Anonymous
Post 04/30/2012 12:54     Subject: Are Toms shoes comfortable?
I have these ballet flats: http://www.toms.com/womens/ballet-flats-1/alessandra-black-canvas-ballet-flats

While I personally think they are adorable (and I get a ton of compliments on them), they are incredibly uncomfortable if you plan to walk anywhere in them. They are a bit wide on me and the back of the shoe digs into the back of my foot -- I wore them to a bunch of out of office meetings one day and could hardly walk halfway through the day.
Anonymous
Post 04/30/2012 12:18     Subject: Re:Are Toms shoes comfortable?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:whether they're comfortable or not, they are hideous. So many better options out there for comfy shoes. Plus I've heard that Toms isn't exactly loved in the countries that it's supposedly helping.


Source?


Not the PP, but I work in international development, and in general, we do not support transporting goods from their place of manufacture to the place that "needs" them. (A few exceptions, of course, like pharmaceuticals.) It is preferable to support the manufacture of consumer goods and the production of food in the place it is needed, to bolster the local economy, provide jobs, teach skills, etc. It's the "give a man a fish" thing. Plus just being cheaper and more environmentally sound. It really burns me that the U.S. gov't subsidizes U.S. farmers to produce food that is not needed here, and is instead shipped overseas at huge expense and environmental impact, where the artificially low prices destroy local markets. Same with shoes.


Well, I am the one who asked for the source and I am also in international development. I always love the black and white approach people take. Saying that Toms is destroying local markets is a bit of an oversell considering they contribute a minisucle amount of shoes. It is not like Title II Food Aid. I'll throw my own source in here just for fun (and sorry for annoying the rest of the folks following this thread). http://jgaynor.com/2012/02/10/toms-shoes-good-or-bad-for-development/
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2012 22:14     Subject: Re:Are Toms shoes comfortable?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:whether they're comfortable or not, they are hideous. So many better options out there for comfy shoes. Plus I've heard that Toms isn't exactly loved in the countries that it's supposedly helping.


Source?


Not the PP, but I work in international development, and in general, we do not support transporting goods from their place of manufacture to the place that "needs" them. (A few exceptions, of course, like pharmaceuticals.) It is preferable to support the manufacture of consumer goods and the production of food in the place it is needed, to bolster the local economy, provide jobs, teach skills, etc. It's the "give a man a fish" thing. Plus just being cheaper and more environmentally sound. It really burns me that the U.S. gov't subsidizes U.S. farmers to produce food that is not needed here, and is instead shipped overseas at huge expense and environmental impact, where the artificially low prices destroy local markets. Same with shoes.
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2012 21:15     Subject: Re:Are Toms shoes comfortable?
Anonymous wrote:whether they're comfortable or not, they are hideous. So many better options out there for comfy shoes. Plus I've heard that Toms isn't exactly loved in the countries that it's supposedly helping.


Lol. Brandel.
Anonymous
Post 04/28/2012 21:13     Subject: Re:Are Toms shoes comfortable?
Anonymous wrote:whether they're comfortable or not, they are hideous. So many better options out there for comfy shoes. Plus I've heard that Toms isn't exactly loved in the countries that it's supposedly helping.


Source?
Anonymous
Post 04/27/2012 11:26     Subject: Are Toms shoes comfortable?
Super uncomfortable, they feel like stiff canvas that has to have a lot of use to get broken in. Little to no arch support. Hideous. I'd buy Danskos if I were on my feel all day.
Anonymous
Post 04/27/2012 10:24     Subject: Re:Are Toms shoes comfortable?
whether they're comfortable or not, they are hideous. So many better options out there for comfy shoes. Plus I've heard that Toms isn't exactly loved in the countries that it's supposedly helping.
Anonymous
Post 04/27/2012 09:57     Subject: Are Toms shoes comfortable?
I need a pair of canvas shoes for an upcoming beach trip, and I tried these on--they are very narrow.
Anonymous
Post 04/27/2012 09:56     Subject: Re:Are Toms shoes comfortable?
Agree that they are not for kids. Especially at the ankle. They are not made for children and I would imagine not that durable. For adults I think they are super comfy.
Anonymous
Post 04/27/2012 09:40     Subject: Re:Are Toms shoes comfortable?
I can't speak to the comfort question, not having worn them myself, but I was very disappointed in how my daughter's held up. Or failed to hold up. They were trash within about two months. Really poor construction.
Anonymous
Post 04/26/2012 21:52     Subject: Re:Are Toms shoes comfortable?
OP here. Thanks for the posts. One of my colleagues was wearing them today and she also said they feel like slippers. Maybe I'll give them a try.