Hello - my husband and I will be touring Christmas Markets in France, Germany, Austria and Czech Republic in early December. Just wondering what shoes will be best to keep my feet warm (and comfortable). Thought about maybe Ugg boots, but think they might be too "clunky" to walk around in day after day.
Any suggestions would be much appreciated.
The key to winter footwear is keeping feet dry. I have traveled to Prague, Germany, Northern Italy and Salzburg/Austria during winter (Jan, Feb) months wearing Adidas low top hiking shoes and medium-light weight Smartwool socks. I use Nickwax water repellent on the shoes. I also have IceTrekker boot chains for snow covered ice days.
Large cities and even small towns do a pretty good job of snow removal. Some folks use over boots, but its one more thing to pack and carry. I wear my Adidas hikers on the plane.
The Adidas hikers have thick enough soles for insulation and good traction for everything but hard ice.
While good stout/comfortable shoes are important in general, make sure you invest in a few good pairs of socks - don't rely on typical cheap cotton/polyester socks. I was in Scandinavia and the Baltics in late March, which was still pretty cold (a few inches of snow on the ground), and while I was fine in regular socks, I packed a pair of SmartWool socks just in case, and those are seriously toasty warm without being bulky. They aren't cheap either, but they are easily washable and dry quickly, so 2-3 pairs per person will be plenty, depending on how long you're on the road.
With regard to shoes, keep in mind that you will frequently find yourself on cobblestone type roads. They can be slick in the snow, and it's easy to miss trip hazards, so you want to look for something with decent soles and support.
There have been discussions here about Uggs before and the take-away was that they were terrible for your feet with no support to combat all day walking over cobblestones or anywhere else. Being from Orlando, if you haven't lived or traveled in European cities in the past, you are probably not aware of how "rough" the walking will be compared to home or how much you will be on your feet every day.
I've found that shoes/boots with lots of support and made with breathable but water resistant Gore-Tex or something similar are the best thing for walking in the cold, wet, maybe snowy, slippery and rough conditions you will experience in all the countries you list in December. Good, breathable polypropylene or wool socks will also be much needed and appreciated by your feet.
This is a good website for showing the variety of shoes and boots that are made with Gore-Tex: http://www.gore-tex.com/products/women/footwear/. Yes, most of what you will see there is athletic, but not all. You can find these and other similar shoes and boots online or in stores from the usual suspects: Amazon, Zappos, the Walking Company, Foot Smart, REI, etc.
I have worn somewhat athletic shoes (not sneakers) with ankle support on most of my trips to Europe, including the first one when I was 30. I never regretted having those shoes/boots for walking around and usually switched to something "nicer" in the evenings when going out for dinner. I definitely regretted not having some good walking shoes like those on the one trip I decided to be "fashionable" and didn't take them. Big mistake.
At the moment, my favorite brands for support and comfort are Ahnu (available from lots of sources) and Abeo (only available from the Walking Company). I have both the Ahnu waterproof Sugarpine and the higher-topped water-resistant Montara boot. Both are designed for lots of walking. Both keep my feet warm and dry. With the right socks, my feet are comfortable in them both here in dry, hot AZ and in wet, cool WA.
I also have some Abeos, but they are sandals or flats and are not what you would need for your winter trip. Abeo does have some walking shoes that are enclosed and don't look like typical sneakers. I haven't tried them, so I can't say anything pro or con about them.
I mention these 2 brands because not many people know about them and I've found Eccos, a brand often mentioned and one that I have owned, to not be supportive enough for me.
Enjoy the markets. I lived in Nuremberg through 3 winters and the market was wonderful every year. I still have the red-velvet angel tree-topper I bought there. That's the only one I've been to, but I'm sure they will all be great.
Both my husband (size 9.5) and I (size 6-6.5) have really wide feet, so it is almost impossible for us to buy some of the shoes/boots (other than Uggs I guess) people have recommended. Anyone know of brands/companies that might have extra wide width shoes? Otherwise we are stuck with white New Balances - perpetually looking like American tourists that we are and getting our shoes wet.
Sue,
Shoes maybe only 1 solution. Sox can be another.
For my travels, i switch and bring Marino wool sox. They come in different weights and such. I found the kept my feet warm even when my feet were wet walking around Bastogne. One thing though, is that if you have bad circulation, nothing will help other than maybe some heating packs.
One other thing to, is try nylons.
I worked in a work clothes store when the Alaskan Pipeline was being built. Many of the workers were complaining of the cold and wanted to know what others were using. Many of them were in Sorrels with wool pack and that wasn't even helping. Some mentioned nylons that helped. But what it comes down to is to find what works for you.
One last comment. When it comes to shoes, don't take others people words for it and expect them to work for you. Especially when it comes to travel. Spend ALOT of time wearing them on concrete standing/walking since that what will happen on your travels. Ive seen people wearing UGGs everywhere since its a fad thing now, but if you notice there isn't a lot of foot/ankle support and you see many people walking on the sides of them.
happy trails.
I wear Munro's. I have them in black and I have brown ones. They are warm and have great support, but they also have good soles for gripping and walking on the cobblestones. I bought mine at Nordstrom's which I think has the best return policy around. Before my first trip to Europe I bought the black ones and wore them almost every day for 2 months to make sure they were broken in. When I went back to Nordstrom's to get the brown ones, they told me if they didn't break in and feel good after wearing for a couple of months to bring them back.
I have been very happy with them and wear them a lot at home, also.
Have a great trip!
New Balance does make a Gor-Tex boot in a wide. It is a mid-height boot and mine are gray. I have not walked extensively in it, but did wear it in snow/rain/4-5 inch deep slush in Yellowstone in April and they did just great. I do use it with orthotics and found it very comfortable. I am not sure how it would do in very cold weather. I usually find the soles of hiking type boots don't do as well in snowy or icy conditions and prefer a specific snow boot for that. One critical element in keeping your feet warm is having a thicker sole to give you some insulation from the cold pavement or snow bed.
To the OP, you might look at Sierra Trading Post online retailer. They often have extremely good prices for winter gear. You don't want to pay a lot since you will not ever need them in Orlando but you also want a good quality product for your traveling.
Dee:
Re wide feet. Did a quick REI search for men's 9.5Wide and found a number of options including waterproof/resistant hikers: http://www.rei.com/c/mens-footwear?ir=category%3Afootwear&r=category%3Afootwear%7Cmens-footwear%3Btab.sku-size%3A9.5+Wide&rx=true
Thanks to all for your replies. Zappos - here I come! I'll certainly give some of your suggestions a try.
We also have a home in the mountains of N.C., so I do have shoes that I wear here when the weather turns cold, but they're getting old and of course, they no longer sell them. Just wondering what everyone else wears when traveling in cold weather.
I am sorry but the mountains of NC are wimpy compared to what you may find in Germany at Christmas. It is absolutely critical that you keep your feet dry. You really should have waterproof shoes. Sprays and oils added afterwards are marginally effective. A cheap and effective trick (we used to use it in soccer) to keep your feet dry is to use plastic bags. A quart or gallon size depending on the size of your foot. A half a dozen in your luggage takes up no room and adds no weight. Obviously, slip your foot with stocking into the bag and into the shoe. Use a razor blade or knife to cut off the excessive bag sticking out of your shoe.
You also should have a good wool sock for warmth. One problem with moving to a heavier sock than you normally wear is that pressure points can develop if the shoe is tight fitting with your normal shoes. That can lead to colder feet. The plastic bag actually adds a little insulation without affecting size.
Experiment with whatever you decision before you get there so that you do not create blisters and other problems.
Our shoe of choice for both of us is an Ecco Urban Walker. It is gor-tex, waterproof (NOT water resistant), oxford, with a lugged sole. We wear it year around with a medium weight wool sock. It is not cheap at $200 but lasts a long time.
PS - They have changed the name. See this web site
http://www.shoebuy.com/ecco-track-6-gtx-moc-toe-tie/562218/1168664
My wife actually wears a small man size shoe because they do not make an equivalent in a women's shoe. She wore out one pair, shifted to something else, but after one trip return to the Ecco because of the comfort level.
Mimi, what style of Munro did you purchase?
Uggs are very comfortable, provided you get the right kind. I wear the ones with leather treaded soles, the Brooks, or the Adirondack. I spend hours at an ice rink, and walk all over the Philly area; my feet stay warm and they are comfortable.
http://www.zappos.com/ugg-adirondack-boot-ii-obsidian
http://www.zappos.com/ugg-brooks-tall-brown
I wear wool Haflingers always on winter travel in Europe and also all winter in Michigan. Great arch support, they are wide, good tread and my feet never, ever get cold. I usually don't even wear socks unless there is a lot of snow. Sounds crazy but 5 years of wearing them (new ones every year) I know it works for me. I also never have sore legs or feet.... they aren't the cutest things going, but I really don't care... just make up for it with the rest of your ensemble. If I do wear socks they are thin, or tights. I have had every possible pair of wool expensive socks when I was skiing a lot, and still found the best thing for me was to wear only tights with my ski boots... My feet got too cold with every other scenario.
