Packing Panic. Let’s Talk Shoes 👟

Everything I’ve learned after thousands of miles and too many blisters

What Do Travelers Worry About the Most? Shoes.

Some years ago, I was hanging around the travel center at Rick Steves, where I worked for more than 20 years. I was chatting with the staff, who answered the company email, and asked what the most common travel question was. I did not expect the answer. They all said the same: what kind of shoes should I bring?

Now, I realize there are more pressing concerns in the world than shoe shopping, but if you travel often you know this truth—you can ruin the trip of your dreams if you are uncomfortable. The most common thing to make you uncomfortable is an ill-fitting pair of shoes.

The reason that shoes can make or break a trip is that everyone tends to walk more when they travel. From distant gates at airports to walking tours across cobblestones in Paris, your feet may not be prepared for what’s coming. What works for your everyday needs may not cut it for uneven surfaces and long distances on a vacation.

Now, you may be thinking, what’s the big deal, if your feet hurt, can’t you buy a new pair on the road? Maybe, but maybe not. I am cursed with size 12 feet, meaning that there are few options in my size on a good day, and zero options in countries where women don’t come in size 6’2. Sure, I can buy men’s shoes and look like a fool, but what about men who wear over a size 12? What about folks with special widths or foot problems?

As a tour guide and travel writer, I’ve put in weeks on end, walking 10-15 miles a day. I’ve mastered blister care and discovered that bidets have multiple uses. I’ve tried just about every combination of shoes, insoles, socks, and any other trick to make long distance walking better. The best advice I can give you is to avoid problems from the start and buy the right shoes. Even if the right shoe for you is expensive, spend the money. Your feet are the one thing that can cut your plans short.

All of this is to say that I get it. If you’re going to obsess about one item in your luggage, it best be shoes.

Shoes are very personal, from style to fit, so I don’t have one answer for everyone. However, I do have a few tips for how to get started on your search. I also have a few solid favorites and a list of good options that have been crowdsourced from followers, which will all be posted on my blog this week. Let’s get down to the thought process.

How Many Pairs?

For most travelers, two pairs is the minimum. I beg you to not bring one pair alone. Not only will your feet get tired of that pair, but it’s going to be a hassle if they get wet or break. Even if I am known for traveling super light, I bring three pairs of shoes on every trip. In some cases I just want versatility for differing situations, but in reality, feet may demand a change.

For summer travel, I recommend a pair of walking shoes, a pair of sturdy walking sandals, and a pair of flip flops or slip on sandals. The flip flops are a nice extra for end of the day footwear or beach wear.

For spring and fall travel, I recommend a pair of walking shoes, like tennis shoes, and a pair of dressier walking shoes, like loafers or a supportive flat. If it will potentially be warm, toss a pair of lightweight sandals in as well.

For winter travel, I pack good tennis shoes, and wear a supportive boot on the plane. Boots are terribly heavy and bulky, but who cares if they are on your feet? If you need a third pair, I’d bring another walking shoe with good tread. Bonus points if any of these are waterproof.

What to Look for in a Travel Shoe

Since I preach the gospel of packing light, my top criteria is weight. You’d be shocked at how much of a typical suitcase’s weight is just a single pair of shoes. Shoes can range from 3 oz to 1.5 lbs, per shoe!

While you can find the weight of a shoe on some websites, most weights are based on a general size, not YOUR size. Sorting on websites by weight is a nice tool but I’ve never had a pair arrive at my door that were the promised weight on the website.

The only true way to size up a shoe is to do it in person. I know it sounds crazy, but you can (and I do) bring a digital kitchen scale to the shoe store and weigh your shoes before you buy. If that feels awkward, shop at a store like Nordstrom Rack where you can hide in the shoe stacks with your scale. It’s a super helpful exercise and worth doing, and I promise you won’t be the only person who has done it, many of my followers have risked looking silly too. It’s also a fantastic tie breaker if you have several to decide between.

What Are You Doing?

Your shoe picks must be motivated by your activities. I’d love for style to come first but I’ve regretted it every single time that I picked fashion over practicality.

Are you waking on cobblestones? Hard soles and heels are out, as are platform shoes. You’ll want something with a squishy, grippy sole, like Sketchers or a lightweight athletic shoe.

Are you hiking or nature walking? Tread is your top concern so avoid shoes like Birkenstocks. Look for a Vibram sole or grippy tread like a tire.

Are you going somewhere hot and wet? Do not pick leather sandals. Ask me how I know. Tevas or Keens are your best pick, and can be worn for hiking or even swimming.

Are you going somewhere cold and wet? Waterproof boots are the answer.

Pick Neutral Colors

I love a fun and funky shoe as much as the next girl, but I try to stick to brown and black leather shoes and white sneakers. If you’ve got two or three pairs for a month, you should invest in a neutral shoe that will match everything.

Kick it Old-School

Remember the days when we used to go to the shoe store for school shoes and we had to put our feet in the funny measuring thing? Tell me, when was the last time you did that? Those little devices still exist. It is worth your time to find a fancy shoe store with actual salesmen (like Nordstrom) and have them measure your feet. Feet do grown and change over a lifetime, you might be surprised to find you’ve been wearing the wrong size for years.

You Get What You Pay For

I’ve always found expensive travel clothes to be a nonsensical waste of money, but not shoes. A solid pair of comfort shoes are over $100, and can be worth every cent. Of course, there are legions of people who worship Sketchers, but these will wear out after one trip. Higher end walking shoes, like Ecco, will have a solid sole that won’t fall apart and should last a couple of years. Actual leather lasts a decade or more longer than fake leather. Construction matters on a shoe that you’re planning on pushing to the limit, so don’t buy knock-offs or shoes from brands that have unfamiliar, nonsense names.

If you’ve got any shoe travel hacks you think I’ve missed in this post, let me know in the subscriber chat this week

Test Drive

Please do not be like me and bring a pair of shoes that just arrived without breaking them in. They may feel wonderful, and they may be! But you really must walk a few miles before committing to taking them on a trip. I suggest buying a month ahead and wearing them every day until you go.

Insoles Can Change Your Life

If you have foot pain, or any kind of foot condition, you can easily adapt shoes to your needs with insoles. You can order insoles for low or high arches, plantar fasciitis and other conditions. Buying the top grade insoles will cost you almost as much as your shoes, but can even relieve back pain. If you don’t want to invest in something like Superfeet, good old Dr Scholls still sells gel inserts for under $20 and these work very well too. If you already have a beloved pair of shoes that is fading away, you can get a bit more life out of them this way.

Don’t Bring Ancient Shoes

Did you know that rubber gets old? I had to replace my tires recently, not because they were bare, but because they were dried out from being old. Same idea applies to shoes. Shoe soles and linings will inevitably break down with age, especially plastic and rubber. I’ve made the mistake of bringing shoes that were a few years old and they fell apart during a long walk. I’ve had others where the shoe looked fine, but the supportive cushioning was compacted and made my feet ache. These days, I don’t tend to use travel shoes longer than two or three years.

Ok, Style DOES Matter…a Little

If you’re still reading, just remember that you can follow all of my suggestions and still be unhappy because you don’t like practical shoes. Comfort walking shoes aren’t famous for their style, although I’ve done my best to compile a list of attractive shoes. Liking what you put on your feet and feeling stylish does add joy to your trip, so it may be best to try and make yourself a bargain. Bring the comfortable shoes that are just ok, and add in a pair that makes you happy. Happiness, after all, is what travel is about.