Right foot forward

It's morning. You're in a rush to leave. You rustle through the closet and finally decide to wear a dress. Now all that remains is to choose a pair of shoes, and this is where things get tricky.

You know you face a long day, and many long hours will pass before you can go home and rest your feet. So which pair should you choose? The red heels that go so well with your dress? Or the black flats that don't really suit the look, but are really comfortable?

As always, you choose the red heels, even though you know perfectly well that by mid-day your feet will be on fire and your back will be sore. But you have to suffer for beauty.

Well, that's how it worked for years uncountable, but the truth is that the paradigm has been changing. The trend of comfort has reached the world of shoes, and the word is, you don't have to suffer to look good.

"In the past, healthy shoes looked clumsy, orthopedic," says Avi Avidor, CEO and partner at Originals, and the owner of Health Center for the Foot and Hand. "Today comfortable shoes can be fashionable."

Indeed, the range of comfortable shoes grows every season. If in the past there were only a few brands, such as Teva Naot and Rockport, today every other shoe store proudly presents footwear that isn't only comfortable, but is also pretty. Avidor says that Israel's market for comfortable shoes totals NIS 300 million a year. Most customers are over 35 years of age, but that number is dropping. The price range is usually NIS 400 to NIS 1,000.

"You have to distinguish between orthopedic shoes and comfortable shoes," he says. Orthopedic shoes made to order, personalized to the foot. Comfortable shoes are mass produced, but are designed based on the shape of the foot, and feel comfortable. "They are made of special materials that make the shoe comfortable, such as materials that dissipate sweat and moisture, and prevent moisture from getting in. The sole expands when you step down, and regains the original shape when you sit down."

Dr. Daniel Carlin, an orthopedic expert at the Tel Aviv District of the Clalit and Maccabi healthcare funds, explains that to make sure a shoe is "comfortable," you have to try it on and walk about a bit. But there are also some general characteristics that help, such as sufficient room for the heel and toes, a flexible shock-absorbent sole, flexible upper part, and room for insoles.

To see which shoes had the winning combination of "look and feel," TheMarker checked 20 pairs of sandals and clogs fro leading brands. Two stores refused to cooperate: Beautifeel was not prepared to send shoes to be tested, though it did want to provide written material, which we politely declined to receive, and Geox refused to either send shoes or be mentioned at all.

Since the selection for women is much greater than for men, we looked at 16 pairs for women and four for men. Our testers wore the shoes for two weeks, testing for grip, aeration, comfort of the sole, - and design. Here we go.

1. Teva

Model: Omnium

Design: Pretty, designed for people who walk and girls who like to look sporty.

Comfort: Molds well to the foot, like a sneaker with a soft sole. Has slits for aeration but the sole is made of plastic, causing a little sweating. When engaging in strenuous action, socks are recommended.

Bottom line: An excellent shoe for walking, hiking or just looking sporty.

Price: NIS 599.

Where: Original's

Score: 9

2. Lady Comfort

Model: Relax Comfort

Design: A pretty sandal that compliments the foot. The platform is a little bulky, but relative to other platform shoes, it manages to look refined. Appeals to women who are young in spirit.

Comfort: Excellent grip, comfortable platform sole that feels orthopedic. The leather straps may hurt at first and it may take some time to grow accustomed. Open, airy sandal, no sweating issues.

Bottom line: A sandal with presence, provides a lot of height without making walking a challenge.

Price: NIS 279.

Where: Lady Comfort chain

Score: 9

3. Earth

Model: Kalso Negative Heel

Design: A little clunky looking, mainly because of the sheer number of black straps.

Comfort: Innovative technology places the heel lower than the toe, for the sake of proper posture. The raised part of the shoe isn't in the back, as is the norm, but in the front, under the toes. It forces you to walk very upright and that takes time to get used to. But afterward it feels comfortable, and you can walk for a long time without difficulty. The sandals are quite light and the grip is very good, helped by a slim strip. The sole and its material are very comfortable and pleasant.

Bottom line: Good for women with good posture.

Price: NIS 549.

Where: Original's

Score: 9

4. Arcopedico

Design: Cute, feels like a regression to childhood.

Comfort: Almost like walking barefoot. It's a closed shoe but the foot didn't feel constrained or hot (aeration). The sole is soft and especially pleasant.

Bottom line: That free feeling.

Price: NIS 435.

Where: Fly Foot group flagship store, Dizengoff Center, Tel Aviv.

Score: 9

5. Fly Foot

Design: Fresh, springlike look for summer, for older women.

Comfort: Airy and comfortable, adjustable straps, good grip for different foot shapes, soft, pleasant sole. Ideal solution for the overweight.

Bottom line: Heavy women deserve to feel comfortable, too. Price: NIS 249.

Where: Fly Foot group.

Score: 8.5

6. Romika

Design: Feminine, flatters big feet too. Suitable for mature women who want to be chic and comfortable.

Comfort: Flexible shoe that hugs the foot. Soft sole with convex insole in the right places, supports the front and rear pads of the sole. Upper part flexible and soft, enables vigorous walking from the start, no need to acclimatize. Rear strap may fall if you have a thick heel. Bottom line: May it never give out.

Price: NIS 330.

Where: Fly Foot group.

Score: 8.5

7. Jenny by Ara

Model: 50410

Design: Classic, restrained, comfortable, friendly from the first try.

Comfort: Quite airy, grips the foot well, soft, pleasant sole for walking. Mainly for mature women.

Bottom line: Your granny will love it.

Price: NIS 460.

Where: Caravelle flagship store in Ra'anana.

Score: 8

8. Teva Naot

Model: Glory

Design: Pretty but a little coarse and conservative. Suits women of all ages.

Comfort: Hugs the foot well, very pleasant in the heat. Sole is very pleasant and suits the foot.

Bottom line: A comfortable sandal that suits the shape of your foot.

Price: NIS 369.

Where: Teva Naot.

Score: 8

9. Naturalizer

Model: Missors

Design: A combination of slipper and sneaker. For women of all ages.

Comfort: Holds the foot well, soft sole, doesn't feel sweaty or hot.

Bottom line: Design isn't anything to write home about, but good grip.

Price: NIS 299.

Where: Naturalizer, Mix.

Score: 8

10. Teva Naot

Model: Nirvana

Design: Green (or red or other colors), young-looking.

Comfort: Not very stable because of the narrow heel, short on grip in the rear. The sole is soft and pleasant, the sandal is very airy, and doesn't feel sweaty.

Bottom line: Unstable.

Price: NIS 349.

Where: Teva Naot.

Score: 7.5

11. Aerosoles

Model: Gold digger

Design: Stunning sandal that gets compliments, suits girls and women, simple and elegant.

Comfort: Airy sandal that grips the foot well, but the straps on top and chafes the toes. You can't walk without band-aids in your handbag. The sole is comfortable, but not especially. Not like wood, but not orthopedic, either.

Bottom line: Great design, but really not comfortable.

Price: NIS 400.

Where: Aerosoles.

Score: 7

12. Fly foot

Design: Despite the red, summery look, it's clunky.

Comfort: Comfortable, not too high, no sweaty feel, sole is soft and pleasant. The grip is a problem and when walking far, the shoe tends to get away from the foot. It's a clog, remember, but the grip in front should compensate for the absence of heel grip.

Bottom line: Doesn't grip and isn't pretty.

Price: NIS 249.

Where: Fly Foot group.

Score: 7.5

13. Daniel Hechter

Model: 0342

Design: Classic clog for any age, open, airy. Shape and color add sporty-elegant touch, insofar as a clog can be.

Comfort: The sole is wooden, and as is the way of wood, it's hard. But the sandal is shaped to the foot so you can stand for a long time. But it may chafe when you walk long or fast.

Bottom line: Comfortable wooden clog? Not a winning concept. Price: NIS 419.

Where: Caravelle

Score: 6.5

14. Naturalizer

Model: Marathon Design: High-heeled shoe, red lacquer, doesn't fall short in terms of fashion.

Comfort: Very narrow around the toes, foot slips forward, crushing the toes in the narrow opening. Doesn't grip well at the heel. But you can't really feel the high heel: the sole makes you feel like you're walking on flats.

Bottom line: Very chic, but the comfort is arguable.

Price: NIS 359.

Where: Naturalizer, Mix.

Score: 6.5

15. Rockport

Model: Black heel

Design: Elegant, a little outdated. The shell shapes in front aren't the cutting edge of fashion.

Comfort: Foot is crowded and sweats. All you want is to take it off as fast as possible. But the sole is especially soft and comfortable and you can hardly feel the heel.

Bottom line: Feels like flats, but closed and hot.

Price: NIS 599.

Where: Original's.

Score: 6

16. Aerosoles

Model: Rediscover

Design: Gold-colored slipper, pretty, but makes foot look wide.

Comfort: Quite comfortable, soft and pleasant. Perhaps too soft: the grip is an issue.

Bottom line: For women with narrow feet who can stand for them to look broader.

Price: NIS 460.

Where: Aerosoles.

Score: 6

1. Teva Naot

Model: Hyper

Design: Classic, simple, not elegant. Suits all ages.

Comfort: Very comfortable sandal, soft and pleasant sole, but doesn't grip the foot enough. Bottom line: For men who like the simple, comfortable look.

Price: NIS 349.

Where: Teva Naot.

Score: 9

2. Rockport

Model: Black heel

Design: Fashionable, for the young in spirit.

Comfort: Grips the foot well, though the shoe feels a little tough around the ankle and isn't that flexible. Takes time to get used to it. The sole, on the other hand, is very comfortable. Bottom line: Fashionable, generally comfortable.

Price: NIS 699.

Where: Original's.

Score: 8.5

3. Teva

Model: Karnali Wraptor

Design: Young, interesting, flattering, suits long walks.

Comfort: Strap holds the foot well, allowing long pain-free walks. Reminiscent of a sneaker in its springiness. But it does make the foot sweat, and the plastic sole doesn't make things better.

Bottom line: Terrific walking sandal, not great in hot weather.

Price: NIS 599.

Where: Original's.

Score: 8

4. Teva Naot

Model: Motion

Design: A bit clunky, rubber bottom bears the traditional Teva Naot sole.

Comfort: Sole isn't flexible: It's comfortable for standing, less so for walking. Feels rather like wooden clogs. Airy with a good grip for a flip-flop, but not comfortable for long walks.

Bottom line: Could become comfortable over time, if you feel like waiting.

Price: NIS 349.

Where: Teva Naot.

Score: 5