Barking Dog Shoes

Where to Find Comfortable Shoes on Sale This Weekend

Happy Memorial Day from Barking Dog Shoes.

• Shoebuy: 20% off total order (exclusions apply). Enter code "SALE" at checkout.

• PlanetShoes.com: 20% off sandals (exclusions apply). Click on "Sandal Shop."

• Shoemall: 20% off order with free shipping. Use promo code MEMORIAL. 

• Amazon: 30% off select sandals with free super saver shipping.

• OnlineShoes.com: 15% off regular prices with promotion code 1PICNIC at checkout.

• The Walking Company: Hundreds of sandals on sale; free shipping, free returns to store.

• Endless: Memorial Day sandal sale; free shipping/free returns.

• Footwearetc.com: 10% off most shoes and sandals with free shipping.

• RueLaLa: Half-price Allrounder by Mephisto walking shoes

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Orthaheel Seatrek Review

Cute sandals. What are those?

Orthaheels.

God bless you.

I didn't sneeze; that's the name of the shoe.

Oh. I like them. Are they comfortable?

Yes.

Tell me about them.

Ok. Do you want the three-sentence review or the podiatrist-designed, APMA approved, Dr. Weil recommended, tri-planar motion control, pronation-reducing review?

I've got places to go and people to see, but my feet pronate and I need comfortable shoes. Just tell me if you'd recommend them.

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Review in three sentences:

These are my new Orthaheel Seatrek sandals courtesy of Footwearetc.com. They feature a podiatrist-designed built-in orthotic footbed with serious arch support, deep heel cup and adjustable hook-and-loop closure. I love the support of the Seatrek, but it's a little too wide for my medium-width foot and tad too long--should have ordered the 9 instead of 10 (whole sizes only).

 

If you have more time, read on:

I first heard about Orthaheel from my friend, Pam, who suffers from plantar fasciitis. She spoke so highly of her Tide sandals and their ability to alleviate her PF pain that I decided to try a pair. Then Dr. Andrew Weil jumped the Orthaheel bandwagon which sealed the deal for me. I don't know what it is about that guy, but I like his holistic approach to good health--astragalus root and all.

I've been wearing my Orthaheel Seatreks for short durations each day to get used to the arch support. I've gardened in them (faux-cork footbed and PU straps wash up nicely), worn them on short walks to and from my son's school and to the grocery store. While they take some getting used to, my heel pain noticeably improves as does ball-of-foot pain during wear. You can see how the footbed supports my high arches in the photo below.

The sizing is a little tricky. Since Orthaheel sandals come in whole sizes only, I went with the 10 (I'm usually between a 9.5 and 10). I should have ordered the 9, because the sandal feels too big overall. You can see how there's too much shoe at the top of my toes in the photo below. This has caused me to trip over cracks in the sidewalk and break my mother's back repeatedly. They're also a bit too wide for my wider-forefoot/narrow heel combination foot.

I would recommend the Seatrek for someone with slightly wide feet that need arch support to relieve plantar fasciitis or excess pronation. 

Footwearetc.com has a great selection of Orthaheel sandals for men and women. The Seatrek is $79.99 with free shipping. 

For more information about Orthaheel and the technology behind the shoe, visit their website.

 

Enter to Win Me Too Shoes from Shoeline.com

Do you like comfortable shoes that feel like Dearfoam slippers but don't look like Dearfoam slippers? Are you tired of wearing flats that are, well, flat? Don't always feel like exposing your toes, but want your feet to look and feel summery?  Me Too.  

Me Too makes some of the cutest, most foot-friendly flats I've come across in my 2 1/2 years of comfort shoe blogging. Thank you Shoeline.com for sending me the Nicki 14 skimmer in fuchsia to try. The combination of soft nubuck leather upper, generously padded insole and flexible outsole make this shoe a great choice for anyone with sensitive feet seeking a ballet flat style. 

Now YOU TOO can win a pair of Me Too shoes from Shoeline.com! Not to worry if you're not a ballet flat kind of gal, Me Too also makes gorgeous sandals, heels and wedges too.

How to enter:

1. Visit Shoeline.com’s Me Too page here.

2. Leave a comment below telling us the style you’d love to own!

Extra Entries:

1. Tweet about this contest. Copy and paste the following tweet into Twitter.  Each tweet will be counted as will any RT you get on your tweet!

I want to win a pair of #MeTooshoes from @shoeline RT if U think these would look great on me! http://bit.ly/a0tuAv

2. Post a comment on Shoeline.com’s Facebook page telling us your favorite Me Too style (or post a link to your favorite style!). Leave 1 comment below for each FB post.

• Join Shoeline.com on Facebook

• Follow Shoeline.com on Twitter to receive exclusive updates, news, style advice and promotions from Shoeline.com!

One winner will be chosen at random at 10:00 central time on Tuesday, June 1.

Spring/Summer 2010 Styles by Sanita

If you're an avid Dansko clog-wearer, you'll recall that the Danish company, Sanita, manufactured the rocker soles for Dansko up until 2007  when the two companies parted ways. Dansko went on to create their own rocker sole Professional clog and branched out with collections like the Sausalito line of cushioned, lightweight and extremely comfortable shoes and sandals, which you probably know I'm crazy about (Sissy, Sally, and Sela are a few of my faves).

But wait. Hold the phone. What are these new styles I'm seeing by Sanita? It's quite obvious they're distancing themselves from Dansko with their own unique styles and colorways, but the Gaya sandal and Malibu Gisele clog caught my attention in particular (pictured above). These gals come from Sanita's Wave collection of lightweight, shock-absorbing footwear. Although I haven't tried a pair yet, I'm impressed with the interesting floral details and the fact that both styles offer a removable/washable insole--perhaps they can accommodate an orthotic?

If you stand by your original rocker-sole clogs, try the Sanita Sonja which comes in gorgeous floral and animal patterns to more traditional solids. Customers rave about the Sonja and she carries the seal of acceptance from the American Podiatric Medical Association.

Were you a fan of the Nolita high-heeled wedge collection that Dansko sadly discontinued a few years ago? Well take a look at these, baby! Look similar? Don't miss Sofia and Sandra too; all sisters from Sanita's new Sangria collection.

And lastly, if you wore Dr. Scholl's original wooden clog and need to update your look from 1972 to 2010, try a pair of Sanita Ella Flex sandals. While merely looking at them makes my soles ache, you might find them perfectly comfortable.

Where to buy Sanita:

• OnlineShoes.com: great selection of new arrivals; free shipping and exchanges within 30 days.
• The Walking Company: best selection of colors/textures/patterns of Sanita Professional style; free shipping/free returns to store.
• Zappos: good selection of Sanita's original rocker sole clogs and sandals with free shipping both ways.
• ClogOutlet.com: authorized Sanita outlet for close-outs and factory seconds. Save up to 60%.

Naot Faso Review by Louise

Today's review of the Naot Faso comes from BarkingDogShoes.com reader, Louise H.  Washington is Louise's official state of residence, but you'll be hard-pressed to pin her down as she tours the country in a renovated Neoplan Spaceliner bus called the Odyssey. Keep up with her wanderings at  Our Odyssey.

I purchased a pair of Naot Faso sandals from Zappos for $141. I think this was the most I've ever paid for a pair of shoes, so I was really hoping that they would work with my orthotics. I have chronic plantar fasciitis in both feet and have to wear my orthotics every day. Finding sandals that work for me is tricky, since the orthotics tend to "walk" out of the back of anything with just an ankle strap.

The Naots are fantastic! The cork footbed is removable so my orthotics fit completely inside the sole. I also found that even with the cork still in place, there is enough of a lip in the heel that my orthotics do not slip out. I decided to keep the cork in place because I prefer the way it looks under my toes. With the cork bed out, my toes look like they have sunk into the front of the shoe. My husband said that looked sort of "clunky."

I really like the style of these sandals. I bought the Metal color, which is a sort of mottled bronze. The ankle strap has a small rhinestone detail that isn't too fancy but adds a nice feminine touch. Both straps adjust with velcro and elastic. The toe strap extends several inches up the side of the sandal for good solid support without looking heavy.

 

The sole of the Faso is a smooth black rubbery plastic. Combined with the cork footbed, they are really cushioned for walking. The molded sole shape is much less heavy-looking than some of Naot's older styles.

 

I have medium width feet and these fit me just right. I would not recommend them for wide feet, however.  There doesn't seem to be much width adjustment in the toe area and this style does not come in a wide size as far as I can tell.

-Louise

Thanks Louise! For another perspective, read Barbie's review of the same comfortable shoe last April. 

The Naot Faso is available in euro sizes 35-42 at:

• Zappos: $141, free shipping both ways.
• Onlineshoes.com: $141.95, free shipping and exchanges.
• FootSmart: $141.95, free shipping.
• Footwearetc: $142, free shipping.