Mephisto

Hannel

Women's

Wow am I disappointed! I have another pair of this exact style, purchased several years ago in navy nubuck. They are my favorite shoes, so when I needed something a little more dressy, I chose this pair. They are simply not up to Mephisto quality. The cobra leather is thin, sags near the connection to the sole on one shoe, so it looks and feels like cheap material. They are my size, but I cannot get them tight enough over the instep because they stretched so quickly and the buckle won't go any tighter. So, these pricey shoes fit poorly despite the terrific footbed, etc. If I hadn't already worn them and poked new buckle holes in the straps trying to make them fit, I would try to return them. Be warned!

This shoe isn't nearly as comfortable on my foot as the Mephisto Helen. The dark brown scratch is somewhat scratchy against the top of my foot. The shoe doesn't stay on that well when I walk.

These sandals saved my feet while traveling in Italy this summer. My feet suffer from plantar fasciitis, so I was worried about how I would be able to handle walking all day without using my orthotics (which fit into closed shoes only, not an option for summer). I tried Birkenstocks in person and found that they do not work for plantar fasciitis because the heel is too low. I heard that the Mephistos with the "H" names have arch support suitable for those with plantar fasciitis. (Hannel, Henny, Hannah, Heidi, etc.) When these arrived, I compared them to my orthotics. The sandals provide a similar height of support in the same places that my orthotics do. Happily, I found that I could walk most of the day, with rest stops & icing, thanks to these sandals. When I returned home, my feet were none the worse for all of that walking. Another reviewer mentioned that the straps do stretch a bit with break-in, which happened with these also. I now fasten them one notch tighter. Zappos gets kudos for carrying them in small sizes and shipping them quickly!

I have 2 pairs of these in tan. They must be well broken in. This new pair, bothered my bunion. Sorry, but great service.

I'm normally a 39 in Birkenstocks and a 40 in Naots. The 39 in Mephistos fit perfectly. I'm an 8 1/2 in American sized shoes. The footbed is very comfortable and has excellent arch support. The top is the dull pewter color which is a wonderful neutral. Unlike Birks, the Mephistos have a much thicker rubber sole at the heel, so I hope that means they will not need resoling.