The Wonder of SAS Shoes: Old-Fashioned Comfort That is Hard to Find

SAS stands for San Antonio Shoes. Despite the fact that they do not advertise, SAS shoes are quite popular thanks to word of mouth and being one of the top podiatrist recommended shoes. The company was found in 1976 and is one of the few shoe companies that makes their entire line in the United States.

SAS are made for both women and men. They are also known for a wide variety of sizes. For women they carry slim (4A), narrow (2A), medium (B), wide (D), and double-wide (2E). They have also started carrying select styles in triple wide (4E). Depending on the width, SAS for women, start as small as size 4. They also carry every full and half size up to size 12, except for a few sandals that go up to size 13.

For men SAS are made in slim (2A), narrow (B), medium (D), wide (2E), double wide (4E) and they have recently started carrying select styles in triple wide (6E). Depending on the width men's sizes start at size 6 and are made in every full and half size up to size 15.

SAS's most famous shoes are the Free Time for woman and the men's version, the Time Out. This style is the SAS walking shoe. This style is a good combination of support and cushion. The shoe is not too stiff from to much support but also not too flexible from no support at all. It comes with an extra depth toe box that accommodates swelling, hammertoes and other problems that occur in the toe area. These styles also come with "EZ lace" which allows shoes to tighten with one good pull and to easily open wide to accommodate swelling.

Another feature of these shoes is that they come with a removable insole to allow orthodics. The "Tripad insole" can also be ordered separately and replaced, this is a plus since the inside of shoes often wears faster than the sole. These styles also come with an extra set of shoelaces.

The Free Time and Time Out both have similar Velcro styles as well, known as the Me Too for women and the VTO for men. For woman, SAS also make a slip on, Viva, and backless shoe, Clog, that has the same base, insole and toe box as the Free Time.

SAS also makes loafers and sandals for women, as well as a few moccasin toe walking shoes and loafers for men. All the moccasin style toes are hand-stitched. While many of the women's sandals come with suede foot beds and range from dressy with a small heel to wide sole comfort sandals.

Every style that SAS makes have a durable sole. The soles are made with less traction to help those that cannot pick their feet up easily.

All SAS shoes are made from leather or nubuck and come in many different colors. They have the basics of white, bone, mocha and black as well as navy, brown, cordovan, teak, pewter, copper, red and more. They also carry a few of their women's styles in patent croc print leathers and pearl leather.

SAS also carry a line of purses and shoe care products such as shoe cream, un-scuff it, and laces that are made to match nearly every color.

They are a traditional company that rarely changes styles like most current companies that change styles nearly every season. It's easy to replace SAS styles that were purchased several years ago because they most likely still make them.

SAS also limits how many stores in an area can carry them and they do not allow Internet sales, which can make them hard to find in stores. They also have controlled pricing so that all stores price their shoes the same and they limit how often the shoes can go on sale.

The SAS brand shoes range from approximately $94 to $129 for women's, $124 to $209 for men's and $109 to $134 for purses.