As a young sister missionary, I did what a lot of girls do and bought the cheapest shoes I could find for my eighteen month excursion. As I left the store the day of my cheap, ugly shoe purchase, I shuddered to think that the shoes I had chosen and would be wearing for the next 18 months were the same shoes I fought a grandma for in the store. They were really great shoes and I got a lot of good use out of them—until I started tracting and walking 8 hours a day (we had a car, so it wasn't that bad, but still) and they started cracking!

Suddenly I was in desperate need of a new pair of shoes 8 months into my mission. I knew it was bad when I couldn't wear them in the rain because the crack had turned into a leak! It wasn't until after my mission that I discovered Danskos. I avoided purchasing them because of the hefty price tag, but once I discovered the value in each pair I understood why they are worth every penny! Since my first pair almost four years ago I haven't stopped wearing them.

Danskos sometimes get a bad rep for being "clunky." A lot of first time Dansko buyers are wary of such a big shoe. And let's be honest: compared to the ballet flat, they are big. However, they are not big just to be big. There is a science to the bulk, and the careful construction is why those that love the stapled clog won't wear anything else. Here are the top reason I LOVE the Danskos:

• Leather, leather, leather! I don't care what kind of shoe you are wearing, nothing beats leather. It breaths well, wears well, and stretches to fit your foot. All Dansko's are made with durable, vegetable-dyed leather uppers.
• Roomy. I wear a size 11 in womens and have been cramming my feet into shoes for years until I discovered Danskos. They are designed to give your feet lots of room to move.
• They slip—at least, that is what it feels like at first. These shoes are designed to move with your foot so your heel will move up as you walk. It may feels strange at first because it isn't what most Americans are used to, but the looseness is actually one of the many comfort factors.
• A well-designed foot bed. They have an anti-microbial lining and are made to absorb and evaporate perspiration.
• Orthotics. Each stapled clog has built in arch support that is similar to a custom orthotic your doctor would make for you.
• Polyurethane sole. I love this stuff! The rocking footbed is designed to propel you forward (taking some of the work out of walking, who doesn't love that?!) and also absorbs shock. Polyurethane is the key to getting the extra spring in your step.

For all of these reasons and more, Dansko makes ultimate tracting shoes! If I were going on a mission all over again, they would still be the shoes for me, but even though I'm not it is the first shoe I reach for anytime I am going to be doing a lot of walking or standing. Nothing else compares!

If you don't know Dansko's story, or how they came to be check out their website here and their story here.