Mephisto Helen Sandal Review : Incredible Arch Support in a Stylish Sandal

The lovely Mephisto Helen sandal comes back year after year in new colors, textures and patterns.  Its classic style and superb support make it a crowd favorite among comfort shoe lovers. And if I may say so, it edges out Birkenstock just a smidge in the style category with its studded, sparkling upper.

The Mephisto Helen sandal features Soft-Air Technology: a shock-absorbing midsole that relieves pressure on joints and spine. The cork and latex footbed is contoured with anatomical support for heel, arches, toes. The adjustable instep strap allows for a customized fit and the Caoutchouc rubber outsole won’t break down, crumble or mark up your floors (plus it provides even more shock-absorption).

Personally, I love the close fit of this supportive sandal. It doesn’t slap my heel when I walk and stays put on my foot. The arch support is excellent, the footbed soft yet not too flexible (perhaps a good choice for toes with hallux limitus/rigidus?). The slight elevation of the rubber outsole provides more lift than my Birkenstocks–my heels feel protected from hard pavement and floors.

About the toe thong post…I thought it would bother me, but the nubuck leather is soft and after a few wearings, I don’t notice the toe post.

Seventy-five percent of the over 2500 Zappos reviewers award the Mephisto Helen 5 stars for comfort and style. One happy customer says this about her favorite sandals:

“Between arthritis, plantar faciitis , achilles tendonitis, etc., it’s been a long time since I’ve been out of my Spira walking shoes for more than a few minutes at a time. My orthopedic surgeon’s nurse turned me on to Mephisto. She wears them religiously. I can actually wear my Helens the whole day long. They fit like a glove. The engineering of the arches and heels provides the support and stability I need.“

The Euro size 40, or 10 fits my 9.5-10 foot best. I have a medium width foot, but I imagine these would work for a slightly narrow or wide foot too since the instep strap is adjustable.

The Mephisto Helen sandal is available in euro sizes 35-43 for $104-159 from Mephisto and Amazon.  Need a wider fit? The Mephisto Helen Plus will suit your feet best. See our comfortable sandals category for more supportive, stylish picks for your “barking dogs.”