Is anyone familiar with this NAS shoe? (Josef Seibel 'Caspian') - YouLookFab Forum

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Is anyone familiar with this NAS shoe? (Josef Seibel 'Caspian')

Mochi

Veteran

Hi again. Last year for NAS I hesitatingly bought the Mephisto sneaker "Yael." I say that because even though it was on sale, it was pricey for me. But it immediately became my perfect, go-to sporty luxe shoe and the cost per wear must have been close to nothing very quickly.

It's still sold but not on NAS this year, so I am considering another shoe that looks very cute, but the price point is much lower. The Josef Seibel "Caspian." It's not the price I'm so much concerned with, but whether it's a well-built shoe. Has anyone ordered it? I have a high-volume, high-arched foot and wear sneakers a lot for my city lifestyle, including a lot of walking. But I still do want the versatility of that sporty luxe vibe. I am wondering if this would be a good choice for second-round NAS ordering.

Thanks in advance!

Josef Seibel 'Caspian' Sneaker

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Mephisto 'Yael' Soft-Air Sneaker (Women)

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18 replies

Latest reply was from Carolyn

greycat6

Veteran

I am on my second pair of Seibel Caspian sneakers. LOVE THEM! First bought them because of an Angie NAS pick and haven't looked back. Very comfortable with a little arch support. I sized up half a size to accommodate a pair of Super Feet arch supports. I would say they are not as supportive as a traditional running shoe but plenty supportive for days of walking.

My feet sound opposite of your description of your feet. Mine are low volume, low arch with a narrow heel and widely spaced toes.

Hope this helps!

Mochi

Veteran

That is extremely helpful! Thanks. ETA I don't think the arch and volume question will be so critical with a sneaker. Do you think, though, that they are quality and will hold up well? The Mephistos had amazing staying power. Well, they are pretty cheap so I could order a few pair...

julesegr

I have a silver pair. Love them! Recommended to me by my SA last year.

greycat6

Veteran

Yes, my Caspians have held up very well. I'm hard on casual shoes and the first pair were worn all over Europe for a month's vacation when they were new. I continued to wear them for about 18 months.

The only issue I had was that over time the leather scuffed. The integrity of the shoe was fine but cosmetically they lost some appeal. I couldn't find a polish or way to bring them back to looking respectable so I passed them on. My first pair was a dark grey, mushroom color and I couldn't find a polish that worked with them. Most recent pair is silver so I hope to incorporate some of Angie's recent tips on maintaining silver shoes too keep this pair looking spiffy.

Makrame

Veteran

I have two pairs of these as well - silver and olive/mushroom color. They are very comfortable and hold up pretty well. I brought them on trips to Europe a couple times, and they worked out well. Although recently I found that for really really long walking trips they are not as comfortable as soft hiking shoes (Merrells) but overall I am pretty happy with them and like the looks, too.

Runs With Scissors

Veteran

I had to go above and beyond to get a pair of these. I found that size 42, which is billed as 11-11.5 in US sizes, was too small for me -- I am a US size 11 virtually always. I ended up ordering from amazon.de to get a size 43 at all (thanks to Astrid for help on this!). My pair (in navy) arrived last week and they are fantastic. I would totally order more in NAS if they had my size!

I don't think the Caspians beat my Eccos for comfort, but they are very comfortable. (BTW, if you are looking for fantastic arch support, I recommend Ecco's Chase II tie, pictured below. Not, alas, in the NAS, but available at Nordstrom.)

For the record, I have a medium-to-low volume, medium arch, medium width foot.

Ecco Footwear Womens Chase Tie Sneaker

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Mochi

Veteran

Great, thanks again. So I want something I can wear with my daily casual city uniform, so I'll be picking those over hiking boots

Glad the feedback is good. I'll probably pull the trigger.

Mochi

Veteran

Cross-post with Runs With Scissors. Thanks and for the Ecco recs also. I was previously admiring that shoe.

I wear sneakers a lot. These are reassuring reviews.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

I had the Caspians and wore them quite a bit; they were my first street sneaker. Then I got some Paul Green high tops that I liked better, and I passed on the Caspians. Then I got the Mephisto Yael, which I love. and this year I bought some Paul Green low-tops on sale. The Caspians did hold up well, and I found them more comfortable for me if I wore them with Superfeet 3/4 inserts for a little arch support. My Paul Greens and Mephistos don't need the extra support.

Angie

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The JS Caspians have been a top pick for years.

Mochi

Veteran

I actually think the Mephistos could have used a bit more support in my case, Firecracker. They might have just been slightly large on me.

Paul Greens sound tempting. Maybe some of these will end up being my big takeaway from NAS this year.

Liz A.

Veteran

I've had the Caspians for a couple months now. I only wore them once, and they tore my feet up... blisters in 4 places. But then again, I don't wear socks with my casual sneakers, so if you do that may not be concern. Aside from the blisters, they feel tailor made for my skinny feet with high arches and bunions.

Firecracker (Sharan)

Veteran

Agreed, the Mephisto sneakers aren't as supportive as some of my regular shoes in other brands. If you wear sneakers a lot, I don't see a reason not to add a pair of the Caspians. Are you thinking of the red ones pictured in your Finds? That would be a fun color.

MaryA

I've had the same experience as Liz A, I've always gotten multiple blisters when I where my Caspians. And this is with socks! For some reason they just do not play nicely with my feet. However, I am in the minority and they are certainly worth trying.

Beth

Veteran

Love the Caspians. I have a silver pair from a previous NAS and they were very comfortable on a Europe trip several yeas ago where we walked upwards of ten miles a day. They do have mild arch support.

As for blisters, I never had any issues, but the interior of the shoe is not as cushy as a true athletic shoe, so I can see it being a potential problem, particularly if wearing barefoot.

Glory

Veteran

I also have a pair of Caspians in a light gray colour. I love them but I find they are about a 6 hour shoe for me. If I know I have to walk huge distances I still opt for a runner.

sarah

Veteran

Exactly what Beth said. I've had my silver Caspians for about 5 years now. I walked all over Europe in them, and never had a single complaint. I love them. My feet are fairly "high volume", FYI.

Carolyn

I had two pairs of the JS Caspians, as the brand usually works for me. However, my experience was similar to a couple of others who have posted: the shoes tore up my feet! I have high volume feet with a low arch.