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The Best Shoes for Travel
Selecting the best shoes for travel is one of the most important parts of preparing for any trip. The key item to remember is comfort, as most times you’ll be doing A LOT of walking regardless of where your destination might be. In saying this, having uncomfortable shoes will really put a damper on your trip. We’ve made a list of the shoes that have been reliable allies during our trips and hope they can provide you comfort too.
The Best Shoes for Travel: Women
Hiking Shoes for Travel
The first of these best shoes for travel is, hiking shoes! Hiking shoes aren’t necessary for all travel but if you plan to go hiking or spend a lot of time outdoors they will be helpful. Selecting the right kind of hiking shoe for travel is also important. I’ve had a few different kinds of hiking shoes but my favorites are my Merrell Capra Bolt hiking shoes.
Not only are they comfortable they have extremely good support and structure that will keep you moving when walking or hiking long distances. If you want a different style, I’ve been pleased with all of the Merrell shoes I’ve purchased for hiking.
Casual Boots for Travel
If traveling to a cooler weather location or during fall or winter, bringing a casual pair of boots is the perfect addition to pack. One of my favorite pairs of casual boots is my Lucky Brand Booties. They’re stylish, comfortable, and have held up nicely while traveling. I liked the Basel style so much I ended up buying them in cognac, black, and gray. I also recently got a pair of Doc Martens that are perfect for travel too.
Casual Sneakers for Travel
I enjoy having a pair of casual sneakers on me when I travel because they’re comfortable and can be worn with a variety of outfits – even skirts or dresses! I personally love Vans and Keds ($20-$40). For a more dressed up sneaker, I also love the quilted Steve Madden slip-on sneakers (pictured below).
Sandals for Travel
For a casual sandal that can be dressed up with everyday outfits, I personally like Merrells (similar $85), or my Teva sandals (similar $49.95) are my go-to. Bonus? The Tevas are also waterproof so they’re perfect to wear while swimming or at the beach.
Dress Shoes for Travel
While I usually don’t pack high heels during international travel, sometimes you need to pack one pair of dress shoes for special occasions. Typically I opt for low wedges (pictured below) because they are more comfortable to wear for a longer amount of time and they can be dressed up or dressed down.
The Best Shoes for Travel: Men
Hiking Shoes for Travel
Like above, hiking shoes aren’t necessary for all kinds of travel but are definitely helpful if you plan to spend a lot of time outdoors hiking. My favorite hiking shoes are the Merrell All Out Crush. They have an amazing grip that moves with your feet so you shouldn’t have to worry about twisting your ankle when trekking.
Athletic Sneakers for Travel
I’ve been through a number of athletic sneakers that are comfortable for travel but by far my favorites are my Adidas Ultraboosts. But, not only are they comfortable, they’re stylish too making them perfect for a pair of jeans, joggers, or athletic shorts.
Men’s Sandals for Travel
My Teva Sandals are honestly one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. They’re waterproof, durable, and provide just enough support and grip when walking long distances.
Dress Shoes for Travel
I don’t typically need dress shoes when traveling unless I am dining at a place that has a dress code or have an event to attend but I have always been a fan of Sperry’s shoes. These Sperry Loafers are easy to pack and are comfortable enough to wear for quite a few hours and can be worn with dress slacks, jeans, or shorts.
Other Tips for Comfort
Quality Socks: Until recently we always bought socks in bulk to cut the cost. We didn’t know what we were missing until we each bought a pair of wool socks and have noticed a dramatic difference. A pair of quality socks can help provide support, compression, and can help avoid painful blisters.
Supportive Insoles: Adding insoles not only help with arch support but heel support as well. We recommend Superfeet insoles for stability, support, and all-day comfort. We have a set in our hiking shoes, tennis shoes, and even some of our dress shoes that have removable insoles.
Break-In Your Shoes: It seems like common sense, but make sure you wear your shoes frequently before you travel in order to make sure they will give you comfort while walking during your trips!
What are some of your most comfortable shoes to wear while traveling?
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21 Comments
Susan Aksu
September 24, 2016 at 10:03 PMGreat fashionable tips for shoes. Always the headache because I want to pack so many. I am a huge hiker/trail runner when I’m traveling so I personally skip hiking shoes and use trail runners. My current pick is the Salomon SpeedCross 3 for women and they kicked butt in Patagonia and Montenegro. I also love packing my wedges like you, they are so versatile for casual-but-nice days to a little more dressy!
kallsypage
September 25, 2016 at 4:58 PMSusan, I have that same problem. I typically bring 3 pairs now! I haven’t tried Salomon brand shoes yet but have heard terrific things about them.
Glad there is a fellow wedges lover! Although they can be a pain to pack they are perfect for dressing up. 🙂
megan
September 25, 2016 at 5:11 AMGreat list thanks for sharing your picks … I agree that selecting the right kind of shoes to pack is one of the most important parts of preparing for any trip. Many times I’ve gone with the wrong choice of footwear in the past and lived to regret it at a later date!
kallsypage
September 25, 2016 at 4:54 PMAgreed Megan! Not all of these are terrific for lengthy distances but have worked out for us in the past. We felt that way after walking nearly 25 miles a day in Japan.
Fiona Maclean
September 25, 2016 at 9:40 AMI always have a challenge with shoes and boots for walking as my feet are very wide. For me, anything made of leather usually works best because it will stretch…
kallsypage
September 25, 2016 at 4:52 PMSmart thinking! We also love shoes that stretch a little. Leather is always a durable, nice option.
Anita Hendrieka
September 25, 2016 at 11:40 AMGreat tips, good shoes are important! I recently went on a trip to Slovenia and my sneakers broke within 3 days so I have learnt my lesson to buy good quality sneakers now!
kallsypage
September 25, 2016 at 2:37 PMOh no! We’ve had similar experiences to this. I forgot all of my socks once… not a good time but fortunately socks are much easier to purchase than shoes.
meg
September 25, 2016 at 4:58 PMA great list! It always depends on where I’m going but a cozy sneaker, a pair of sandals and wedges are normally my go to. Although my next trip is to Nashville so I’ll probably just wear my boots the whole time!
kallsypage
September 25, 2016 at 5:06 PMThank you! I’m glad you agree. Nashville is definitely the place to put on your boots and never take them off. We LOVE Nashville. Hope you have an amazing time! 🙂
Vishal
September 26, 2016 at 12:33 AMHappy feet brings happiness to your body. They are extremely important part of a trip and a lot of people don’t realize how important they are. A trip or a hike can only be enjoyed if your feet are at ease.
kallsypage
September 26, 2016 at 6:30 PMVishal, I couldn’t have said it better myself! 🙂 I’ve had a few days while traveling where my feet ached so bad I couldn’t continue on. Definitely makes for a bummer of a day!
Carmen
September 26, 2016 at 2:39 AMOh I will SO check out those boots! All of these options are great, thanks for sharing. Happy travels 🙂
kallsypage
September 26, 2016 at 6:28 PMGlad to give some inspiration! 🙂 Thank you.
Melody Pittman
September 26, 2016 at 3:21 AMCool post. Interesting to see what everyone else is wearing. 😉 I like those Lucky Brand booties, cute!
kallsypage
September 26, 2016 at 6:28 PMI always am looking for more options as well! Those booties have been some of the best I’ve found. 🙂
Lauren Meshkin
September 26, 2016 at 5:14 PMI would honestly wear any of these. Can you be my personal shoe stylist?! 😉 I’m loving the boots and casual sneakers though. Thanks for sharing!
kallsypage
September 26, 2016 at 6:25 PMHaha! You’re too kind! Of course, maybe we wear the same size? 😉 I love wearing casual boots when traveling, unless of course it’s hot! 🙂
Christina M
September 26, 2016 at 8:17 PMI am a huge fan of my Chaco sandals. I got the yampa single strap and love that they are water suitable, but can be worn with socks for light hiking.
kallsypage
September 26, 2016 at 10:11 PMChristina, I will definitely check these out again sometime. A few years ago I tried a pair but they were really heavy. I’ve heard they’ve made some good improvements. 🙂
Lynda Hogan
October 11, 2019 at 9:42 AMHi! I am a creature of habit and depend on the old reliable pair of Nike. But that is mainly because in the last few years I haven’t had the time or opportunity to look into alternatives. This is a great guide – I’ve spotted two brands here to look into further. Thanks for sharing.