Looking for the best travel shoes? We’ve tested a lot of them and here are the best ones.
What makes the best travel shoes? It’s hard to make a blanket statement for everyone’s travel style and trip itinerary, and there will always be times you want to sacrifice comfort for style or vice versa. When it comes to travel, however, some shoes are superior and some shoes are better left behind.
I’ve made plenty of mistakes in the past where I took the wrong pair on a trip and ended up suffering with blisters, while other times I tried to pack too minimally and didn’t have the appropriate shoes for the occasion.
Luckily after 6 years of full time travel, we lived and learned, and today we’re sharing our top tips and which shoes have been our favorite to date. We’ll update this post as we continue to search for the perfect and best travel shoes.
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Last Updated: October 2, 2026
What Makes the Best Travel Shoes? Here are the features to look for
There are a few qualities and features we always look for when shopping for new shoes
- Comfort and Support – Gone are the days where I sacrifice comfort for style How did I live in stiletto heels back in college? Living in NYC has taught us that it’s okay to complete your dressed up outfit with sneakers. It may look strange to you at first, but it’s the classic NYC look (the cute heels go in your bag). If you’re driving everywhere, wear whatever you want, but if you’re traveling, the chances are you’re going to be exploring on foot.
- Stylish – Because we do judge a book by its cover, and that’s okay too when it comes to shoes. Just because we want comfort and support also doesn’t mean we will settle for ugly shoes. If you need a heel, try chunky heels, since it has better support and gives you more area to distribute your weight.
- Lightweight shoes are also a huge perk. Whether they are on my feet or in my suitcase, heavy shoes just start to become a burden.
- Versatility – If I have to limit myself to a few pairs of shoes per trip, they need to cover a range of activities. That means I need something rugged enough to handle the outdoors but also stylish enough for going out in the city. You can’t always have both, but every so often you find a lucky pair.
- Performance – Lastly, I like finding shoes that have some sort of performance feature. That could mean breathability, which helps with comfort, or waterproof since you never know if you’ll be caught up in a rainstorm.
Best Travel Sneakers
1. Vessi Footwear →
So far, these are our favorite all-around travel shoes. Since getting these, they’ve been our go-to shoes for everyday activities. These knit shoes are much better than other trendy sneakers and have earned a spot on our shelves for a long time.
Not only are they super lightweight and comfortable, the best part is that they are the first waterproof knit shoes. You don’t have to re-treat them because the technology is permanently integrated into the knit, not a coating.
Many people have commented on how they look similar to Allbirds, but we always tell them they’re better than Allbirds! They have better traction, they’re waterproof, and you don’t wear through them as fast.
Plus, they have different types of shoes now, and we have a few different pairs each! The photos below show three different Vessi shoes.
Vessi Coupon Code: LocalAdventurer10 for 10% off your Vessi Shoes.
See More Reviews on Vessi Footwear
2. Tropicfeel Canyon →
We took our Tropicfeel Canyons on a recent trip and have loved them so far. They’ve built a versatile shoe. It can be a water shoe that quickly dries, it’s comfortable enough to walk a lot, the materials are built to be durable like a hiking shoe, and it’s stylish enough to wear wherever you go. It’s also a water shoe so it drains and dries quickly.
Since we’ve tried it, they changed the design a bit and it’s now the All-Terrain 2. They also have fully waterproof shoes but we haven’t tried those.
Tropicfeel Coupon Code: LocalAdventurer for 10% off your next purchase.
See More Reviews and Compare Prices on Vessi Footwear
3. Baabuk Sky Wooler →
We recently got a pair of the Baabuk Sky Woolers. The Merino lining makes it cozy and itch-free inside. The 100% wool uppers make the shoes durable, flexible, and water-repellent. Wool has natural wicking properties and is breathable making it great for warm or cool weather. The only downside is if you have flat feet like me, you need to add your own inserts for more support.
Baabuk Coupon Code: LocalAdventurer for 10% off your next purchase.
See More Reviews and Compare Prices on Baabuk
4. Hoka One One →
Before we got our Vessi’s, both of us were wearing our Hokas all the time on days we’re on our feet all day. They are super light, supportive, and comfortable. These shoes also have a very clean, and simple design that doesn’t draw your attention too much to the fact that you’re wearing sneakers.
See More Reviews and Compare Prices on Amazon
Best Travel Boots
5. Danner Mountain 600 Boots →
We discovered Danner Boots while we were living in Portland, and we’re so glad we did. These are our favorite hiking boots, but we can also wear them in the city.
Anytime we plan on hiking on a trip, or if we expect heavy rain, these boots come with us. They have also been perfect for NYC, especially during the winter when there are slush and puddles hiding around each corner.
Our go-to Danners are the Mountain 600s. We took them on our multi-day hike in Patagonia and Kyrgyzstan, and they work for the city because they don’t look like typical hiking boots. One person even scoffed at Jacob on an icy winter hike, thinking he was wearing regular sneakers.
See More Reviews and Compare Prices on REI
6. Sorel Joan of Arctic Boots →
This is my go-to boot if I’m headed to a ski or winter destination. They are comfortable, warm, waterproof, and stylish. Since I have tiny feet, I purchased the kid’s version for cheaper. Score~!
The Sorel 1964 Pac Nylon Boot was the closest I could find for a men’s version. It has everything but the faux fur on top.
Cons: The kid’s version has a cinch for the laces, which I love because they are so easy to put on and off, but it doesn’t look as good as the women’s version.
See More Reviews and Compare Prices on Amazon
Best Travel Flats
7. Wolf & Shepherd Shoes →
Sometimes you need dressier shoes on trips but you still want something comfortable! That’s where Wolf & Shepherd comes in. They have anything from casual sneakers that can be dressed up to dress shoes that are as comfortable as sneakers.
Jacob got their Closer Oxford since he needed dress shoes and he loves how comfy they are. I picked up a pair of Cruise Slip-Ons and love how they look. They are a tad big on me (I normally wear a 5.5 and the smallest size they had was 6), but I’m going to try them with some socks.
See More Reviews and Compare Prices
8. Black Diamond Session Shoes →
These are our go-to approach shoes (shoes we wear when we go climbing), but they are great travel shoes too. They are lightweight and comfortable, plus they have a step-down heel. That means they work as slippers and easily slip on and off. If you do a ton of walking and have flat feet like me, you need separate sole inserts for more support.
We’ll wear these on climbing trips, and they may become a go-to travel shoe too! We have the suede ones, but they also have a knit upper version. Check out the men’s and women’s versions.
See More Reviews and Compare Prices on Black Diamond
9. UIN Footwear →
Here’s a lightweight travel shoe that celebrates life, travel, and fashion. There are a ton of different prints and patterns.
These slip-on designs are made to stay breathable and keep your feet comfortable as you walk. They’re also machine washable! How do you like the prints we chose?
See More Reviews on UIN
Best Travel Sandals →
10. UNDER ARMOUR Atlantic Dune Flip Flop →
Since my Sanuk’s soak and retain water, Underarmour flip flops are my go to alternative when I go on trips involving camping, beach, pool, or needing flip flops in the shower. Since my friend gifted them to me, they have been on a majority of my trips. It’s not as plushy and comfy as my Sanuks, but they’re the most lightweight flip flops I’ve found.
See More: Best Sandals for Travel
Best Travel Insoles
I’ve always had a hard time finding comfortable shoes I can wear all day. Although they might seem to be comfortable for a few hours, as soon as I’m on my feet all day, they start to hurt. It doesn’t help that I have flat feet. This year, I decided to try some custom orthotics.
Every time I’ve looked into them in the past, they were really pricey and took so much effort, but then I discovered Stride Soles. All you have to do is take a short quiz, record your gait and scan your feet with their app, then in 2-3 weeks, custom orthotics show up at your door.
When I first tried them, they felt stiff compared to what I’m used to. But after breaking them in for a couple of weeks, I’ve noticed that my feet don’t get as tired after spending a whole day on them. Check them out here.
What Shoes to Pack and When
If there’s one thing I learned about minimalism after Project 333, it is not to skimp on the shoes. It’s not always possible, but we try to plan destinations with similar weather or activities.
- Flip Flops – Never forget the flip flops. Every time I thought I could do without them, I regretted it. And why? They’re so thin and packable. I don’t recommend them being the sole shoe (pun intended), but they always come in handy. They’re great for beach destinations, showers, dirty floors, or for something easy to get in and out of them for a quick trip to the vending machine.
- Sneakers – If you’re going to walk more than 10k steps a day, these are a must if you care about your feet. Examples – if you’re going to Europe or NYC.
- Comfortable Casual Flats – If we’re mostly driving from place to place.
- Dressy Boots – I’ll replace my comfortable casual flats with cute boots, usually for fall and winter destinations.
- Ballet Flats – For formal events like weddings or nice dinners with a dress code.
- Hiking Boots – We usually only pack our hiking boots for strenuous hikes. We can get away with hiking in sneakers if it’s not over 5 miles or rough terrain.
What shoes have you loved traveling with most? Any we need to check out?
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Esther + Jacob
Esther and Jacob are the founders of Local Adventurer, one of the top 5 travel blogs in the US. They believe that adventure can be found near and far and hope to inspire others to explore locally. They explore a new city in depth every year and currently base themselves in Las Vegas.
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