I'm not sure if this fits the requirements of a hard sole...it's a regular shoe and the sole is rather flexible...but the best shoes by far that I've had are Patagonia Maha Breathe. When my feet swelled up really bad these were great (they swell a little with bad flares but when I was pregnant...omg...never seen anything like that). They stretched out without cutting into my feet. The shoes are also incredibly light weight. I was able to put these on right out of the box and immediately wear them for a full 9 hour day at work where I was on my feet. They aren't cheap...but seriously are some of the best shoes I ever bought. The mesh on them awas nice too. Not sure if any of that helps...but they worked great for me and shoes are a difficult thing for me too.