We talk a lot about packing here at Adventures with Sarah, in part because it is an important element of travel, but also because people have a lot of questions. Is a suitcase or backpack better, should you check or not check your luggage, how to pack lightweight and many more questions we’ve sought to answer, but of all the questions, there is one that stands out as being the most important – what shoes to wear? Choosing the right shoe for travel is crucial. Everyone who has struggled with blisters from new shoes that didn’t quite fit right or was in pain at the end of the day because of poor quality shoes will know how much the wrong pair can impact you.

So, to hopefully prevent anyone else’s traveling from being affected by bad shoes, here’s our step by step guide to deciding what shoes to bring when traveling:

Where and when are you traveling?

Step one is looking at your travel plans.

You will of course know the country or countries you’re visiting, but where are you going within those countries? There can be a big difference within even smaller countries in terrain, climate and conditions so do some research into your destination to make sure you know what to expect.

The other element of step one is to consider the time of year your trip is planned for, as the seasons can be drastically different.

For example, visiting Venice in the summer or spring will involve light but comfortable walking shoes, but in the winter you’ll need to consider the high rainfall which makes the paved streets and bridges slick underfoot, so waterproof shoes with a good grip are ideal.

What are you planning to do while you are traveling?

The second step is to consider what activities you’re planning to do. Even if you don’t have everything booked in, you’ll likely know what type of activities you’ll be doing.

Going to Rome to see everything from the Vatican to the Colosseum? You’ll need travel shoes with good arch support that will be comfortable when worn for long periods and probably an extra pair to switch out from day to day.

Heading to Egypt or Morocco? You’ll want comfortable shoes that are suitable for more uneven surfaces, as well as being right for wearing in warm climates.

Planning a trip that will include a lot of water sports, sailing and beach time, in places like Turkey or Greece? You’ll need shoes that will dry quickly and can be worn in and around the water.

Going somewhere with cold climates? You’ll want a good pair that keep your feet warm and provide all day comfort.

There is a huge difference between the type of travel shoes you’ll need for city sightseeing versus long hikes so as well as considering your destination and the time of year you’ll be visiting, take into account what you’ll be doing during your trip.

What about evening wear?

One of the main things people get stuck on is evening wear and needing a fancier pair of shoes, which can quickly add bulk and weight to your luggage.

The good news is that unless you’re going to a wedding or other special event it’s not necessary to go all out on your evening outfits. Wearing more casual shoes is absolutely fine in the majority of places around the world, so you can put away the high heels or smart leather loafers.

The ideal solution is finding a comfortable pair of travel shoes or sandals that are a neutral color to match with anything, which also looks smart enough. Think basic black, beige or even gray and stay away from bright colors that are harder to co-ordinate with.

Carry on versus checked luggage

Now that you have a good idea of the type of shoes you’ll need, you need to decide what luggage you’ll be bringing with you.

If you are doing carry on only, you’ll need to plan what bag you’ll be using and how much space you’ll have. If your trip is going to be mostly beach trips with no walking long distances then it will be easy to slip in a couple pairs of sandals but if you need more support, hiking boots or heavier sneakers then this will take a little more planning and maybe a bigger bag.

Don’t forget that when going through airport security you may be asked to unpack so make sure you can easily repack if this happens to you. We’ve been those people struggling to get travel outfits, tennis shoes, toiletries, laptop and more back into our carefully packed bag and it’s never fun!

Checked luggage gives you more options but be cautious of over packing – you will likely have to carry your checked bag at some point and you really don’t want it to be too heavy for you to manoeuvre it around.

In general we recommend wearing one pair on the plane, usually the heaviest pair of shoes, and then packing one more set of other shoes/sandals depending on your needs, with a bonus pair of flip flops. If you have more than four pairs of shoes on your packing list then it’s highly likely you’ll be bringing too many.

The importance of thinking ahead

We cannot stress this enough, you need to think about the best travel shoes for you well in advance of your next trip.

Most people have a travel wardrobe they pull from, but this can often mean that unlike your regular shoes, you don’t notice when travel shoes have started to degrade. The last thing you want is to be dealing with aching feet, a flare up of plantar fasciitis or other foot issues when you’re out on an evening stroll because you didn’t check the quality of those shoes.

Don’t assume the shoes you already own are still going to be okay, make sure to test them out in advance to see if they are still in good condition, at least a month before. This gives you a decent amount of time to get new shoes if needed.

Similarly, some shoe types need to be broken in to be comfortable. Hiking boots and running shoes both need to adapt to your feet, or you may find you need to add an insole, so you’ll want to have prepared for this well before you leave for your next adventure.

If you know you often suffer from blisters or other issues with your feet, bring a good supply of band aids, blister patches, compression socks and anything else you may need. It’s much easier to have these types of remedies on hand than trying to find them in an unfamiliar place.

Don’t forget about socks

One final point here is to stress the importance of good quality socks.

If you’ve done all this work to find the perfect travel shoe for you, you don’t want to have undone all that work by wearing poor quality socks. Walking shoes and hiking shoes in particular perform best when paired with socks made of good quality materials, ideally moisture-wicking material to prevent rubbing.

Making your decision

Once you’ve considered everything set out here, you can make your final decision on choosing the right shoe for travel.

Our general rule is to bring one pair of sandals (smart enough to wear in the evening but also comfortable) and one pair of closed toe shoes. You can then add trip-specific extras if they’re needed, perhaps a pair of hiking boots, dressy shoes for a special event or water shoes for beach activities.

Don’t forget to slip in a pair of lightweight flip flops or slip ons as well. They tend to be very light and easy to fit into your packing, and they are ideal for using in your accommodation, at the beach, if you’re visiting a communal baths or other spa experience and more.

Ultimately the most important factor in deciding what the best travel shoes to bring is comfort, so all your choices should be based on this rather than trying to be stylish or matching with all your outfits. The best walking shoes are the ones that allow you to go for long walks and explore a new city. The best sandals are those that take you from the beach to a yacht to a jet ski. As long as you bear this in mind you won’t go wrong.

Looking for more packing tips and suggestions? Check out Sarah’s packing playlist on YouTube for her insights and advice.