Info: Available in White or Blue-Brown, in Sizes 36 1/3 to 43 European
Even in Canada, some women can hardly wait until they can put away their confining shoes and socks and get back to bare feet and sandals wherever possible. But as we get older and/or acquire injuries or foot deformities, we may find ordinary sandals (which usually provide very little in the way of cushioning support) just won't do, once it's become too painful to walk more than very short distances. Fortunately, the Melano can provide the best of both worlds: a comfortable, adjustable, supportive sandal, both on top of and below your feet.
Info: Available in White or Blue-Brown, in Sizes 36 1/3 to 43 European
Even in Canada, some women can hardly wait until they can put away their confining shoes and socks and get back to bare feet and sandals wherever possible. But as we get older and/or acquire injuries or foot deformities, we may find ordinary sandals (which usually provide very little in the way of cushioning support) just won't do, once it's become too painful to walk more than very short distances. Fortunately, the Melano can provide the best of both worlds: a comfortable, adjustable, supportive sandal, both on top of and below your feet.
Product Notes:
Please note, we are only able to ship footwear orders within Canada.
The Melano is a Swiss-made open toed (for all but the little toe) sandal with big straps, including around the heel, so you can walk for miles. Both the instep and front straps on its 'upper deck' are adjustable, with velcro hook-and-loop fasteners. But what really distinguishes it as a kybun shoe is the springy sole on its 'lower deck', made from a specially developed, multi-component polyurethane which incorporates tiny air bubbles to cushion each step, ease the strain on your joints and back, strengthen your muscles, and improve your posture and gait. (To learn more about how the kybun air-cushion sole can help overcome a wide variety of health and mobility challenges, please see our compilation of customer testimonials.) Last, but not least, the outer covering of this sole is made of a durable rubber and has a good tread pattern to keep you sure-footed in all manner of conditions.
The Melano comes in two colour schemes, as shown. One has an all-white upper, and a hard to pin down beige colour outer sole (whose shade varies under different photography lighting conditions). The other has a two-tone upper: half brown, and half purple (although they call it blue), with a bluish-grey outer sole. You can wear shorts or jeans or dress up or down with either type.
Melano was the name of a village in the Canton of Ticino on a southern tip of Switzerland (kybun's home country), which recently merged with some nearby villages to form the new municipality of Val Mara.
Composition, Sizing, and Care Guidance:
Upper material: Synthetic Leather
Lining: Microfiber
Insole: Suede
Front Straps: Velcro
Sole: Polyurethane, Sandal style
Fit: Adjustable Width.
Sizing:
The kybun standard size recommendation applies, which is based on measuring the length of your bare feet (rather than on your customary sizes) and selecting the corresponding European size.
Please see: Recommended kybun sizing for kybun models with Wide soles, but bear in mind, that table uses kybun's original system of European to US size equivalences.
Since their merger with Joya (the other Mueller family shoe company, which has been using a different sizing convention for women's shoes), those equivalencies have been shifted to a half-US size smaller for women's models, starting in Spring 2023 - those are the ones being employed here on this page (but may not yet be implemented on the actual shoes, depending on when they were actually manufactured). If in doubt, please go by the European size. If you already own a pair of kybuns, that will appear on the shoe's label, which will either be on the inside of the 'tongue' for shoes or boots, or affixed to one of the straps, for sandals.
Care and Cleaning:
Kybun recommends that you waterproof and clean your kybun shoes at regular intervals.
For a synthetic fibre upper like this, they recommend that you apply an appropriate waterproofing spray two or three before wearing them outdoors for the first time to protect the shoes from water and dirt, and to reapply it periodically (such as after a major cleaning, or at the start of the next season).
The type they currently recommend (shown here) is not readily available in Canada (it is produced by PepUp, in Austria), but is made with Jojoba and Eucalyptus globulus oil mixed in distilled water, along with some Rosemary oil (which has disinfectant effect) and some unspecified skin-friendly silicone derivates and additives. (To apply, spray onto the dry, clean shoe from a distance of 30 cm, and allow it to dry for 15 minutes. For the second or third application, you might also want to rub it in with a clean cloth or sponge, after spraying.) This spray is designed to impregnate the material with a protective coating while still maintaining its full breathability, so look for similar qualities in a North American version.
To clean the sandals of light dust or dirt, simply use a dry brush with soft bristles. For more stubborn dirt, follow up with a liquid cleaner, such as the "care foam" they recommend, from that same company, which is made from distilled water and Jojoba, Lavender and Peppermint oils, along with Polyglycerol 10 Laurate. To protect the insole, cover it with a dry cloth before applying. Just use a sponge, cloth or brush to apply the foam, and rub it in evenly. Then allow the shoes to dry fully and brush them again with the soft bristle brush.
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