with no elevated heel. i.e. shoes that don't deform your feet out of their natural position. Human feet are meant to be on level ground and widest at the tips of the toes. The longer we stray from this and our feet start to look like our shoes, the more they hurt. Shoes with less cushioning will actually last longer. I have a lot of shoes, but I'm wearing nearly 15 year old Lems and Vivobarefoot shoes still. For more casual or dressy stuff, look at Lems. For more athletic, try finding some Altra's on sale at Runner's Corner or at the outlet in Lehi.