My feet have always been the bane of my life, and I've spent many years trying to find the perfect shoe, that looks acceptable and is comfortable. Having a backside that were it shot into orbit could cause an eclipse I rarely wear trousers/jeans so trainers would look plain daft with a skirt, Lilly Allen I ain't.

I had pretty much given up hope on finding something that didn't cause my 'non standard construction' toes to blister, or my heels to cry, or the sole of my foot to burn like the depths of Hades. Marks and Sparks footglove were the nearest thing I had found to comfort, also they were mostly too narrow for my hobbit feet . They didn't have much in the way of style, and the fact that they caused my mother (never the most fashion conscious) to cry 'oh those look like nice shoes' was enough in itself to make me stop wearing them, they were also expensive.

Then whilst having a rare moment to myself to idly flick through the channels (nothing specific I wanted to watch being on) I stumbled across a loud lady and a Fly Flot rep extolling the virtues of a 'the most comfortable shoe you will ever wear' on Ideal World. I watched mesmerised as they told of the little Italian family firm who pay such attention to detail (got to love the Italians, when they do something they do it good.... mostly), they bent the shoe in half to demonstrate its flexibility, emphasised the lack of stitching on the uppers so as not to rub sensitive feet, and how the top was attached in such a way as to have no seams at all. They also showed a footbed/sole unit sliced in half Damien Hirst style to show the layers and air pockets which allow the high level of support.... Now I have to admit that even though Fly Flot have added a vast array of styles to their stable since that day, they with the best will in the world can't be called the most stylish of shoes.

If you love Birkenstocks, Scholl, or Sketchers; I'm sure you'll find something to love about these. However Fly Flot don't do what I would call 'going out shoes' because the construction of the sole and footbed doesn't allow for high heels and pointy toes etc., and as these are built primarily for comfort there are no patent finishes. Fly Flots only come in wedges some of which are two or three inches high, or a cut out wedge that gives the impression of a heel, the aforementioned heel being rather thick though.

You can buy Fly Flots from many online sites including their own, and they advertise in some national newspapers (such as the Daily Mail) as well as the shopping channel Ideal World (channel 644 on Sky). The price ranges I have seen vary from about £12.99 to around the £55 mark. There is a clearance section on their website, which I have used, and there are also often offers available via other channels. I have never seen Fly Flots in the high street, and I can't say whether they are available off line. No matter where purchased delivery of these shoes has always been quick and efficient. When I bought a pair online it seemed to trigger the regular delivery of a small catalogue, more of a booklet really with their latest styles and offers displayed. I have not used this yet, but quite like getting it as I will buy Fly Flots again.

I have tried several styles of these shoes, the first being a soft closed in nubuck mule for when I worked in a library; being on my feet for several hours a day I really needed something comfortable. They made my feet and legs look like my Nanas when she's forgotten her diuretics, but by god were they comfortable. I later purchased a couple of pairs that look a little like Birkenstocks (if you squint). My latest pair of 'Flots' were bought in an attempt to avoid having to cram a pair of pumps into a small handbag to pop on to relieve when the agony of wearing 'going out' shoes for a few hours got too much.

They were intended to be smart enough to look nice with a less casual more 'dressed up' look, in lieu of my usual stiletto, or pointy toed kitten heels. They are open toed mules with a soft shimmer black nubuck upper, with a slim chevron of pewter nubuck as a design feature. I wore these for the first time on a shortish trip to collect my sister's new kitties from the nearest Cat Protection centre. Just to test them out for comfort before wearing them for a longer period. I was quite shocked to find that within half an hour just above the ball of my big toe behind the last knuckle on both feet were blistered and painful, one of them was bleeding! It was hard to tell which wailing was louder, mine or my sisters when kitten number one pooped and threw up all over his relatively calm and together sister (bless). The reason I like Fly Flots is that (usually) they have no 'break in' period, you can put them on and they are good to go, and just keep getting more comfortable with time. So I was surprised to find these to be so different.

On checking I realised that the fine soft stitching where the nubuck 'chevron' was attached is what was causing all this consternation to my feet. I did know there was stitching on the upper of this particular design but such was my trust in Fly Flot that I thought it was worth a try. Although the inside of the upper was very smooth and the stitching fine and soft it was not lined and that was enough to set my accursed fairy dust constructed feet off. However I didn't return the shoes as quite frankly I'm used to having to break them in, and after wearing for about a month they became quite comfortable - even though I have a reddened slightly toughened patch where my skin has adapted to the shoe rather than the other way around. I don't know if this is because Fly Flot's standards have deteriorated or simply because it was a style I hadn't bought before.

The upper of this latest pair did seem less generous and 'giving' than previous styles have been in the same brand. Another negative tendency I have noticed with this brand is that although they all seem to have a thin breathable leather insole, this 'lining' is often tissue thin, and can pull away from where it is attached to sides of the shoe. The lining is so soft that when it puckers up it doesn't usually create a problem. In closed in shoes or mules I have overcome this by inserting an insole of my own to prolong the life of the lining. Also I'm quite 'heavy' (even when I'm not heavy myself -which isn't often) on my shoes so others may not find this such a problem.

5 Reasons Fly Flots are 'good' taken direct from the uk website

Shock Absorbing Shoes - The unique production of the sole gives effective protection from the impact of walking on your joints.

Anti-Bacterial Shoes - The footbed is treated with an antibacterial solution helping to reduce foot odour and keep your feet healthy.

Anatomic Shoes - The shape of the sole is pre-formed to follow the natural foot anatomy, ensuring proper support and maximum comfort.

Self Moulding Shoes - The footbed will mould itself to the natural shape of your foot for a personal fit and sublime comfort.

Anti Slip Shoes - The sole is slip resistant and provides excellent traction.

I have to say that all these features give an accurate representation of the shoe, since my husband broke his hip before Christmas he has been forcibly conscripted to the ranks of Fly Flotters. Nothing else would fit around his melon shaped foot (on the side of the break) and he was terrified of slipping again as he's only just getting a bit more steady on his feet he needed something that was non slip, 'voila' Fly Flots to the rescue. The one thing that doesn't seem to be effective in his case is the anti-bacterial 'solution', as his shoes still have to be removed whilst wearing an industrial Bio-Hazard suit, and using tongs, before being slipped outside to 'air', and be thoroughly febreezed. Also we have noticed with my husband's pair and one pair of mine, that they have a tendency to make a rather unfortunate flatulent noise with almost every step. This seems to happen with the more strongly shaped sole units for some reason, and is a feature I've noticed with other brands too, so I suppose it isn't a fault with Fly Flots, it's more of a combination of factors between individual feet with specific styles.

I would say that Fly Flots are on the whole a fantastically comfortable shoe, available in a good range of prices and designs that has it's stylish moments.