My Feet Love Me

Buying Dansko Professional Clogs was my first experience but not my last with Dansko shoes. Since buying this last spring I bought another pair - more on the sandal type - than clog.

Why I bought them and about the shoes:

I have Sjogren's Syndrome. One of the symptoms is sore feet. I mean really sore. My Rheumatologist suggested that I wear shoes with the hardest soles I could find. Dansko's soles are very hard. They really don't bend. At about the same time, I was reading about them in various magazines such as Arthritis Today and Health Magazine. My daughter owned a pair and I didn't even know. She had bought them on eBay. There is nothing wrong with her feet - she just likes them.

I love them. First a little about Dansko. The first pair of Dansko shoes started by Mandy Cabot and Peter Kjellerup were a Danish style clog made in Denmark in the late 1980s. They put them through two years of “acid-testing" and found them to be extraordinarily comfortable, virtually indestructible, and attractive enough to wear almost anywhere. They were the only shoes they ever wore.

At this point until I buy another pair of clogs or similar style I wear them 90% of the time and 100% of the time I am teaching or walking, let's say the mall! I can walk longer and farther than if I were wearing other than Dansko shoes/clogs (Except hiking boots –they work wonders for my feet as well.)

There are many styles which can be seen at this site so I will review only the Professional Clogs which I own. I was told in the store I bought them in that they are very popular with nurses. They come in white and since I have found that I can stand on them virtually all day with no pain, I can understand why nurses/doctors love them - wait staff as well. The instep is padded.

Even in the Clog category you will find many styles. I chose the Professional because when I put them on I knew these were unlike anything I have worn. Mine are a size 37 (European) which translates into a 7-7.5. They come in women’s sizes 5-12 which translates to European 35-42. Dansko makes these for men as well.

When I first put them on (so be aware) they felt big. They are not. It is just the design and after wearing them for a few days they didn't feel big at all - they felt perfect. The website said that they may feel snug at first. They never felt snug to me. My toes have a lot of room and are really comfortable.

I also bought these because I like the way they look. Although I wouldn’t wear them to a wedding I can wear them to work with a skirt or dress as well as with jean. I like clogs so you will have to like the style of them or you will be better off with one of the other many styles Dansko makes. They have a really nice tread on the bottom making me able to wear them in slippery weather (We had our first snow fall.) though they are not high so they won't replace boots. The tread is called an anti- skid tread.

I also bought them because they have a back to them. Some of the styles are backless. My doctor told me that I should have back support of some sort, not an open clog. If you have no feet problems, an open clog will be just fine. My sandals are open but they have a strap around the back so my foot stays in place.

Mine are what is called oiled leather. "Oiled leather has a heavily oiled finish that creates a durable and moisture-resistant surface. It is often referred to as rugged leather, ready to take on many outdoor environments”.

I used a waterproofing spray on them when I got them home and would suggest doing that to protect this really nice, thick leather. I have a few scuffs on them because I wear them so much, but they certainly don't look as old as they are not do they look like the hundreds of hours they have on them. The cleaning directions are to rub light scuffs with finger tips. Remove stubborn dirt with damp cloth. “To maintain, use Dansko Oiled Leather Restorer. To weatherproof, use Dansko Beeswax Conditioner.”

They also come in Latigo Leather, Motif Leather, Box Leather, Cabrio Leather, and Patent Leather.

At first I thought the heel might be too high making it hard to walk but that didn't pan out either. There is a 1 1/4" heel but it seems to add to the comfort. The rest of the platform on the shoe measures 1/4". There is stitching all around the base of the shoe above the heel and around the top of the shoe. Truly these look brand new. The soles inside feel slightly soft but not soft enough to feel like a gel sole. They have holes on one side to allow my foot to breathe and it does. My feet do not sweat wearing these. That's important for me because when they do sweat, they swell. Some features related to this are: non-allergic sock lining and an antimicrobial foam cushion.

I bought them in burgundy. I love that color because it goes with everything – browns, blacks and blues. The Professional clogs also come in-blueberry, black, forest (green)) antique brown and white.

Some additional information:

If you are between sizes, try sizing up.

“Our flagship collection is designed for maximum support by featuring a polyurethane outsole and our signature rocker bottom." Other features include a protective heel counter, roomy reinforced toe, box rocker bottom, polyurethane outsold, and PVC inner frame.

There are a few aspects of these clogs I want to mention. Neither one makes me dislike these shoes however. The first one has to do with the rocker bottom. There is no ankle support with clogs and Danskos are no different. The rocker bottom may make your ankle turn in if it is prone to do that. If you need ankle support these will not be for you. Also the nature of clogs makes them large. The reinforced toe gives more shoe than other shoes. Because of this I find that I still scrape them more than I did with other shoes. For example when walking up my concrete steps outside I often scraped them because I was not used to such a large shoe.

One other issue is that they feel heavy when you first start wearing them. I can assure you that once on and wearing them not only do they not feel heavy you will forget they are even on!

From the website:

Dansko’s Stapled Clog Collection proudly carries the Seal of Acceptance from the American Podiatric Medical Association. The Seal is awarded to a product after the Committee on Podiatric Seals, a standing committee of the APMA, scientifically evaluates and determines whether the product allows normal foot function and promotes quality foot health.

Dansko Stapled Clog outsole SATRA approved
Dansko Stapled Clogs outsoles are designed to be suitably slip resistance in workplace environments where excesses of vegetable oils and animal fats are present. Slip resistance tests have been carried out by SATRA, the world’s leading research and technology organization for the footwear industry. (SATRA Ref# 47340/0411/MPE-Z, March 2004, Professional)

Dansko Stapled Clog outsoles were tested for slip resistance against the American Society for Testing and Materials (ASTM) F1677-96 standard using the Mark II machine. The tests were conducted under dry, wet, oily, and oily-wet surface conditions using red quarry tile, and concluded that Dansko’s Stapled Clog are suitably slip resistant in workplace environments resembling these conditions.

Jo’s final thoughts:

I bought these in a store in the mall. You can buy them online at www.dansko.com, www.zappo.com and you might be able to find some bargains at Sierra Trading Post. My second pair I bought on eBay. You will find some good buys there but realizes that various styles may fit differently.

I love my clogs and tell everyone about them. It surprises me that I didn’t learn about them earlier and highly, highly recommend them. I recommend them especially if you walk or stand a lot, if you have feet problems or if you just want a comfortable pair of shoes that will last for year.

At $110 these are pricey but worth the cost.

Please feel free to leave me a question or comment. I’d love to hear from you if you own them.