Mephisto Grizzie Shoes : Fleet Meets Fancy

The first time I walked out of the house and down the street in my Mephisto ALLROUNDERS, a total stranger complimented me on my cool-looking shoes. Not only are these really the most comfortable shoes I’ve ever worn, but they are the most stylistically unique. Interspersed between the athletic-looking black leather uppers and natural rubber soles is silky-looking fabric embroidered with red and gold flowers—reminiscent of a Chinese silk pattern. Mephisto shoes are all hand-crafted in Europe by “footwear artisans,” and by the look of feel of these, I’m sold on the Old World craftsmanship.

I’ve worn my ALLROUNDERS mostly knocking around cities (dashing to catch a bus or train or to work), but they've been great for long walks on wooded trails and around the neighborhood. I put them to the test with a quick dash to the top of Multnomah Falls in the Columbia River Gorge, an elevation gain of 800 feet in just 1 mile. While half-jogging down the paved trail back to the bottom, the soles gripped well on the sometimes slick and damp pavement.

An interesting round knob that looks like an elevator floor button protrudes from the middle of the heel on the sole. This unusual feature is a specially designed shock absorber to protect your heels, spine, and vertebra from jolts. In fact, these shoes are designed with so many advanced technology protective and comfort features that I think live up to their tagline as “the world’s finest walking shoes.” I also like that Mephisto uses only natural materials such as natural rubber, leather, and latex, which make the shoes more breathable.

Bottom LIne: Truly a classy shoe. My feet thank me every time I wear my ALLROUNDERS.--J.I. (Jan '05)

Price: $190.00

Manufacturer's Site: www.mephisto.com

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