A:  Tres,

Thanks for the note and the kind words. I checked out Comfort One Shoes, renowned for well-made, comfortable shoes in many styles, but to tell the truth, save for the Mephisto Macario, nothing struck me as a good mix of style and practicality. And, I felt we could do better.

A quick call to Dr. Ben Peal, podiatrist in Washington, DC, netted us a few suggestions. He recommended Johnston & Murphy with Vibra-soles at Jos.A Banks, Ecco, and Natural Step (which are, frankly, ugly and I won't pass along), feeling they were comparable to Rockport, with Johnston & Murphy being more upscale and Ecco being pretty stylish. He likes that Cole-Haan has a whole line of shoes with Nike Air Techonolgy (using an air bladder for cushion), but Dr. Pearl also said consider any shoe using a multi-density foam for the sole to give you the necessary cushion for that hip of yours.

The prices run from $110 to $300+. Considering your needs, I thought this was a realistic price range. Tres, thanks again for writing and hope that these suggstions help.