Finn Comfort – Promising Shoes and Sandals for Foot and Joint Issues
Finn Comfort Phuket
Let’s just come out and admit it: Finn Comfort sandals aren’t the sleekest shoes on the shelf. But in the quest for the perfect shoe for problem feet and joints, many have found relief in German-made Finn. With soft removable insoles that support both the lateral and medial arches, deep heel cups and shock-absorbing outsoles, Finn Comfort is a brand you should know. You may call them grandma sandals, but here’s a review of Finn Comfort sandals by one of the hippest grandmas I know, Kathy M.
Kathy and granddaughter
Finn Comfort Phuket
The Finn Comfort Phuket Sandal is a great, well made, but pricey shoe. The downside of Finn Comfort is that they are not always very stylish, but I like the Phukets because they are comfortable and stylish as well. I purchased them last summer in black patent leather and have found them to be very versatile (you can wear them with jeans or a skirt).
I have had knee and hip replacements and a lot of foot and back issues, so a comfortable shoe is a must for me. I chose Finn for their reputation for being a well made and comfortable shoe. A big plus for these shoes is that they have an adjustable toe and velcro top strap. However, the toe piece hits about half way between the curve between the toes and the end of my toes. Since I can adjust the top strap, they still stay on well and it isn’t a big problem. They run true to size. They have great arch support, a removable foot bed, and I find that I can wear them comfortably all day.
Although they are quite expensive, if you have a lot of foot and joint issues, as I do, Finn Comfort sandals are well worth the price!
Finn Comfort sandals are available for around $170-$220 from Zappos, Happy Feet Plus, and The Walking Company.
If you prefer a sandal with multiple adjustable straps for a customized fit, consider the bestselling Finn Comfort Gomera pictured below.
Great feedback from clients who traveled Europe in beautiful comfort wearing Finn Comfort sandals #YourFeetOurHandspic.twitter.com/l3kH72AXip
— Strides Pedorthics (@StridesBC) May 12, 2016
Finn Comfort Gomera
The Gomera sandal features four adjustable straps for a secure fit. The forefoot strap covers the bunions without irritating them since the leather is of high quality and super soft. I recommend the Gomera for relief from plantar fasciitis with its low 1 1/2″ heel, excellent arch support, deep heel cup and secure back strap. Available in eight colors in euro sizes 35-43 (5-12.5) for $255 at Zappos, The Walking Company, Happy Feet Plus and Amazon.
Do you have a pair of Finn Comfort sandals or shoes? What do you like about them? Do they relieve any foot conditions? Any concerns? Leave a comment and help our readers out! Thank you.
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28 Responses to Finn Comfort – Promising Shoes and Sandals for Foot and Joint Issues
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I purchased a pair of Finn Comforts with a rocket bottom a year ago when foot pain was just unbearable & really getting me down. Best purchase ever. Plus! If you go to their website you see they are contracted with a company that will refurbish the shoe. Pricing for refurbishment starts at $80. That sold me on the shoes. Knowing they really could be an investment & I could keep refurbishing them.
Amanda, thank you for the tip! Glad you love your Finns.
And I love the idea of “rocket” bottom ( I know it’s just a typo), because we could really get around quickly! To the moon!
I love and wear Finns but they are sometimes hard on my knees. I am gradually switching to Mephistos. Equally pricey but very comfortable. They are a little softer shoe with excellent support.
I just wore my Mephisto Helens tonight thinking about how much I love the support!
I wore the Finn Comfort Gomera and loved the quality of the leather. However, my doctor correctly pointed out that these shoes all have at least a one-inch heel, sometimes more (like the Phuket, above). For knee, hip, and back issues, wearing a truly flat shoe helps immensely!
So glad you posted this! I recently broke the #1 rule of shoes: I bought a pair of shoes and took them on vacation without wearing them first. Thankfully I have a very happy ending to this story. I have terrible PF and a neuroma on one foot and have struggled with finding shoes that work. I wanted the Finn Comfort Ikebukuro but no one had my size, so went with the Finn Comfort Ceylon.
I woore them the entire vacation and my feet have never felt better! Would love a pair of their sandals, but can’t quite get past the matronly look yet. Comfort may win out though.
I had to go up in size on the Ceylon for the best fit. Also, my feet are on the narrow side and the fit is great. Thanks for all you do, I really enjoy your site.
I bought 2 pair of Ikebukuro’s. One in navy leather and the other in brown suede. I normally wear a size 8, and bought size 8. They seemed a tiny bit short and I ended up returning them. I caught myself thinking I should keep them……but I think it was because I rather liked the ugly/cute/cool/uncool look of them. Too pricey for that approach! I did find them to be a “hard,” shoe, not unbelievably comfortable, with a bit of a “rocket,” sole that I didn’t expect. It’s certainly a beautifully crafted shoe of the finest materials. I think because I really don’t have any major foot issues, it was overkill for me, so not a great choice.
They reminded me a bit of cool bowling shoes. 🙂
I realize how rude I must sound! Sorry for that, I was excited about you reviewing this brand.
Just wanted to add that your friend’s feet look great in these sandals and not matronly at all. Love the blue.
Haha! If only there was a rocket shoe! I wouldn’t have half so many problems.
I have 6 pairs of Finns, with another pair on the way from Amazon. It’s the only brand I wear. I tried the rocker soles (Finnamic) but they hurt my bad foot- the arches are extremely high on these. The flat models with the soft insole are the best for me. The best sandal I’ve tried so far is the Sylt. Not pretty though. The lace-up Vaasas are really ugly but I adore them. I’ve just ordered the soft, padded ‘Prevention’ (diabetic) shoe that has the same shape. I think that will be the bomb for arthritic feet. There’s also a Prevention sandal with a wedge heel like the Phuket which looks nice. Finns are very high quality, handmade, which explains the price. They last a long time. You just replace the insole and keep the leather well conditioned. Avoid the mock-croc patent leather, it’s rubbish.
Herma,
Thanks so much for the valuable input re: Finn Comfort shoes. Good reminder that the insoles can be replaced.
Here are some additional tips that might help someone.
I have problems with a lateral ligament and arthritis in the base of the 5th metatarsal joint. Before I discovered Finn I wore totally flat sandals and shoes (Crocs, Vibram fivefingers, flip-flops, etc) and they messed up my foot properly. I shop online without trying shoes on (no distributor in my country) so it has been a hit-and-miss affair.
Make sure you get the Soft footbed. I find the Classic one too hard.
Stick to the nappa or plain, smooth leather (which is a bit thicker and stiffer than nappa) uppers for durability and ease of maintenance.
Sylt sandal: Very nice. Soft footbed, adjustable everywhere so you don’t have to worry about fit. Flat, flexible sole. Soft leather-lined straps don’t chafe. Ankle strap keeps it nice and secure on your foot, no flip-flopping.
Phuket: A bit of a wedge heel, but still very stable even for wobbly ankles. The toe thong is comfortable. A great sandal but mine has the hard footbed, which I’m going to replace. The wedge is surprisingly kind to my sore foot because I don’t have to lift my heel as high as with a flat sole when I walk. It’s the best-looking Finn in my opinion. Adjustable thong and arch strap.
Alexandria: Avoid this one. It has all the drawbacks of a loose-fitting flip-flop with a toe thong. The thong chafes the top of my toes. It does have a soft footbed though. I use mine as house and yard slippers; they’re useless for walking.
Samara: Ugly. Not worth the high price. I find the rocker sole extremely uncomfortable but if you like rockers in other brands you might like these too. The uppers also chafe a bit. Nubuck leather stains easily.
Vaasa (oxford): Beautiful beasts for walking. Replace the hard insole with a soft one. Lots of space for your toes. Soft nappa leather. After the second day you won’t mind how they look 😉
I still want to try the Prevention Line oxford and wedge sandal. They are padded and soft inside for diabetics, which sounds like foot heaven.
Replacement insoles are available and if you live in the US you can have the rubber soles replaced too.
Happy walking!
This is my favorite brand of shoes. I have a wide forefoot, a narrow heel, high arches and a high instep. I also suffer from ideopathic peripheral neuropathy so I have to change shoes frequently during the day. I can’t tolerate anything between my toes so the style you reviewed is out. However, I own five pairs now of Finn Comfort’s style Jamaica, all in different colors. I love them so much. My feet swell during the day and because of the velcro, they can be easily removed and readjusted. I’ve tried a couple of different oxford styles from them, the Soho and one other whose name escapes me. They’re too narrow and couldn’t accommodate my instep. Once I’ve saved up, I’m going to order the Pretoria. Yes, it looks orthopedic but if it’s comfortable and I can keep them on my feet longer than an hour without pain, that’s all that matters to me.
I am a huge Finn Comfort fan. I started wearing them at my Drs suggestion. I now own 13 pair. I try to find them on sale when I can. Shoe Buy USED to include them in their 30% off offers – but discontinued Finns. They fit my foot perfectly is size 38. However – the sizing 7 1/2 does NOT fit at all – the arch is in the wrong place for me. I have many issues – plantar fasciitis, flat feet, rheumatoid and osteoarthritis, tendonitis in feet. I need tons of support.
I used to wear a lot of Ecco’s – but lately they are not nearly as supportive and I’ve been really disappointed. I can put Finns on right out of the box and wear all day. ( I have not tried their Rockers or any rockers)
Has anyone tried the Calmasino rocker bottom sandal? If so, what are your thoughts?
kirsten,
i have severe osteoarthritis in left mid foot. I also have RA.
I need a rocker bottom sandal or one that is as supportive as a rocker bottom. Can you recommend what you like as I read that you had the same problem.
I do wish I could find black insoles for my Finns! Birkenstock makes them for some of their shoes, but for me, Finns is by far a better shoe.
Please let me know if anyone makes the black insoles on your behalf or your customers’.
Thank you.
MY FEET ARE A MESS! I have constant tendonitis in both big toe joints, PF, metarsalgia and collapsed arches. Ideally something that would help with all of my ailments would be lovely, but honestly the toe joints are the biggest pain (literally). I would love any recommendations for any type of shoe that could accommodate that.
I just bought a pair of replacement insoles and they are the Finn Brand but they are not fitting into the shows that I wanted the replacement for. You compare the arch and heels and the replacements are thicker so won’t fit down into the shoe. Very frustrating for me when you spend the $ to replace and can’t fit them in the show. Additionally, my shoes didn’t say 37D but said 4. It is difficult at best to try and decipher the UK, Germany, Australia and US size conversions. I have not found one that provides enough information that is informative. I love my Finns but am getting frustrated. If anyone has any recommendations I would love to hear from them on how to alter my soles to fit in my shoes.
Hi Alyson–have you tried contacting them via their Facebook page? THey have a private message feature.
Thanks so much for these comments! I too have to shop online, working by trial and error, so the information is really useful!
I cover my footbeds with Smartwool black “footies”:
https://www.smartwool.com/shop/women-socks-noshows
They work like a charm. This was suggested to me by a Finn Comfort company representative.
On the Finn website, at the “Soft Prevention & Footbeds” tab, there are some black insoles, but the Smartwool choice is much cheaper and works well.
Severe pronation lead me to purchase Fiinn shoes. I wore them four hours, then to my gym workout, the fisrt day. My whole leg seems re-aligned, and both my knees and hips ache.. Im thinking its like new orthotics, where I will have to break them in slowly. good thing I got them 3 weeks before my trip, I would have been crippled and shoeless. I will persevere with the break in, only 2 hours per day and add slowly until I can keep up with my husband and our 11 year-old grandson on our European 6 weeek tour.
I’ve worn Finns for 21years, and nothing else. I even wear a Finn wool slipper. Prior to Finns no matter what I wore I’d wind up with knee or ankle wear injuries that would sideline my walking. I met a pedorthist in Kansas City shopping for a walking shoe who fitted me in the Sylt. Within two weeks I’d thrown every other pair away, and slowly began building a new shoe wardrobe.
I have them resoled when they need it, and regularly replace the footbeds which makes them like new again. My favorite red nubuck boots are 18 years old and still get compliments. So to me they’re quite economical in the long run.
Over the years I’ve learned the Sylt-style sole works best for me (10-1/2 narrow foot; I wear a size 42, or 11). I think it’s only 1/2” or so high; I’ve read recently that the gomera and Catalina style soles are more like 1” plus high and work best for “stronger feet.” That’s certainly not me!
As for style, I love the high quality leathers, and European styling. I think they look way better on. I tend toward a more tailored style of dress, and I find that, once on my feet, they become the perfect neutral (in a good way) accessory I prefer). Can you tell I love them?
I have the same problem as Angie and desparate for some help.
Barbara
I love Finns but the soles on some are sticky then they crumble,fall apart. I need these shoes soles to last longer and I feel like they should.please help
where can i buy finn comfort shoes