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Found A Near-Perfect Summer Walking Shoe

And....it's technically a water shoe. Weird, right?

ALEADER Women's Mesh Slip on Water Shoe I bought for Greece's pebbly beaches a year ago and was really impressed with how well they worked in the water and how "not ugly" they were for water shoes. But I ended up doing a 5 mile hike in them in Greece on my second trip and couldn't believe how comfortable they were.

On my recent trip to Mallorca, due to weight restrictions I literally took only these and a pair of sandals, so any time I was doing more than sitting by the pool or going to dinner, I was wearing them, and once again, they were so comfortable, cushiony, and light.

I'm even considering wearing them on my walking tours from here on out, after getting caught in a thunderstorm yesterday in my sneakers, which just absorbed all that water, it was miserable. I would have been a lot happier in the Aleaders.

The only downside is while they breathe great and water drains right out of them, for the mesh to fully dry the shoes have to be off your feet for a bit. And the sole of the shoe is constructed in such a way that pebbles can get stuck in them, but they don't make it all the way to the soles of your feet, and it's no big deal to pick them out at the end of the day.

Anyway, given that sudden thunderstorms aren't unusual in Europe in summer, and with more and more people packing carry-on only and using budget airlines, I thought I'd recommend them as a walking shoe thanks to how much they've exceeded my expectations.

Posted by
528 posts

Wow! I just ordered a pair for my trip to Greece. I will compare them with the Camaro water shoes I just bought. But the Aleader's look like they'll dry faster, like you stated. I appreciate this, thanks!

Posted by
2731 posts

Thanks for the heads up. I noticed there are two different styles on Amazon. One looks like it has a tape stripe up the middle. The other has looks like it has an elastic band over the arch. Which did you have such good luck with? Did you add arch support for walking?

Posted by
5697 posts

Wow! I use my trusty Keen H2O sandals (bought in 2009), but these look great, too -- and better priced!

Posted by
3049 posts

Mine were true to size (I'm an 8 1/2) and I have the grey mesh/pink sole one with the strip up the middle of the front.

I actually wore it today for a long day with two tours. 20,000 steps. Felt great. They're a little strange looking for "normal" walking in Europe but they were more comfortable worn alone than my sketchers with socks. No sweaty feet, no blisters or hot spots. I already used the shoes for canoeing/beach but they might actually become my "professional" shoes as a walking guide.

Posted by
528 posts

Thank you tremendously for posting this shoe recommendation! I just received my Aleader shoes yesterday (bought from Amazon) - nice black mesh ones. For those of you who are trying to pack light (maybe a fan of Sarah Murdoch-one of the Rick Steves guides who weighs all her stuff when she packs), these weigh only 9.5 ounces (268 grams). And they smash down to a small size. I got them for the rocky beaches of Greece. Wearing them right now and they are super comfy. And it does seem like they'll be comfy for walking short distances too! Thanks!