Skechers Women's D lites Fresh Catch

PROBLEM TO SOLVE: FOOT TRAUMA FROM WALKING FOR EXERCISE- THESE ARE PERFECT(Yes, I am wearing these sandals with socks. No, I do not think this a a great look, but I am using these shoes on the treadmill!)I purchased these sandals, because the soles look like tennis shoes and the sandal upper will free my toes from running shoe punishment that has caused both of my big toes to suffer from constant micro-traumas, causing the toenails to loosen. I am not a major fitness person, and I am not a runner or a jogger, but apparently, my big toes do not like my walking routine in closed-toe shoes and sneakers. I thought I had a toenail fungus, but a trip to the podiatrist and lab results prove that I am fungus-free. What I do have is toenail injury from walking a lot. My toenails started thickening and becoming flaky a couple of years ago. I treated them with tea tree oil with limited success. Well, the success was limited, because the real problem was that my toes are traumatized by both sliding forward in my sneakers and by the big toe hitting the top of the sneaker with every step that I take.SOLUTION!!! THESE SANDALS ARE GOING TO CHANGE MY LIFE!!I ordered these Skecher D'Lites to use on the treadmill and on the street for exercise walking. (I do not walk leisurely-- I walk 4mph at an incline of 3% for an hour without stopping). I have ordered about 4 different brands of good-quality properly-fitting walking/running shoes in the past few years (New Balance, Brooks, ASICS, and Saucony), and none has kept my toenails from getting trauma from walking. I have even cut the top open on a couple of pairs of the sneakers to keep my toe from hitting the top of the shoe, but then the integrity of the shoe is compromised, and I do not walk correctly.THESE ARE TRULY A D'LITE TO WALK AND STAND IN!!I got these sandals in the mail this morning, and I couldn't wait to try them on. Oooooooohhhhhhh!! So unbelievably comfortable!MORE STABILITY THAN ANY SHOE I HAVE EVER WORN- no rocking from side to side. The sole is considerably thicker than sneakers, but it does not feel "high" or thick when the shoes are on.This shoe is called a "wedge", but it is definitely NOT A WEDGE. The sole measures 1.125" at the ball of the foot and measures 1.875" at the heel. The heel is a bit higher than the toe area, but wedge shoes clump when you walk. This shoe "rolls" like a sneaker, so I would not describe the shoe as a wedge, even though there is a wedge-like increase in sole thickness. Running shoes often have wedge-shaped soles (that are thinner), but they are not wedge soles either.PROS: (everything is a pro on this shoe!)The Skecher D'Lite soles feel like the best sneaker sole I have ever worn, and my walking posture is VERY noticeably better in these shoes. My entire foot feels supported, and I now have a completely neutral pronation, which is going to be very helpful in keeping my knees from hurting so much. My knees are 54-years-old, and arthritic from damage in my younger days.I didn't realize that the foot bed was going to be a cushy "yoga foam". I have never heard of yoga foam. Sure, I own a yoga mat, and it is somewhat soft, but I have never seen a shoe designed with yoga foam. I've heard of memory foam, and I have purchased shoes with memory foam. They have been ok, but the foam eventually smushes, and during the time that it's very soft, the shoes feel a bit unstable to me. Plus, it's not amazingly comfortable like the memory foam mattress toppers. Well, yoga foam feels sort of like a firm gel insole. It gives, but you do not sink into it. I am really liking it! I wish all my shoes had this type of foot bed.I have already walked about a quarter mile on my treadmill at 4 mph and on a 3% incline, so that I could review using these shoes for the purpose I wanted them for- high-speed exercise walking. THEY ARE BETTER THAN ANY RUNNING/WALKING SHOE THAT I HAVE EVER USED. HANDS DOWN- AMAZING, NUMBER ONE.I do not need to be told that sandals are not designed to be used on the treadmill. I know that they were not designed to be used on exercise equipment, but I can use them any way that I want, and I am saying that they are going to be perfect AND SAFE for ME. (BTW- I am wearing these sandals with socks to ensure that I don't get any blisters from the straps. The straps do not feel like they would rub my foot with leisure walking, but since I am going to use them as if they were an exercise shoe, I think footlet socks are appropriate. In fact, I plan to wear these black footlet socks when I power-walk through the neighborhood. I think neighbors will think I have on sneakers, but if they think I am weird and wearing sandals with socks, I do not care!)My foot now feels like it is rolling when I step, instead of hitting the treadmill with a joint-pounding thud. Take a look at the sole of these Sketcher D'Lite sandals- the sole is somewhat similar to the Saucony Women's Integrity ST2 walking shoe inasmuch as there is a definite heel and toe area. I have had 3 pair of this model Saucony, and it has by FAR been the most comfortable sneaker shoe, that was designed for walking, that I have ever worn. It's a great shoe, and the reviews indicate that it is a great sneaker for thousands of women. THE SKECHER D'LITE IS BETTER. That Saucony model is leather and fairly heavy and hot. These Skecher D'Lites are about half the weight, and they are certainly cooler- they are sandals.ACCURATE SIZING: I wear a size 8 in almost every shoe or boot that I have ever purchased, and I bought a size 8 in this shoe. These shoes are a perfect fit. The entire foot bed feels like it was custom- molded from my foot. The toe, the arch, the heel- every part of my foot sits in exactly the right spots on the foot bed. I have a normal arch, and the arch support leaves no space between the foot bed and my arch. I did not have to adjust the straps from the way they arrived. The straps are like seat-belt material with heavy duty Velcro. The Velcro is a tad more than an inch long, and I tested to see how much you could loosen the straps for a wider foot and still have the straps feel safe and functional: you could lengthen the straps by about three-quarters of an inch, if you needed to. You could tighten them by that much also. My feet are a medium B width, and the factory setting, where the Velcro top and bottom strips line up, if perfect.COMFORT FOR LESS-THAN-PERFECT-FEETI have bunions, and the straps are still comfortable, maybe even undetectable! When I stand up, and my foot spreads, I do not feel pain in the bunions like I would with some shoes that touch the bunions. I've had these shoes on for over 5 hours, and I have walked a quarter mile in them, and my bunions don't feel a thing.POTENTIAL CONS TO CONSIDER, BUT THESE ARE NOT CONS, IN MY OPINION:I don't think these shoes are supposed to be a fashion statement. They are not ugly, but they are not a sandal that I would wear with a dressy sundress. That said, I will definitely wear them when we travel and do a lot of walking, but I will pair them with extremely casual capris or jeans. I'll bet these sandals would be fine with a funky "Free People" type outfit, and they would actually be stylish. But, I wanted these for comfort, and boy howdy do they deliver!Although they are not extremely fashionable, in my opinion, I do not think that they look at all like old lady shoes or special shoes for people with foot or ankle problems. I know that young women will look great in this shoe, but I think older women like me (54) and even older women like my mom (75) could make these look stylish with a fuller maxi skirt, jeans, or fuller legged capri pants.Some people might want more colors, but I think that the two color choices are fine. The shoe is clunky, and I think that if you want to pull them off as funky-fashionable with a skirt or a dress, then black or white works well. Other Skechers come in other colors, but I bought this particular model for the sole.SIZING- I'll bet there will be complaints about the shoe only coming in whole sizes. I am a perfect size 8, and I got an 8. If I were a half-size, I'd go up to the nearest whole size. There is not enough room on my size 8s for an 8.5 foot.THIS SHOE IS A MUST-BUY FOR ANYONE WHO WANTS A GREAT CASUAL SANDAL, BUT IF YOU HAVE ANY FOOT OR ANKLE ISSUES, I RECOMMEND THIS SHOE FOR COMFORT AND THE FACT THAT IT FEELS LIKE A CUSTOM-MADE SHOE!UPDATE: It's been about a year since I discovered this miracle shoe. The nails on my big and second toes (that did fall off from trauma) have regrown healthy and fully attached, so I can paint my toenails again!I have since purchased several other models of Skechers sandals. I have been very unhappy with some and moderately happy with others. I have reordered THIS model several times, and many of my friends are now wearing these Fresh Catch D'Lites and raving about how amazing they feel on their feet.

My podiatrist recommended surgery on three separate toes and said the required dressing on each could be required for up to three months. Thus he suggested I find an open toed sandal to accommodate the extra bulk. These surgeries to be spaced a month apart and stared in June. My area is very rural with only one shoe store in the entire county, thus this wouldn't be an easy task. Thank goodness for this seller on Amazon! These sandals have Velcro adjusted straps not only on the ankle, but the two straps across the toe area, thus accommodating the changing size of my dressing and protective covering (socks in my case) plus keeping it secure on my foot. The soles are sturdy without being so high they become a balance issue - a dream for an old hippy chick in her mid 70's when my podiatrist saw them he was impressed and said he is going to recommend them to all his patients having similar issues as mine. To me that's the highest praise of all! Thank you to the company for coming up with and producing this design and to the seller and Amazon for offering it at an affordable price. Best sandals I've ever had! Oh and did I mention they are the most comfortable, too? I can't even tell I'm wearing them! Plus I got a grey color that goes with everything in my wardrobe. Be prepared for compliments as they are stylish and get noticed.

I want to thank the other customer (Jennifer Beggs?) for posting her review of these shoes. Her review led me to buy them, & I am very happy!I too have suffered for years with trauma to my toenails from high-impact fitness activities in tennis shoes. I have taught fitness classes for almost 40 years & have also been a long-distance runner. My toenails started thickening & causing me extreme pain in my 30s; even the sheets on my bed touching my toes was unbearable. It wasn’t fungus, however, & was caused solely from shoe trauma. So I had to start wearing sandals for running. Unfortunately every time I found a pair that I liked, they discontinued them. To my knowledge, there are no longer any sandals currently on the market that are specifically for runners, but would love to know if I’m wrong- at least shoes that are affordable. Because of this, I’ve been purchasing sport sandals, which work relatively well. Most recently, I’ve been wearing Ecco sport sandals, which run about $100, but the soles are not really made for impact, so I wanted something more like a true running shoe. I always thought I’d have to pay $100+ for good sport sandals, until I got these Skechers.I wore them for the first time just yesterday, & was actually expecting to have trouble running in them based on the way the upper is made, with only 3 thin straps; however, I was pleasantly surprised. The shoes were very comfortable & caused me no discomfort for a full 90-minute run. The straps did not bind or cut into me like I thought they might do, & my feet did not slide around in the shoes; I felt quite stable. But the best part was the shock-absorption factor! These shoes really are like pillows on your feet; they propel you forward. I took several minutes off of my normal run time. And I felt no impact at all running on pavement or uneven surfaces. I also have arthritic hips & normally try to avoid running on hard surfaces, but it wasn’t an issue with these shoes.The day following my run, I had no discomfort. I could feel a slight pressure on my feet where the straps had been, & a slight tenderness under one big toe, but both were minimal & gone within an hour. Not bad for a first break-in with a shoe that likely wasn’t designed for running. It’s important to note that I did cinch the straps down very tight on my feet to minimize sliding, which didn’t occur. Once my feet imprint to the foam, I’ll loosen the straps a bit. It’s also noteworthy that I moved from the west coast to the east & am now battling humidity, so my feet get very sweaty. I thought that might be problematic & cause my feet to slide, but it didn’t happen. Overall, I was very pleasantly surprised by the functionality of this shoe in response to prolonged impact. I didn’t run fast though- I normally run a 14-15 mile pace- so not sure how the shoes would hold up under faster speeds. I do wish the upper was made more like a sleeve to fit over more of the forefoot, as opposed to thin straps, for strength & stability. I also wish it had more arch support.I wanted to write this review to let others who might have this same toenail condition know that you can use these sandals & other sports sandals for jogging and fitness-related activities. I’m quite pleased that these shoes are so affordable too. Time will tell how they hold up under prolonged running. Maybe I’ll post a future review. Hope this is helpful to someone!Day 2 Post-Run Update- Ok, so I did get a mild abrasion where the ankle strap dug into my skin, but it’s very minor. I hadn’t noticed it before. I think I’ll just loosen the straps a bit & maybe rotate with my other shoes until these are broken in more. All in all, I’m still satisfied.