Good walking shoes are expensive.  If you have a Bob's Store near you,
they have a great discount shoe dept, with a large selection of shoes
for each kind of activity.

Or shop at zappos.com or shoebuy.com or shoedini.com for the ones you
saw in the store and see if prices are better.

If you can't afford high end, Ryka and even Skechers are surprisingly
comfortable for me when I'm on my feet a lot, and lots of folks love
Rockport walkers for long walking tours.  Mephistos are reportedly the
gold standard, but spendy.

Susan

Look in discount stores such as Marshall's, TJ Maxx, Ross, etc.  The
selection can be spotty, but I've always had good luck.  They tend to carry
leftovers from last season, but that shouldn't matter if you're looking for
comfort and good fit.  I like New Balance and Clarke.

Also major department stores such as Macy's have sales all the time.  My
husband likes a certain type of Rockport walker and we always wait for a
sale.  It's a $100 shoe and we pay $45.

Be careful of outlets.  Sometimes the shoes are made for the outlets and
they may look identical to the more expensive shoe.  But may not be real
leather which is what you want for breathability.

Good luck and have fun!

BessieBee......... my husband said, "Welcome to the club."   :o)  I have found some really good
ones but they are all in the upper price range.  Ecco is one really good one that also looks
good, too.  It is the brand of my summer sandals, which are also good walking shoes.  Right now
I am wearing Joseph Seibel shoes which are wonderful, but in that over $120 price.  I have very
serious neuropathy so must treat my feet probably better than any other part of my body, both
from a pain standpoint as well as a good care standpoint.

Good luck, girl!!!  I do so envy you your trip.  I had always been looking forward to my
husband's retiring so we could travel as we did way back during his Air Force days, but to
places *we* choose and not someone else.  BAH........... my conglomerate of illnesses decided to
all gang up on me at the same time, and now traveling is not only a real *pain* in the feet and
legs, but it also worsens some of the other things as well!  My trip to Ohio from Arkansas took
me two days to recoup after I got there, and it was about time to head for home when I got to
feeling pretty good.  Made me soooo mad!  Those great grandbabies were fabulous, and I didn't
want to leave them!

bh-wages at swbell.net

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

You can find diabetic shoes, socks and all kinds of information about taking
care of you feet at the URL below.

The shoes shown are priced from about $100.00 to just over $250.00. They may
have other less expensive shoes available if you ask for them.

I bought a pair of the least expensive shoes they had in stock about six
months ago and they are the most comfortable shoes I have ever worn. The
have been comfortable from day one and have not required any breaking in
period.

I was reluctant to buy shoes on-line without being able to try them on
first, but they fit fine, look good and feel great.

The URL is:

http://www.healthyfeetstore.com/pwminorshoes.html

Don

A $150 investment now can mean that you don't buy shoes for two years.
A $30 investment may end up being junk that has to be replaced every
2-3 months.  Which is the more frugal choice?

At risk of coming across with a tone I don't intend: if you can afford
tickets to Frankfurt and the cost of a rental car, plus accomodations
and food, it seems that you should be able to afford a pair of
well-made comfortable shoes to wear on your trip.

I'm partial to Birkenstocks.  In the basic Birk line all of the
footbeds are the same (regular/wide, or narrow) so its a matter of
finding a pair with an upper suitable to your taste and your wearing
requirements.  The cork footbeds mold themselves to your feet with
wear, provide excellent support and don't object to tromping through
puddles if they're allowed to recover overnight.    There are other
Birkenstock "lines" that include dressy and sporty shoes, as examples.
The footbeds vary slightly but they all provide great support and
comfort.

The "Milano" sandal is a good choice as a walking shoe. The straps are
all adjustable, the uppers are available in both leather and
"pleather", they're modestly priced at $100, and with proper care
you'll wear them for years.  The closed-foot shoes (oxfords, slip-ons)
cost more but again, the shoes will last for years with proper care.

Earth Shoes (not the Walmart version!) are another good choice for
walking shoes.  They've got a slight negative heel which moves your
weight back onto your heels (where it ought to be), the footbeds are
contoured for support and they'll last for years if you take care of
them.  They do take some getting used to if you're accustomed to
wearing a heeled shoe.  Earth Shoe prices start at about $90

If you your arches aren't flat, if you aren't prone to stress
fractures, and if you don't have plantar fasciatis you might look at
Crocs.  They're made of foamed silicone rubber, are waterproof, can be
worn with the heel strap up or down, and come in a wide variety of
colors.  The footbeds are squashy so conform to your foot shape while
you're wearing them.  The downside is they're VERY flexible and they
aren't puncture-proof.  They are comfortable, especially if you'll be
semi-stationary but on your feet for long periods of time.  They're OK
for day-long shopping trips but I don't know if I'd want to wear them
every day for a couple of weeks.  If you order directly from the
manufacturer you can choose your specific size and you'll pay about
$40.  

+++++++++++++

Reply to the list as I do not publish an email address to USENET.
This practice has cut my spam by more than 95%.  
Of course, I did have to abandon a perfectly good email account...

I just remembered another brand that I love to hike in, and most folks
find them incredibly comfortable for a modest price: Merrells.

Susan

If you can't find anything suitable that costs less -- readjust your
thinking. Think of the cost of shoes as part of your *travel* budget, not
your "shoe" budget.

It's a lot cheaper than fixing your feet later, not to mention the
hurting-feet along the way -- you do want to *enjoy* your trip, right?

Don't forget to buy several pair of good sox to go along with those good
shoes.

And if you think those shoes are expensive, wait'll you see the price of gas
in Europe!
bj

Good shoes will not be cheap, nor will they have to be broken in if they fit
properly!  I wear mainly New Balance and Birkenstock.  I buy discontinued
styles online because they're cheaper. Here is a link to New Balance:

http://www.nbwebexpress.com/default_c.htm?src=301

Here's a link for Birkenstock:

http://psne.com/

Birkenstock are generally more expensive, but you can sometimes find your
size on clearance.

You might also try doing a search of SAS shoes online, if you know what size
you wear.  Try them on in the store for fit first.  I've found shoes on Ebay
sometimes or other sources.  This is a good way to get discontinued styles
or colors for a good price.  Try the search engine froogle.com.

Many thanks to all who've posted a reply.  Just to make things clear:
I'm prepared to pay whatever is necessary for comfortable walking
shoes, but I don't want to pay any more than is necessary.  I've got a
fixed budget for this trip and if I end up spending $100+ for shoes
it'll just mean that much less for souvenirs, meals, etc.  We're
traveling with as little "baggage" as possible and I'm taking only one
pair of shoes with me.  I'll put them on before leaving for the
airport here, and other than times I'm asleep I'll have them on the
entire trip.  

I'm leary of shopping for shoes online, but might give it a try.  I
live in a small town and the closest mall & big stores are about an
hour's drive from here.  I'll be making a trek to the mall soon, but
want to have some idea what I'm looking for before I make the trip.

And, for the record, online searches show that a car rental is less
expensive than a Eurail pass.  We'll be there at the most 15 days, a
15 day Eurail pass is just over $500 each.  A car rental (for 12 days)
is a bit over $350 total.  Of course, we'll have to figure in the cost
of gas, but with a car we'll have complete freedom to choose where we
want to go within our time limits.  

We don't plan on staying anywhere fancy, we'll be searching out bed &
breakfasts and pensione and youth hostel type places in smaller towns.
This is my first trip to Europe, and may be my only trip there.  About
16 years ago my sister, with whom I'm traveling, spent a year in
Europe with nothing more than the backpack she left home with.  So,
we're both not neophytes to European travel.

I'll be checking out *all* the website suggested and really do
appreciate the time you all took with your suggestions!  Thank you!

BessieBee

The trouble is that we don't know what sort of foot you have.  If you're
an over-pronator (and your heels wear down on the inside edge) you need
good arch support.  If you're an under-pronator (heels wear down on the
outside edge) you need a flexible sole, one that's slip-lasted or at most
half-lasted.  

If you google 'pronation' you'll get a ton of hits.  When you figure out
what sort of shoe you want, go to ebay. I'm an underpronator (also called
supinator) and I need a flexible, cushioned shoe.  Saucony is an
excellent brand for me, and I can get them on ebay for around $20, s&h
included.  

You may think that if you've never heard of pronation it can't make much
difference in how a shoe feels.  At least, that's what I thought.  Until
I bought a pair of Sauconys and found foot heaven.  :-)

Best of luck to you in this,

Chak

If your not having problems with your feet (diabetic problems), any good
walking shoes would go a long way towards making your trip more enjoyable.
My daughter and her family get their shoes at the outlet stores. They often
have specials there for half price or less.

I get special diabetic shoes and Medicare pays for them. They are not cheap,
I just got the Medicare Summary Notice for my shoes this year. The total
cost of shoes and inserts was $401.76.

Anon

BessieBee, have you tried Easy Spirit.

Loretta

--
In tribute to the United States of America and the State
of Israel, two bastions of strength in a world filled with strife and
terrorism.

I wish I could get SAS shoes for $120 US ($145 CAN). Mine were $200 CAN
plus $30 CAN taxes, and worth every penny. I use to get Hush Puppy brand
leather shoes for $90 CAN and they would be trashed in nine months. I
have worn my one pair of SAS shoes daily for three straight years now by
changing the removable insoles ($30 CAN) every year. That is fairly
economical in the long run. I have had trouble getting properly fitting
shoes most of my life (9 1/2 EEEE), and have wasted a fortune on
"economical" shoes.

That being said, I can understand your dilemma. Have you looked at a
good quality of "walking" runners such as New Balance brand? They did
nothing for me, but many people swear by them. Rockport and Clarke are
two other brands I have heard mentioned.

Dennis (Type 2)

Besides the subjective criterion of "comfort," you need to think about
how the shoes might protect you from things that might be the
beginnings of diabetic foot problems. Small injuries might be slow to
heal, and might lead to gangrene and amputation.

Therefore, wear only closed styles. Avoid sandals and other "open"
styles. Circulating air might be nice in preventing athlete's foot,
but for a diabetic, mechanical injury is worse. Never, ever, go
barefoot, *especially* on the beach. The shoe soles should be thick
and sturdy; you're going to encounter sharp rocks, etc.

Ankle support is very important. You don't want to twist your foot and
sprain your ankle.

Blisters are another thing to be avoided at all costs. The shoes must
be well fitting, and well broken-in. You might consider having an old
pair resoled for the trip -- but wear them ahead of time so you don't
get any surprises.