When I first discovered the Arcopédico brand around a year or two ago, I had no idea I was about to be greeted with the most comfy walking shoes I had ever worn. As avid travelers know, when you’re prancing around a city for hours on end, you need comfortable shoes, but how often have you been in comfort yet the design was something you’d rather hide than show off? Here’s where Portuguese manufacturer Arcopédico comes onto the scene.
They focus on high-quality women’s comfort shoes but here’s what’s so unique and special about their shoe line: many companies use adjectives as if they’ve been pulled off a random shoe’s site as a way to describe their own. I may be slightly exaggerating here, but my point is that the description on Arcopédico’s website about their shoe’s uniqueness is precisely what makes them unique. Their shoes are lightweight, have an anatomically-designed, arch- and circulation-design that really supports your step AND they come in fabulous colors and styles.
Meet the Leta walking shoe, which comes in a versatile navy blue or black. I LOVE LOVE LOVE these shoes! You don’t need to worry about lacing them up because they simply slip on and off easily. They’re super lightweight (and small), making them a perfect add-on for any sized luggage. Even if you bring hiking shoes or bulkier sneakers with you, you’ll want a pair of these Leta shoes along. They go with everything (jeans) or a dressy pair of pants. You can wear them with shorts or even a summer beach dress.
This walking shoe is so incredibly comfortable that you’ll feel like you’re walking on air as you trek your way around a busy European city this summer.
Another style that is also very airy and light is the 1151 Arcopedico LS. While we don’t have a pair of their latest and greatest in to test out, it’s made from the same lightweight material and what we love about this particular style is its wide variety of colors.
We’d love to test out a fun color like Fuchsia, or an incredibly versatile one like Brown Starry Night on a future trip to a country that exudes vivid colors, culture and light, like Spain or Brazil for example. The line comes in Beige, Black, Bordeaux, Fuchsia, Marron, Navy, Olive, Orange, Red, Sky Blue, Violet, Brown Starry Night, Red Starry Night, Navy Starry Night, Black Starry Night, Denim and Yellow. Wow!
Here’s a little visual to give you an idea of the “science” and magic behind how they build their shoes. They use Techno-Elastic Uppers, an anatomic footbed for better body weight distribution and create a Twin Arch Support system, which helps to correct the positioning of the vertical columns. And, what’s great about this method is that you can actually feel the difference when you walk. Arcopedico footwear exercises the foot, strengthens the muscles, assists the circulation of the blood and ensures more comfort in walking and MAN, are they comfortable!
While they have plenty of casual walking shoes to choose from that make for perfect summer and spring companions, they also offer a variety of boots for when the colder temperatures hit. Unlike so many other comfortable shoe brands, this Portuguese family-run team love STYLE and great DESIGN! On their site, you can really tailor what you’re looking for by searching by color or style for example. Here’s a link to some of their boots – http://arcopedicoshoes.com/store/style/boots. You can also visit their USA only site at http://www.arcopedicousa.com/.
Touted as the most comfortable shoes on earth on their website, so far I have to admit, I feel as if I’m gracefully walking on water they’re so light on my feet. Take a look at this creatively designed boot, that comes in a fun rich elegant red with a pattern which they refer to as “Bordeaux” and also in a black with patchwork. The fine touches of the black straps on the side are lovely, allowing you to either dress them up (or down). They go well with a skirt, which is great for casual dressy evenings when you’re on the road.
What’s also nice about them is that they’re very soft (and lightweight), so you can fold them up or even roll the top of it down, making for easy packing.
Below is a close up of the back of the boot and a more detailed shot of the sole itself — you can see just how layered and padded it is, providing that extra comfort that so many other boots and shoes lack.
Below is the above boot in a plain red, which they refer to as Cherry Red and it also comes in a plain black.
And here is the same style Arcopédico boot in black with the lovely patchwork design. (center photo).
The hallmark of all Arcopédico shoes can be seen in two fundamental design principles: the “barefoot” upper—a soft, non-binding design that that conforms to the top of the foot to allow circulation and all-day comfort—and the patented, metal-free twin arch-support soles (made from molded polyurethane), which protect the foot arch and allow the distribution of body weight through the entire plantar surface.
They use a patented Lytech material, which is an innovative, ultra-light blend of polyurethane and Lycra, which allows the shoes to be easily packed for traveling (shoe pairs weigh as little as 10.9 oz.) and you can also safely machine wash them, another godsend for travelers. Arcopédico’s Lytech shoes are also BioCalce Certified, which means eco-friendly, vegan, water-resistant and biodegradable. BRAVO!
Arcopédico shoes is a must buy for any women who values comfort but wants to still look stylish wherever she goes. It’s the lightweight, anatomically-designed and washable nature of the shoes in addition to the comfort factor that make them especially ideal for travelers. They are also useful for women working on their feet, or women who suffer from chronic circulation problems, sore feet, or dropping arches. OR, all of the above.
We are huge fans of the Arcopédico shoe line and highly recommend them for any female traveler. TWO THUMBS UP!!!
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
