If you are looking for a new shoe and comfort is at the top of your wish list, it makes sense to take a gander at a brand that people who are on their feet all day tend to rely on. Dansko has developed a reputation for delivering “all day comfort” for good reason. And this is precisely why folks like restaurant workers and nurses (and many others who are standing up and walking for the entirety of an 8, 10 or 12 hour shift) only have Dansko shoes in their closets.
Men’s Dansko Shoes
While known for the iconic clog styles, Danskos are now available in a wide variety of fashionable men’s shoes.
Sneaker – Reminiscent of Converse sneakers, the Vaughn Fashion Sneakeris available in 3 shades of milled Nubuck and offer rubber outsoles that are slip-resistant on dry, oily and wet surfaces. The leather uppers are water-resistant and the shoes have all the comfort and support you need provided by a TPU heel and arch stabilizer, as well as a removable triple density EVA footbed.
Slip-on – The Viktor looks very much like a boat shoe, and offers all the same features as the Vaughn, plus a nylon shank for extra shock absorption. It is available in 5 colors.
Loafer – the Jackson is a thing of beauty, available in black and mahogany antiqued calf leather. In addition to the EVA triple-density foot bed, TPU heel and arch stabilizer for day-long support and comfort, molded EVA midsole for premium shock absorption and energy return, outer soles that are slip resistant on wet, oily or dry surfaces, the Jackson’s waterproof leather uppers are welt stitched for an upgraded elegance.
Oxford – Amazingly enough, Dansko even has dress styles for men, and the Josh Oxford is one of the finest. Available in 3 elegant colors, the Josh does not sacrifice a single bit of comfort or support in order to deliver the finest in classic style. All of the same high quality features of the Jackson Loafer are also present in the Josh: stitched leather welting on water-resistant leather uppers, slip-resistant soles, TPU arch and heel stabilizer, removable triple-density EVA foot bed, molded EVA midsole.
Men and women who must place the highest priority on support and comfort when choosing their shoes, because they are on their feet for several hours a day due to their profession, should be more than satisfied with the selection from Dansko. There can be no better assurance than the APMA Seal of Acceptance.
Fortunately, buyers will not even be required to give up style in order to have the finest in supportive footwear. For Dansko offers a variety of models which do not suffer in comparison to fashion footwear lines. You no longer have to be embarrassed to be seen in public with ugly shoes in order to protect your feet from the rigors of your profession.
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Women’s Dansko Shoes
While Danskos are known for their clogs, the line has been expanded to include a number of additional models which still offer a great many of the comfortably healthy features as the clogs.
Boot – The Maria ankle booties don’t sacrifice comfort for style. A fashionable ankle silhouette gives them feminine sophistication, but they also feature pretty solid construction and materials that make them very comfortable.
Loafer – The Olivia Loafer is available in a dozen colors. A sleek, stylish take on the classic original, this is a snub-nosed loafer that features a cushioned heel and supportive sole.
Flats – You can’t get much more fashionable than the Lulu Mary Jane flat. The stylish round toe is combined with an elegantly wide hook-and-loop ankle strap. Almost unanimously praised for both style and comfort, many buyers want this shoe in more than one color. The cushioned footbed and slightly wedged textured sole provide all-day comfort.
Sandals – There is no lack of choice for comfortable, stylish sandals from Dansko. The Vivian Gladiator Sandal comes in 3 colors and offers all manner of long wearing comfort features: a lightweight wedged EVA mid-sole combined with contoured, molded cork, plus a PU foam foot bed for support, as well as cushioning. There is even a comfortable and fabulously versatile flip-flop, the Priya, that is available in 5 colors and features a midsole of EVA and cork, as well as a foot bed that consists of contoured cork memory foam.
Pain-free movement begins with the right footwear. If you stuff your poor feet into a narrow heel, a flat with no cushioning or support or a poorly made walking shoe, your feet will most certainly hurt by the end of a shift. Unfortunately, that is just the beginning though – poorly made or ill-fitting footwear can throw off your alignment causing aches and pains in your muscles, knees, hips and lower back. And that pain can stick with you long after your shift has ended.
You may be familiar with Dansko clogs, their most popular style of shoe, what you might not know is that this Pennsylvania manufacturer offers dozens of other styles of shoe that help both men and women stay light and comfortable on their feet regardless the task they are performing.
Below we’ll take a look at the multitude of advantages of wearing Dansko brand shoes as well as any potential drawbacks that you might want to consider before you make the investment.
Comfort
The top reason to slip your feet into a pair of Dansko shoes is how they feel (and more precisely, how they make your feet feel). Dansko shoes are crafted from the best materials and all of their styles go through an extensive and rigorous testing process – in some cases as long as 30 full days of wear – to ensure that the product fits well and remains comfortable.
If there are issues with the sole, heel or upper… if anything isn’t up to snuff during the test phase, the style is adjusted. Most shoe manufacturers (if any at all) won’t go through this intensive a process before they launch a new style to the public, but this is exactly why you get the most comfortable footwear from Dansko.
Style
There are other companies out there that produce shoes that feel good to wear, very few produce a wide variety of comfortable shoes that you actually want to wear from a personal or professional style standpoint. The designers at Dansko take the same care with producing attractive footwear that they do with the product’s comfort and quality. The end result are clogs, sandals, flats and sneakers that you literally can’t wait to add to your wardrobe.
Versatility and Variety
Fit
If you’ve ever gone shoe shopping, you know full well that a size 10 isn’t always a size 10. Some manufacturers run large, others seem narrow and some feel more than a ½ size off of how the shoe from another popular brand felt.
Dansko shoes are built to fit true to size. This means that you can shop locally from what the retailers in your area have or you can have instant access to the entire array of Dansko shoes by shopping online with the confidence that your new shoes will fit perfectly when the package arrives at your door.
Awards and Accolades
Official recognition: In addition to being the preferred shoe of upright warriors of all walks of life, from nurses and techs to waiters and chefs, Dansko also holds some bragging rights of a more formal nature. Many of the shoe styles produced by Dansko hold the American Podiatric Medical Association Seal of Acceptance. This means that the medical discipline that deals specifically with your feet recognizes Dansko shoes as footwear that works to promote healthy feet.
Non-slip: While all Dansko shoe styles undergo serious in-house testing for fit, construction and comfort, those that are labeled as “slip-resistant” undergo additional testing. These styles are sent to private, third party labs to ensure that they will perform well in damp, wet or otherwise slippery conditions. This testing provides you with an extra layer of protection if you are in an environment where spills or moisture are frequent, like hospitals, veterinarian offices, kitchens, classrooms or factory floors.
Volunteer driven organization: Dansko has also developed a powerful culture of giving back. The Dansko employees run the Dansko Foundation, which to date has raised and donated more than half a million dollars to a variety of charities and non-profit organizations. In addition to the dollars and cents that went to great causes, the employees and owners of Dansko (which is an employee owned company) personally volunteered more than 1000 hours to community causes. While charity won’t necessarily make the shoe on your foot more comfortable, giving your hard earned money to a small company that takes great pride in giving back can help make your purchase one that rests well with your conscious.
Availability
Limited availability in stores: This is one of the biggest issues with Dansko shoes – they can be tough to find if you want to get your hands on them (or feet in them) before you purchase. Though they focus, rather successfully, on producing the highest quality shoes, they simply don’t have the same production volume and reach as the Nike’s, Adidas and Reeboks of the world.
You can’t simply walk into your local department or big box store and expect to see a huge selection of Dansko shoes to choose from. In fact, depending upon your physical location, tracking down a pair of Dansko shoes that you can pick up and hold might prove to be a bit challenging.
Most people are more than fine with purchasing shoes and clothes online these days, for those of you who are adamant about the old school, physical shopping experience that involves jumping in the car and heading to a brick and mortar retailer – you might be in for a long ride.
Easy to find on Amazon: Thankfully, Dansko shoes are very easy to track down online in virtually all varieties. So if you are capable of a few points and clicks and you’ve got a credit card or PayPal account, you can find yourself in the most comfortable shoes in the world in a matter of just a few days in most cases.
Price
Higher end product: This is an area that may be a point of contention with some shoppers as well. Each pair of Dansko shoes is carefully crafted from high-quality materials and goes through extensive quality control testing. This kind of a process comes with a price tag – so it really should come as no surprise that these shoes don’t fall into the category of “bargain basement” footwear.
In all reality, for the quality assurance and unparalleled comfort that you are getting, Dansko shoes are very fairly priced. But with price tags that range from around $100 to $200 dollars and an average cost of about $145, they do fall out of the comfortable price range for some shoppers who are on a budget.
If you are a savvy online shopper, you can track down some styles in a few Dansko collections for well below “market” average prices – in some cases as low as $50 a pair or less. So if your budget doesn’t permit big spending, look for deals online so you can still enjoy and benefit from this fantastic footwear.
Dansko Clogs
Dansko clogs have long been the go-to shoes for people who have to spend a great deal of time on their feet. Within restaurants, hospitals, hair salons, retail stores and more, the word keeps spreading about how to keep the aches and pains at bay by choosing the right shoes. It doesn’t take long to find out that you just can’t be happy if your feet aren’t happy.
Unlike most shoe brands and styles that happen to be pretty comfortable even when worn all day, Dansko has made a point of creating shoes specifically for people who are on their feet a majority of their working day, and they have been wildly successful doing so.
Dansko Professional and Dansko Pro XP clogs have been given the Seal of Acceptance by the American Podiatric Medical Association. The APMA Seal of Acceptance is only awarded to products which “promote good foot health”.
The shoes within the Dansko Professional and Dansko Pro XP lines have been tested on wet, dry and oil slicked surfaces. They can accommodate most standard and custom orthotics thanks to a removable footbed feature.
Both of these lines are available for both men and women. What makes them stand out from other orthodpedic shoes, however, is that they are not only comfortable and supportive, but stylish, as well.
DANSKO PROFESSIONAL
- Steel shank within the mid-sole provides greater stability during lateral movement.
- TPU heel counter – provides a more natural range of motion while walking by allowing the heel to move freely up and down.
- Rocker bottom on the PU outer sole propels the foot forward and provides shock absorption
- Padded collar around the instep provides added comfort
- Roomy toebox is reinforced for protection and allows plenty of space for your toes.
DANSKO PRO XP
The Pro XP is top of the line for the Dansko brand. Buyers consistently rate it highly for comfort and durability. Dansko Pro XP clogs are available in an extremely wide range of sizes and colors for both men and women.
In addition to all of the incredible features of Dansko Professionals, Dansko Pro XP styles offer a re-designed outer sole, plus foot beds that are now triple-density and removable. Many Dansko wearers have their own orthotic shoe inserts, and the removable foot beds allow them to be used.
Comfort and Style
Dansko manages to combine style with healthy comfort, in both men’s and women’s shoes. Buyers will have no problem finding a Dansko shoe to suit their tastes, which will also allow them to experience all-day comfort.
WOMEN
This is but a sample of the many women’s Dansko models from which you can choose.
Dansko Women’s Pro XP
Available in regular and wide sizes, there are more than 25 styles and colors in the women’s line of Dansko’s Pro XP, including:
Regular Dansko Women’s Clogs
There are also numerous styles from which to choose amongst the Dansko clogs which are neither Professional nor Pro XP. They have leather uppers, and the same high quality featured in the professional brands.
Tamara clog – A slightly more stylish take on the original style, the Tamara is a slip-on clog that is available in 5 colors. Featuring an adjustable buckled strap, it has an EVA insert that provides lightweight cushioning for comfort.
Sonja clog – A popular backless style clog, the Sonja comes in 6 colors and has many excellent features to promote comfort and health. The familiar rocker bottom provides an anti-fatigue energy return, while the firm foot bed offers full back, leg and foot support. The reinforced toe box provides protection, as well as a lots of wiggle room for your toes.
Sam Ankle-Strap clog – This cute casual clog has a beveled heel that provides stability on impact, while the built-in nylon shank also adds both stability and support. This clog also features shock-absorbing foam in the midsole that offers comfort all day long, as well as moisture management in the form of a Dril-lex sockling. There is a cored-out foreport and further coring holes to reduce the weight of the shoe for additional
Dansko Men’s Pro XP
Not only is the Dansko Men’s Pro XP perfectly suited to comfortable all-day wear, it is sharp enough to pass in environments other than the workplace.
Dansko Men’s Professional
The Dansko Men’s Professional isn’t limited to traditional professional looks. Not only is there a variety of colors from which to choose, there are also patterns and florals.
Regular Dansko Men’s Clogs
While these Dansko men’s clogs don’t have quite all the features of the Pro XP or Professional lines, they still have many of the traditional Dansko comfort features.
Wil clogs[/easyazon_link] – Not only does this low-backed clog have stylish stitching on the waterproof leather uppers, it also has numerous of the comfort and safety details Dansko is famous for: Nitrol slip-resistant rubber sole, removable triple-density molded-EVA leather-covered insole and lightly padded collar.
Karl clogs – A sharp-looking completely open heel clog, the Karl features a piped trim padded collar and outsole with durable shock absorption.
Wynn Slip-on clog – The Wynn doesn’t look much different from any other men’s casual leather slip-on shoe, but the padded collar, dual goring insets, and contoured footbed ensures non-stop comfort not found in many other brands.
Conclusion
There are high-quality, high-performing shoe brands out there that are easier to find in person and that you can pick up at a retailer for cheaper than Dansko shoes. The majority of these companies though, have their own flaws in terms of versatility, style, fit, and feel.
If your primary concerns revolve around comfort, pain-free movement, foot health, and appearance, you really can’t go wrong with a pair of shoes from any of the Dansko collections. This company produces outstanding footwear for both men and women that make it much easier to spend all day long on your feet without discomfort.