are all dansko's created equal?

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lilmo

lilmo

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I've heard so many rave reviews about Dansko clogs that I've decided they are a neccessity for surviving rotations. Has anyone tried any of the other styles?

I've only seen docs wearing the traditional clogs, but Dansko now makes an interesting pump (http://www.dansko.com/Product_Detail.aspx?StyleName=Reese&ID1=3006&ID2=4545&VID=1418).

Are these as comfortable/wearable? Thought I'd get some advice before spending my entire paycheck on a not-so-cute pair of shoes.

(The link is now working - thanks DOtobe)
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I can't see your link, but I have lots of Dansko's which I love. Gotta say though, that the clogs are the most comfortable. Would never advocate wearing anything else in the OR. The "dressier" versions are comfortable compared to similar style shoes, but a heel is a heel.
 
...sorry...just realized possession of Y chromosome precludes posting in this thread.


...moving along... :cool:
 
Members don't see this ad :)
One of my fellow residents has several pairs of Danskos, one of which is a cute mary jane looking pair, and she says they are all comfortable. I myself have two pairs of the traditional clogs.

And to get the OP's link to work, you have to take out the ) at the end of the url.
 
Danksos fit weird. I HIGHLY suggest trying them on in person and then ordering online.

Of course, if you are in the Philadelphia area you can always check out the Dankso outlet for half prices danksos! I own 3 pairs myself.

I have been wearing them for just over 3 years now and they are indestructible. Soft on the heels but they give you a little "bounce" Make me a bit taller as well. :)

And being in the OR much of the time its nice to have a pair of shoes that I can just wipe with alcohol (though it tends to cause a funky discoloration on some color patterns).

As far as the womens shoes, I cant comment too much on their comfort...but my fiancee loves them...she is on her feet all day at work. I think she has 5 pairs.

A few people laugh and say I was just jumping on the bandwagon when I bought them...but you try getting blood, feces, urine or the smell out of regular sneakers. ;) You cant.
 
I personally swear by my pair of Mariels: http://www.dansko.com/Product_Detail.aspx?StyleName=Mariel&ID1=7179&ID2=8802&VID=493

I have them in brown. They are cute enough to work with nice pants, or even a more casual skirt. They don't have the arch support that my clogs do, but the insoles are softer. They are lovely for a long day on the wards. I don't wear them on call because I want them to stay nice.

I will say that the toes got scuffed easily, and I will need to have them buffed and polished at a shoe repair store. Thus far, the only downside to these lovely shoes!
 
I have the marcelles and I like them, a little more girly than the clogs but still kinda heavy... and I don't wear them when I'm really tired because if I don't pay attention I tend to turn my ankles in them. I've been happier with other comfy shoes, but really you just have to try them and see if you like them.
 
So I've already resisted danskos for 2 years but I wanted to know what exactly are the upsides of them? Is it more arch support, more cushioning? I mean other than being easier to clean are they any more comfortable than tennis shoes?
 
Yes they are... But less equal than Birkenstocks:p
 
Ballz said:
So I've already resisted danskos for 2 years but I wanted to know what exactly are the upsides of them? Is it more arch support, more cushioning? I mean other than being easier to clean are they any more comfortable than tennis shoes?
Click to expand...

More arch support. I find tennis shoes too soft. I tend to sink into them after standing on my feet all day and get hip and lower back pain. If you don't have any pain w/ the tennis shoes, stick w/ them.
 
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Shodddy18 said:
Yes they are... But less equal than Birkenstocks:p
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you know, i bought a pair of brikenstocks but couldn't get into them b/c they're so wide and thick. i felt like my feet were really swimming in them.
 
Bertelman said:
...sorry...just realized possession of Y chromosome precludes posting in this thread.


...moving along... :cool:
Click to expand...

You make a solid point.

Still, I'm going to put my Y on hold to mention to anyone that's concerned about the price of these types of shoes: as students and physicians, we need to invest in our feet! This is very important.

As for brands, my experience has been that dansko's are the best shoes to stand in, but other non-clog shoes are better to walk in, so you should choose your style accordingly.

I like danskos in the OR because they have strong arch support, and the heel lift takes pressure off my lower back (and I'm pretty top-heavy from being a previous meathead, so that's important).

When I think I'll be walking around most of the day, I wear merrell passports with Sof-Sole "Stable trac" soles (other people have suggested the graphite orthotic soles, both run about $15-30), and this was the best money I've ever spent. The first week I wore them, I forced all my friends to try my shoes on so they could see how great they felt.
 
I agree with SLUser11, it depends on what you are doing.

I love my birkenstocks or earth shoes when I am walking around.

Dansko's and I don't really get along, I roll my ankle a LOT, and they feel so heavy, but I imagine these are the shoes to have if you have to stand all day. My sister had a pair from her m3 year until the end of her neuro residency (and do they stand around talking a lot!!):p

Any suggestions for standing time?
The other option is to change your shoes a couple times throughout the day, i know this is more feasible when you have an office, but it comes highly recommended by some on-their-feet-all-the-time people.
 
Tangent:

DAMMIT, all Danskos are created equal in that they all look equally gay. I own a pair and gladly wear them every day because they're a physical necessity (I have flat feet and I'm on a surgery rotation). BUT DO THEY HAVE TO LOOK SO FEMININE??? They're way too narrow, and have too much of an upturn at the toes. As a matter of fact, the design is COMPLETELY wrong for male consumption, except for the (pivotal) sole-heel-bigtoe-complex.

If they could combine the ergodynamics of the existing design with the aesthetic of, say, a decent pair of army (or cowboy) boots, I'd be a lifelong convert. I guess I'm a convert anyway (by necessity), but I'd be an enthusiastic lifelong convert if they'd 'man up' a bit.

BAH!
 
I thought the same thing about danskos. Not only are they far less comfortable, they are two to three times more girly. While birks are by no means army or cowboy boots, they are manlier... many of them anyways.

funkless said:
Tangent:

DAMMIT, all Danskos are created equal in that they all look equally gay. I own a pair and gladly wear them every day because they're a physical necessity (I have flat feet and I'm on a surgery rotation). BUT DO THEY HAVE TO LOOK SO FEMININE??? They're way too narrow, and have too much of an upturn at the toes. As a matter of fact, the design is COMPLETELY wrong for male consumption, except for the (pivotal) sole-heel-bigtoe-complex.

If they could combine the ergodynamics of the existing design with the aesthetic of, say, a decent pair of army (or cowboy) boots, I'd be a lifelong convert. I guess I'm a convert anyway (by necessity), but I'd be an enthusiastic lifelong convert if they'd 'man up' a bit.

BAH!
Click to expand...
 
I'm flipping this thread back over to the ladies - my Dansko mary janes came in the mail the other day and I absolutely love them! I'm not sure on the style name (got them on Ebay), but they are brown velcro may janes with a bit of a heel. They look just like the Babette http://www.dansko.com/Product_Detail.aspx?StyleName=Babette&ID1=2006&ID2=2378&VID=80 but only have one strap.:love: :love: :love:

I did see someone mention earth shoes. Their pitch is that they tone your legs and improve posture but I haven't noticed any of these benefits yet. They are super comfy though. Another great pair for the wards next year.
 
It took me about a week to break in my shoes and then I loved them. But that first week was a little brutal for me. Wish I could afford more.
 
I have the Reese pumps. They are vastly more comfortable than any other heels I own, but they are not as comfortable as the clogs.

I agree with other people that the Mariel's are nice for days when you want something that is a little bit nicer but still extremely comfortable.

I would suggest the Mariel or the normal clog if you are going to wear one pair everyday unless you need to be dressier.
 
I guess I will be the lone voice of dissent.

I bought my Danskos after hearing how great they were (add to that the fact that there seems to be some hidden requirement that every female med student must own at least one pair) and, although I get compliments on the style, they hurt like hell. I've had them since the beginning of the school year, so they're well broken in.

A few weeks ago, I made the mistake of wearing them on call during surgery and had to limp home the next day. Even on a normal day, I can't wait to get those suckers off.:mad:

When in scrubs, my Pumas are much more comfortable and are my shoes of choice. Otherwise, I do have to wear the Danskos with my "nice" outfits.
 
chaser08 said:
I guess I will be the lone voice of dissent.

I bought my Danskos after hearing how great they were (add to that the fact that there seems to be some hidden requirement that every female med student must own at least one pair) and, although I get compliments on the style, they hurt like hell. I've had them since the beginning of the school year, so they're well broken in.

A few weeks ago, I made the mistake of wearing them on call during surgery and had to limp home the next day. Even on a normal day, I can't wait to get those suckers off.:mad:

When in scrubs, my Pumas are much more comfortable and are my shoes of choice. Otherwise, I do have to wear the Danskos with my "nice" outfits.
Click to expand...

That's just heresy!!! Clearly I'm a guy, but really, I think there are other options for comfortable shoes. I'll never get the annual threads on this board which laud the Dansko as the be-all-end-all.
 
I personally find Dansko's to be incredibly uncomfortable. I suggest the Birkenstock clogs (although they're a bit expensive), Anywears (a simple plastic clog with a great insole and immensely comfortable) or the new crocs which have no or few holes in them (plus, theyre only like 30 bucks a pair).

People have this thing about being stylish on the wards when in reality, nobody cares. Wear whatever is comfortable on your feet. If you have to wear all blakc sneakers because that's all that works for you, then fine. As long as you wear your usual slacks and a dressy top or shirt and tie for guys, then you're ok.

I have yet to find someone who has commented on someone else's shoes.

(There was this one ENT resident who would clack around the wards on rounds in 4 inch heels every day... She was completly nuts).
 
Yeah, people do love their Dansko's!!

But - does anyone know where to get them for a reasonable price?
 
GED MD said:
Yeah, people do love their Dansko's!!

But - does anyone know where to get them for a reasonable price?
Click to expand...

One of my local shoe stores offers a 20% discount to hospital employees/students. I'm sure there are other shoe stores all over the US that offer similar discounts.
 
I got two pairs from Zappos.com. They are way overpriced, however, they have a 110% price gaurantee. So, I found a deal a berksstore.com where if you enter comfort07 at the checkout they give you 20% off and free shipping. But they were out of stock. So I called zappos and they honored the deal and the shoes were $5 cheaper, plus I got free overnight shipping. I ordered on Thursday and got the Friday.
 
I find some pairs pretty inexpensively at danskooutlet.com although they don't have that much variety and you have to go by shoe size...
 
I wore my new dansko mary janes to work this morning (wanted to break them in before clinics.) OUCH! My baby toes are in agony. Maybe the 3/4 mile trek uphill was not the best breaking in opportunity. Please tell me it will get better:eek:
 
chaser08 said:
I guess I will be the lone voice of dissent.

A few weeks ago, I made the mistake of wearing them on call during surgery and had to limp home the next day. Even on a normal day, I can't wait to get those suckers off.:mad:
Click to expand...

Tried Dansko and agree that after standing all day & night in the OR it is painful. Merrell shoes are the way to go. :laugh:
 
chaser08 said:
I guess I will be the lone voice of dissent.


A few weeks ago, I made the mistake of wearing them on call during surgery and had to limp home the next day. Even on a normal day, I can't wait to get those suckers off.:mad:
Click to expand...

Sounds to me like you may have bought them too small. Do you normally wear a half size? Did you go up in size?

I believe they're supposed to be loose on your feet, and if they're not, then you should size up...
 
I own three pairs of Dansko's and my fiance who is a nurse also owns three pairs. I have back problems if I wear any other shoe to the hospital, but I can wear my Danskos all day. They are not all equal and you have to find the right one and style for you. I just got the more casual Cael from Zappos and they don't look so girly, but are still as comfortable. Also they come in a narrow style that can be better for some people. I don't think that footwear is a place to be cheap if you are on your feet all day as both your feet and back will suffer. I do agree that Danskos are probably not the best shoe to walk all day in, but they are great for surgery and what not, although I haven't really had any trouble wearing them while walking alot. I love them and suffer without them, girly shoe or not.
 
I broke down and bought 2 pairs of Dansko clogs today - black and brown. And Monday I bought a cute pair of Cole Haan flats w/ the Nike Air stuff. And I've got some Earth shoes, I got suckered in by the "burn more calories" spiel. And on top of that, I'm still trying to break in the Dankso Mary Janes. Yikes! I've become a comfy shoe-a-holic.
 
DrWanahbe said:
Sounds to me like you may have bought them too small. Do you normally wear a half size? Did you go up in size?

I believe they're supposed to be loose on your feet, and if they're not, then you should size up...
Click to expand...

Nope...If anything, I bought them a little too big so that I would have room in case I wanted to wear thick socks (my feet get cold easily). It's not a matter of tightness...it's something to do with the arches. My feet ache at the end of the day.

They're fine for daytime wear, but definitely not by on-call shoes of choice.
 
lilmo said:
eww! those look like a renegade pair of crocs.:laugh:
Click to expand...

What! All I gotta say is that that picture doesn't do it justice. Maybe Calzuros are not so photogenic but they DEFINITELY don't look like those ugly crocs with 1000 holes.

Whatever, Danskos are over-rated!
 
haha! at least they look like they clean up easily if you happen to get some bodily fluids sprayed on them:D
 
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