text: These are without a doubt, the best shoes I have ever owned.  I needed shoes to trek across Germany and Austria in and one day I ventured into our local, upscale department store, saw these shoes and after trying them on, bought them.  By my standards they are expensive but I soon found out that they are more than worth the money.  I wore these shoes everywhere for six months, everyday, and even took my daily one mile walk in them instead of tennis shoes.  After a while they got a little smelly but leather shoes will do that after you wear them every day.  I washed them in the washing machine by taking out the insole before washing them both then allowing them to air dry.  GOOD AS NEW!  I purchased another pair from Amazon and they fit just as well and are just as comfortable but they are reserved for special circumstances.  I may buy a third pair and keep them in the box for the future. You cannot go wrong with these shoes.  And they wash like a dream.  They were less expensive on Amazon, too.  Update 9-19-17  I just received my third pair of these shoes.  Wonderful.  Fit like a dream.