Easy hiking in Switzerland …hiking shoes or walking shoes?

I always wear my Brooks Ghost running shoes in Switzerland. At my age, 51, i don't have any foot or ankle issues to worry about. I know some prefer the support that a hiking shoe or boot provide. It just depends on your needs and what you're comfortable with.

A sturdy shoe with good traction should be sufficient. You might consider carrying (you can rent them there) trekking poles for added stability especially on some of the steeper downhill sections.

I suggest a hiking shoe, like Merrell or Oboz. The traction will be better than a running/walking shoe. I wore my Asics runners on the tea house trail at Lake Louise and felt very(!) unstable, especially going downhill, and learned something from that experience. My Merrell and Oboz hiking shoes are my everyday shoes during winter months here at home because of the support they give me. These are the shoes I wear on the plane as well because they take up so much suitcase space. I don't find them to be particularly heavy, either. Oboz has a little more arch support. Both have removable insoles for my full-length orthotics.

I recently returned from the RS Alpine Europe My Way Tour (fabulous) and can offer some experience shoe-wise.
Like you, I wanted easy-to-moderate hikes (I'm almost 70 and want to avoid falls anywhere, let alone far from home!) and, like you, had additional before and after city days in Germany and France when wearing or lugging hiking boots would be a hassle. I did end up lugging around my lightweight ON waterproof ankle-high hiking boots, and it was a small hassle on travel days, but I just carried them in a small handled bag, including the flights home to the US. I did appreciate their extra ankle support, and I did use them daily when on the tour.
BUT, I wanted to share for you that my favorite "hike" was Murren to Gimmewald, a long, downhill, paved walk. There were even some baby strollers on it! A good tread on even a regular running style shoe would have been plenty (unless you have knee or ankle issues). Ditto for the Lauterbrunnen Valley walk- that was paved and level.
Our weather was mixed, so one day I just took a cable car up and walked around for awhile. So you don't even need to actually hike a trail to relish the gorgeous scenery. Just be sure you have good treads, and the idea of renting or buying poles there is a good one if you do opt for trails- for me it's the going down when I need the extra stability, vs up!

Murren to Gimmelwald was the Best. You walk past Walter's hotel and restaurant. Rick's favorite.

I wore my Oboz Emma for my week-long stay doing walks in the Berner Oberland and was very pleased with them.

I appreciate your replies, and took a trip to REI today. I found a pair of Merrill Moab low boots (shoes with good tread? Kind of both...) . I'll give them a try. I was hoping for lighter shoes, but struck out with any Oboz shoes in my size at the store. These look like the little sister to my beloved hiking boots, so I am encouraged that they will be comfortable. I am glad someone mentioned the importance of good tread - that helped me rule out a few pairs of walking shoes.

Looking forward to that Murren to Gimmelwald hike - I've heard so many people recommend it. That's one of the main reasons I chose Murren over Wengen - that and the Allmendhubel hike. I have a feeling that we will want to go back to the Berner Oberland again...and we haven't even been there yet!

One more question - waterproof boots/shoes, or not? My DH has found waterproof Merrills to be really hot for his feet. I chose the not waterproof version for myself, but will likely spray them before our trip.

Thanks again,
Laurie

Laurie,

We liked the North face hike from Almendhubel even better than Mürren to Gimmwald. I wore Dansko Paisley shoes, which are a bit more supportive than my Brooks Addiction athletic shoes, and they were fine. It was muddy so I appreciated that they are waterproof, but my husband was fine in his Brooks shoes. We did have hiking poles provided free by our B&B and important for us on the Northface trail. We are in our 70s and usually need poles—they are more important than the shoes for me.

I heartily agree with the shoe spray. We prefer Cadillac Shield. And we spray our backpacks, umbrellas, hats and rain jackets as well.

Hiking, always! At least that's what I wear literally everywhere :)

Many thanks for your thoughtful replies! Turns out some of the brands I was checking out don’t come in a wide width so that was a bummer. I think I’m going to stick with the Merrill Moab 3 shoes, spray water repellent spray on them, and wear them fairly constantly in the weeks before my trip! I am also taking a new pair of walking shoes that are lightweight and comfortable, and also have good tread. I can’t wait to get up in the mountains! :-)

Laurie

Did you see any Keens at REI?

I adore and wear my low cut Targhee pair nearly every day. Walking and trail hiking.

The pair have been to London, SF, Morro Bay, Belfast and Havana.

Expensive, durable, comfortable, light weight and IMHO worth every penny. Do not look worn although I’ve had this pair for years.

You're right about Keens, Claudia. Mine are Presidio II and they work very well for me.

The posters who have bought the Merrell Moab lows are spot on.

Running shoes may be comfortable for a few hours in the city or extremely smooth trails. I usually have some version of the On Clouds for that. Goretex for Fall/Winter or regular for summer months.

Other than fit, for hiking on gravel or rough trails the consideration should be for (1) tread traction and (2) mid-sole protection. My Ons do NOT work for me for this type of hiking so I usually bring a light hiker similar to the Merrell Moab.

Without a stiffer protective midsole, my forefoot usually becomes very sore from walking over sharp rocks. Test this be simply trying to bend the shoe. A good midsole should have a little flexibility at the toe region.

I wore Keen Newport H2 hiking sandals for the Mürren and Allmendhubel walks. I typically wear these in the Philly climate through October. Recently, I have purchased Keen Howser II shoes and wore them almost exclusively on my urban tours of London and Paris. Soles were good and comfortable. Neither of these shoes have ankle support, but I did not feel I needed that in Switzerland on the walks (vs hikes) I took.

Recently, I have purchased Keen Howser II shoes and wore them almost exclusively on my urban tours of London and Paris. Soles were good and comfortable.

I checked those out and looks they're slippers?? Is there something I'm missing? I'm looking for a super comfortable shoe for a BOI tour.

@Mala2025: Yes, I see the word slipper come up in Keen's description and some purchaser descriptions, too. I would not describe them as such and other purchasers have made similar remarks in their reviews. Look at photos of the bottoms - very solid, sturdy soles with the typical bumper Keen toe. We walked around 8 miles/day in London. These shoes were great, and I just looked at the sole to see if there is wear and tear - nope, nothing much showing, a little wearing on my heel, which is typical. I do a not wear them in the house as I have real slippers for that.

I bought the fuzzy, wintery grey ones because I wanted a wintery shoe. I also bought the slide in fabric (not fuzzy) aubergine for later in spring. My goal was to have something a little less clunky than my Merrell Jungle Mocs. The Howsers are made from recycled plastic. I have successfully thrown them in the washer. Now may be a good time to try them out as the supply moves from winter to new spring colors. I imagine some will be on sale. If you take a look at Zappos, well, no return fee there. Enjoy.

PS, I don't know when your BOI tour is, but my favorite travel shoe for non-winter time is Bernie Mev, the Comfi model. These have a super comfortable sole for walking, but can also look nice dressed up. You can buy them now on Amazon.