models with adjustable heel width—so if you have/need wide toe box and tight heel you can get that.
friar1610
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Re: What FootWear Has The Softest Souls In The Heel Area?

Post by friar1610 »

I recently bought a pair of ON Cloudswift shoes for walking. They are very soft. It’s a brand I never heard of before. The guy at the store told me they were “Swiss designed” but of course they are manufactured in Asia. He said they are “technical running shoes” but that a lot of people buy them as walkers or for general workout shoes. So far so good.

https://www.on-running.com/en-us/
Friar1610 | 50-ish/50-ish - a satisficer, not a maximizer
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Sandtrap
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Re: What FootWear Has The Softest Souls In The Heel Area?

Post by Sandtrap »

bogledogle wrote: Thu Aug 05, 2021 5:59 pm
Sandtrap wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:59 pm
bogledogle wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 1:57 pm I have heel pain that closely resembles pain "in the heel area" (or I think it does). I can't walk or stand too long and tried several insoles. One of my friends turned me on to these flip flops have been life changing and now I do not want to wear anything else.

https://www.amazon.com/OOFOS-Unisex-Ori ... B00JWYCCEC

They have shoes too but I have not tried them yet. Also, you want the thong style flip flops because the other "slide style" let your foot slip forward. The only caveat is that they soft foam material holds on to dust and dirt, but these are machine washable - I just hose them down and they are good to go. I highly recommend these if you have heel pain or need arch support.
Great!
Ordered them to try out.

Have you tried the Crocs Classics??

Thanks!!!
J🌺
I owned crocs in the past but I don't remember them being as comfortable as the OOFOS. OOFOS have more of a "jelly soft" feel with good arch support.
Just got a pair of OOFOS gushy slippers for around the house. I have a mix of stone tile and carpet. House is shoe taboo. These are great for at home.

Mahalo
J🌺
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grok87
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Re: What FootWear Has The Softest Souls In The Heel Area?

Post by grok87 »

BowserRox wrote: Thu Aug 05, 2021 5:23 pm This is going to be long-winded, but is an example of trial and error in finding some solutions.

I have arthritis on top of feet, osteopenia and fat pad atrophy going on with my feet.

Have been working with Brooks Ghosts, Brooks Glycerin as physical therapists recommended for a few years. Then I went to a podiatrist and I ended up paying $485 for custom made orthotics. They were hard as could be and I wore them in the Brooks shoes, which the podiatrist approved of. I could not get used to them.

I got worse problems, like right knee osteoarthritis.

I had bought the Oofos slides and loved them, but at some point, they seemed to make my walking unsteady, so I stopped wearing them.

I had also bought a pair of the Oofos shoes, wide toe box and closed off heel. One day, I decided to hell with what the podiatrist told me..."To always remove a shoe's insole before you put in another insole". The Oofos shoe has the insole in where you can't remove it. I thought, maybe the cushioning of the Oofos combined with the support of the expensive custom-made orthotic would work.

I was pleasantly surprised...those hard as hell orthotics felt comfortable in the Oofos shoes. Foot cramping that I was getting at night seems to have improved also.

So, I think the expensive orthotics are crucial, but it was a matter of finding the right shoes for them, which are the Oofos.
thanks for the detailed account. i am a big fan of trial and error
RIP Mr. Bogle.
bogledogle
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Re: What FootWear Has The Softest Souls In The Heel Area?

Post by bogledogle »

Sandtrap wrote: Fri Aug 06, 2021 6:37 pm
bogledogle wrote: Thu Aug 05, 2021 5:59 pm
Sandtrap wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:59 pm
bogledogle wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 1:57 pm I have heel pain that closely resembles pain "in the heel area" (or I think it does). I can't walk or stand too long and tried several insoles. One of my friends turned me on to these flip flops have been life changing and now I do not want to wear anything else.

https://www.amazon.com/OOFOS-Unisex-Ori ... B00JWYCCEC

They have shoes too but I have not tried them yet. Also, you want the thong style flip flops because the other "slide style" let your foot slip forward. The only caveat is that they soft foam material holds on to dust and dirt, but these are machine washable - I just hose them down and they are good to go. I highly recommend these if you have heel pain or need arch support.
Great!
Ordered them to try out.

Have you tried the Crocs Classics??

Thanks!!!
J🌺
I owned crocs in the past but I don't remember them being as comfortable as the OOFOS. OOFOS have more of a "jelly soft" feel with good arch support.
Just got a pair of OOFOS gushy slippers for around the house. I have a mix of stone tile and carpet. House is shoe taboo. These are great for at home.

Mahalo
J🌺
I am glad you like them. They are great for home use, I think that is the intended use, but I use them outdoors and even for short hikes and walks on the beach. Hope they bring you some relief.
Tattarrattat
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Re: What FootWear Has The Softest Souls In The Heel Area?

Post by Tattarrattat »

Have similar issues, tried a bunch of stuff. Here's what works for me:

Running/Walking: Brooks, (Glycerin and Ghost).
Indoors: Oofos.
Hiking: Oboz.

Avoid flip-flops, sandals and other unsecured footwear for serious walking.

Aftermarket insoles: no. My conclusion with insoles is if I need one, then I have the wrong shoe.
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Sandtrap
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Re: What FootWear Has The Softest Souls In The Heel Area?

Post by Sandtrap »

Tattarrattat wrote: Mon Aug 09, 2021 10:22 am Have similar issues, tried a bunch of stuff. Here's what works for me:

Running/Walking: Brooks, (Glycerin and Ghost).
Indoors: Oofos.
Hiking: Oboz.

Avoid flip-flops, sandals and other unsecured footwear for serious walking.

Aftermarket insoles: no. My conclusion with insoles is if I need one, then I have the wrong shoe.
Huge thanks!
Mahalo
j🌺
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SnowBog
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Re: What FootWear Has The Softest Souls In The Heel Area?

Post by SnowBog »

Sandtrap wrote: Wed Aug 04, 2021 7:52 am Has anyone tried or use "Orthofeet" found on Amazon? :?:

(Orthofeet Proven Heel and Foot Pain Relief. Extended Widths. Best Orthopedic Walking Shoes Plantar Fasciitis Diabetic Men’s Sneakers Lava)
Link to Amazon.com
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07JWJRYMB/ ... ljaz10cnVl

Aloha
j :D
I have, and recommend them. I think a few people in the thread called them out as well. Although I'd check out the OrthoFeet website directly as they don't sell everything through Amazon, so you might find some other options/sizes/etc. https://www.orthofeet.com/

In my case, I have wide feet, and OrthoFeet have great options there.

What lead me to them was massive heel pain after abusing my feet in really old worn out shoes on a trip to D.C. years back, with walking/standing pretty much all day for several days... (Forgot how many steps and how long lines are [or were] there... :shock:)

When we returned home, I could barely walk without high pain levels. Tried lots of options, nothing helped much... (And I probably should have gone to the doctor... :oops:)

After several weeks, ended up getting a pair of OrthoFeet. My feet felt so much better, I basically started wearing them 24/7. I bought their "sandal" type shoes (closed heal, not flip-flop as I don't like the later) and wore them inside the house, tennis shoes for "everyday" wear, and even dress shoes for work.

After a few weeks of doing this, life returned to normal. But I've continued to wear them ever since...

The shoes do wear out at some point though. They are made to support orthotics, which I don't need. But you can easily remove the insert that comes with the shoe and replace with another (like a Dr. Scholl's or similar you can find anywhere). So if there is a particular insert that works well for you, very easy to adapt, and last longer.

But I'm hard on my shoes, and I like the comfort of new shoes/inserts, so I replace mine every 1-2 years (currently the cost is a reimbursable expense for me, so I don't hesitate to do more frequently).
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Sandtrap
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Re: What FootWear Has The Softest Souls In The Heel Area?

Post by Sandtrap »

SnowBog wrote: Mon Aug 09, 2021 2:11 pm
Sandtrap wrote: Wed Aug 04, 2021 7:52 am Has anyone tried or use "Orthofeet" found on Amazon? :?:

(Orthofeet Proven Heel and Foot Pain Relief. Extended Widths. Best Orthopedic Walking Shoes Plantar Fasciitis Diabetic Men’s Sneakers Lava)
Link to Amazon.com
https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B07JWJRYMB/ ... ljaz10cnVl

Aloha
j :D
I have, and recommend them. I think a few people in the thread called them out as well. Although I'd check out the OrthoFeet website directly as they don't sell everything through Amazon, so you might find some other options/sizes/etc. https://www.orthofeet.com/

In my case, I have wide feet, and OrthoFeet have great options there.

What lead me to them was massive heel pain after abusing my feet in really old worn out shoes on a trip to D.C. years back, with walking/standing pretty much all day for several days... (Forgot how many steps and how long lines are [or were] there... :shock:)

When we returned home, I could barely walk without high pain levels. Tried lots of options, nothing helped much... (And I probably should have gone to the doctor... :oops:)

After several weeks, ended up getting a pair of OrthoFeet. My feet felt so much better, I basically started wearing them 24/7. I bought their "sandal" type shoes (closed heal, not flip-flop as I don't like the later) and wore them inside the house, tennis shoes for "everyday" wear, and even dress shoes for work.

After a few weeks of doing this, life returned to normal. But I've continued to wear them ever since...

The shoes do wear out at some point though. They are made to support orthotics, which I don't need. But you can easily remove the insert that comes with the shoe and replace with another (like a Dr. Scholl's or similar you can find anywhere). So if there is a particular insert that works well for you, very easy to adapt, and last longer.

But I'm hard on my shoes, and I like the comfort of new shoes/inserts, so I replace mine every 1-2 years (currently the cost is a reimbursable expense for me, so I don't hesitate to do more frequently).
Huge appreciation for sharing that.
I’ll look into the orthofeet.

Mahalo
j🌺
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Sandtrap
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Re: What FootWear Has The Softest Souls In The Heel Area?

Post by Sandtrap »

OP here: huge thanks to everyone that responded for pointing me in the right directions to find the right products.

Aloha
j :D
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legio XX
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Re: What FootWear Has The Softest Souls In The Heel Area?

Post by legio XX »

carolinaman wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:18 am I bought a pair of Brooks Glycerin which are advertised to have very soft heels. They have been excellent shoes and are very comfortable. However, the best shoe for you will also depend the shape of your foot and gait. The Glycerin has a wide toebox which I need but may not work for you. I advise going to an athletic specialty store (not a big box store) to find the best shoe for you.
+1 on this; have arthritic feet/knees that need pampering. The Glycerins were ideal for a while but the last iteration I bought (think it was Glycerin 17) had gotten too soft. I could feel the concrete! Am now using Saucony, sorry don't remember the model but roomy toe box, lots of cushion and designed for high arch not flat foot - that one. Walk a couple of miles a day so not putting much demand on these shoes but they are comfortable. Specialty store with trained fitter, copy.
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Re: What FootWear Has The Softest Souls In The Heel Area? Huge Thanks for your help.

Post by Dottie57 »

I just went shoe shopping because my New Balance shoes are at end of life. I tried on the Hoka One One Bondi 7 - my what a great shoe! Comfy and soft inside. Rigid sole so you role through your stride. Bought a pair and wore the rest of the day.
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Re: What FootWear Has The Softest Souls In The Heel Area? Huge Thanks for your help.

Post by JBTX »

Also interested in this. In my case have PF on one foot and heel pain. Years ago had PF on other foot and went to podiatrist etc, followed instructions and wore Vionics almost exclusively. Still do.

With the current flare up on other foot, the Vionics give good arch support but don't have a lot of heel cushion. Interested in a sandal that has arch support and cushion.

I see oofas recommended. They look cushion-y. Do they have arch support? Quite a few amazon 1 stars for breaking in short order

Hoka recovery slide - do they have arch support?

Any other suggestions for sandal with PF level arch support plus plenty of heel cushion? These days I wear sandals almost all the time.
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