Tips for Selecting Long-Term Travel Footwear

The Vitality of Footwear

There’s a famous Irish proverb: You’re going to spend 80% of your life in your shoes or bed, so that’s where you should invest your money.  For a traveler, much more time than average is spent walking around in some long-term travel footwear.

While traveling, investing in a decent pair of shoes is probably your single, most important piece of equipment. Vagabonds, hikers, trekkers, travelers and wanderers walk everywhere, so proper footwear is a matter of lifestyle, comfort and safety. Spend time carefully researching the best long-term travel footwear for your purposes.

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Type of Footwear

Bluntly put, average footwear when traveling isn’t good enough.  A pair of standard off-the-rack sneakers usually don’t have the endurance to last on extended trips and lack the support to make a journey bearable.  

Strictly speaking, you only need one set of shoes for your journey.  You can add more depending on specific locations and personal lifestyle choices if needed.

There are all sorts of footwear out there which are specialized for long-term travel.  A novice traveler can get away with clothes they already own, a backpack from army surplus and a paper map.  But shoes need to be in good condition. They need to be built to handle a lot of walking.

There are several kinds of long-term travel footwear suited for travel:

• Ultralight Trail Runners
• Trekking Boots
• Hiking Shoes
• Flip Flops
• Rollups

Trail Runners

If you’re looking for long-term travel footwear that do everything, trail runners are likely your best bet.  These shoes are designed to be as light as possible.  They’re are designed for hiking and walking through lots of different terrain.  Though they’re generally not watertight, they are designed to be quick-drying and shed moisture better than most footwear.  

The only issue with trail runners is style and longevity.  Trail runners tend to look sporty, so they’re often not suitable for work, social events or upscale casual restaurants.   They collect marks somewhat easily.  Additionally, trail runners tend to wear down fast, usually lasting less than a year of heavy hiking and walking.  

That being said, a person traveling as light as possible in multiple environments should focus on these shoes.  They work perfectly well for travelers going from city to city and can handle frequent hikes in the countryside. 

Pros:

• Extremely light
• Somewhat durable
• Dry out quickly after getting wet
• Easy to replace
• Generally comfortable
• Can be used for anything, including morning jogs and workouts
• Best for ultralight travel

Cons:

• Wear through quickly
• Tend not to look professional
• Show wear and tear quickly

Trekking Boots

The next popular shoe for long-term travel footwear is the trekking boot.  Trekking boots are extremely durable, classically good-looking, heavy-duty footwear.  There are dozens of excellent hiking boot brands out there.  A nice pair is generally good-looking enough to wear to semi-formal events, provided they’re not too scuffed.  

Hiking boots, unfortunately, are quite heavy.  They tend to take up a lot of space and don’t fit into luggage if you’re not wearing them.  Since the best travel boots are watertight, they tend to be difficult to dry out if water gets inside.  They lace up and down, meaning they take a bit more time to get on and off most mornings.  This also tends to slow down travelers at airport security.  

Despite this, hiking boots are the best for long-distance walkers.  If you’re doing trips into the countryside, this is the best footwear available.  Boots tend to shed mud and water without trouble and have stronger climbing grips than other types of footwear. Trekking boots also have support going up the sides of ankles, helping support a person carrying heavier gear.  They don’t generally do well in beach settings.

In short, the more time a person spends in the countryside and wilderness, the more appealing hiking boots become. 

Pros:

• Durable
• Has a more classic look
• Ankle support can help a person handle more carry-weight
• Better for longer treks
• Tend to last multiple years
• Extremely comfortable after breaking in
• Easy to clean up, can take a lot of hits
• Waterproof

Cons:

• Heavier footwear
• Laces take some time to manage
• Don’t pack easily
• Not easily used for workouts
• If water gets inside, they take some time to dry out

Hiking Shoes

Hiking shoes split the difference between trail runners and trekking boots.  These shoes tend to be lighter than serious boots but heavier than trail runners.  Hiking shoes generally lack ankle support, so they’re not a good option for people carrying heavy bags up and down mountains.  They tend to be more durable than trail runners, but a little too heavy if they’re being used for jogging or workouts.

Hiking shoes have a variety of different specializations, but all are aligned with personal preferences.  Though most hiking shoes tend to not look formally stylish, they work fine for daily use.  In the end, this is a decent all-purpose option for long-term traveling.  

Pros:

• Durable
• Good mid-weight shoe, can be packed with some shifting around
• Easier to slip on and off at airports
• Handles treks well
• Good grips
• Can be waterproof, water resistant or quick-dry depending on the brand

Cons:

• No ankle support
• A little heavy for workouts
• Doesn’t pack very well

Flip Flops and Sandals

For hundreds of years, flip flops and sandals were the primary form of footwear in the ancient world.  Their modern descendants are quite handy for travel.

Flip flops and sandals shouldn’t be your primary footwear.  They tend to lack durability, and the open-toe concept isn’t the best for many cities or difficult hikes.

However, if you want a secondary all-purpose footwear, this is a good option.

In Asia, it’s common to have in-house shoes which can be slipped on and off easily.  Likewise, there are many temples around the world which require people to remove shoes frequently.  Sandals and flip flops are excellent for this.

Obviously, if a person is visiting a lot of beaches, these are great shoes to fling on and off.

A decent pair of sandals or flip flops are wonderfully cheap and last an extremely long time.  They shouldn’t be your primary footwear, but they’re light and small enough to make carrying them around functional.  

When selecting a pair of sandals or flip flops, specifically look for shoes which have fabric (not rubber) tops.  These pack more easily than other footwear.

Pros

• Light and comfortable
• Can be slipped on and off easily
• Clean easily
• Can be used in areas where footwear needs to be removed frequently (temples, houses, etc.)
• Tend to work well at beaches and other tropical settings
• Great for casual wear and quick errands
• Good “around the house” attire

Cons:

• No support to speak of
• Minimal grip
• Minimal hiking or trekking capabilities
• No protection to speak of

Rollups

Rollups are exactly what they sound like.  They’re a sturdy type of shoe which can be rolled compactly, much like a pair of rubberized socks.  

Rollups are a truly excellent option for people who have sturdier hiking boots or trail runners for daily use.  A decent set of Rollups lasts a very long time and can be used for short walks, morning jogs and exercises.

These shoes weigh very little and can be rolled up to fold compactly into luggage.  They won’t serve as a primary piece of footwear, but they’re excellent for people who like to travel and workout.  They are good in wet environments, as they tend to dry quickly and easily, similar to travel-socks.

Despite their advantages, rollups tend to lack long-term hiking durability.  They also have trouble on sharp rocks.

Pros:

• Extremely light
• Pack extremely light
• Flexible footwear
• Dry quickly
• Strong grips
• Great for workouts

Cons:

• Less foot protection
• Not great as primary travel footwear

Shoes and Going

Shoes are a necessary part of travel.  Selecting a truly decent pair can prevent blisters, foot injuries, bad smells and walking accidents.  When selecting a proper pair of shoes, consider first the type of travel you’ll be doing (wilderness, city-to-city, long-term vagabonding, etc.) and work backwards from there. 

I personally travel with three sets of footwear. A pair of sturdy hiking boots which look nice enough for casual upscale dining. These are my everything shoes for daily use, long treks and everyday exploration. My next set of shoes are a pair of fabric-top slip-on flip-flops. I use these for beach visits and quick jaunts outside. Additionally, these work as house-shoes when visiting Asia. Finally, I have a pair of roll up shoes from Skinner. I use these for workouts, boxing practice, water wading and rock climbing.

For most travelers, especially those going from city to city, one or two pairs of shoes is enough. If you invest in a second pair of shoes for your journey, make sure it can be easily stored in your backpack.

On that note, walk far and wander well.

Best regards and excellent trails.

Boots and other travel shoes do their job well. A couple of pairs have gotten the author of Leftfade Trails Blog Posts around the world and back a dozen times. Read about it here.

Skinner’s Rollup Running Shoes

I generally travel with heavier shoes for long-distance treks. This works fine, but it makes it hard to work out until a friend in Texas recommended me these. They work like socks with rubber bottom grips. They roll up extremely small, making them the perfect hybrid shoe for morning workouts.