Light Hiking - Are Hiking Shoes Necessary?

I'd not think you needed something that heavy for Sept/Oct. The 2 (short) visits I've made to Switzerland on RS tours I just wore my regular Altra Lone Peak athletic shoes. They are trail shoes but I wear them all the time both on vacation and at home. Neither time have I needed waterproof shoes. I'd think Sketchers with a good tread would be fine.

I did a hiking tour in England a couple of years ago and THAT was when I really needed waterproof. On the days it didn't rain we were out early in the AM and the fields we were walking thru had high grass and were wet.

When I am hiking around here I usually wear low-cut shoes. I do have hiking boots but I generally only wear them when I'm doing hikes where I know I'll be encountering talus or scree with difficult footing. If you are just doing simple hiking, I found the trails in the Lauterbrunnen Valley to be wide and well-worn so pretty easy to do with just low-cuts.

It depends on your definition of "light hiking", but by my definition - yes, assuming the shoes are comfortable on your feet and knees. I'm picturing under 5 miles round trip, not horribly steep or rocky, clearly defined trails. Of course, if it's wet your shoes will get muddy, so make sure you can clean them easily in a hotel room!

I think for light hiking you might be better off with a Keen or similar brand hiking shoe (low top). That’s what I took as my second pair of shoes when I hiked for a few hours above Bolzano, Italy in May. Maybe the ones you already have are similar. They do not take up as much room and are plenty rugged, including water resistance. If you only have sneakers they might not fair too well getting muddy. Low rise hiking shoes can also work for in town when your feet just need a break from wearing the same shoes. They are also make to get dirty so are easier to clean off than many sneakers.

No, hiking shoes are not "necessary" but may still be a good choice if your travels include a lot of walking. My son just finished the Pacific Crest Trail walk from Mexico to Canada using low cut hiking shoes, not boots. One of his "trail family" members did the walk in hiking sandals although I think he used hiking shoes over the snow covered sections of the Sierras requiring ice axes and microspikes or crampons. That said, a hiking shoe or hiking boot is better protection than hiking sandals, and a ankle high boot provides better protection than a low cut hiking shoe. The important thing is to take footwear that are tried and tested. A hiking trip is not the time to break in new boots.

Thanks for your quick replies. These are the hiking shoes I have. https://www.eddiebauer.com/p/92006029/women's-lukla-pro-waterproof-lightweight-hiker?sp=1&size=&color=Cinder
I have plantar fasciitis in my left foot and after wearing those shoes for some light hiking in Yosemite I did experience pain. I just got some inserts that might help.

As far as the boots go, I would wear them at home. I'm just trying to justify if they would be a good choice for my trip. I try to limit myself to 2 pairs of shoes. I'm sure the weather will vary between early September in Budapest through the balance of September and October in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, Eastern France, Belgium and the Netherlands. I get cold easily.

My trip is 10 months away, so I have plenty of time to break any shoes in.

Those hikers look very good....if you can get them so your feet don't hurt.

I think it depends. We did hiking in Greece with our young adult children and my brother in law. They all wore sneakers without any problems. My husband and I wore low cut hiking boots. We both have some foot issues (he plantar fasciitis and I have weak ankles) and we wanted the extra support. We hiked a couple days in England this past summer and did the same.

That said we both wore the hiking boots on other days walking. If you would not, then I would not take them.

Plantar fasciitis. I'm not a medical person but friends with the condition go with custom orthotics to replace the factory insoles.

Andrea,
You mentioned Planter Fasciitis? Perhaps your healthcare provider would recommend the best preventative for your future hiking? Good to hear you have some time to heal. Sounds like a great trip!

I would say I have mild plantar fasciitis. It's not a constant problem. I do find that if I do extensive walking with the wrong shoes it is a problem.

My plantar fasciitis was mild, until it wasn’t after a RS tour to France. I saw a podiatrist (PM me if you want the name) who fitted me with inserts and suggested a particular model of Hoka One One shoes. I hike in these, wear them to the gym, zero pain and it’s been three years (I’m on my second pair). This year we hit a lot of rain in Italy. They pretty much dried out overnight.

You definitely don't require those clodhoppers for light hiking. This past September I hiked a wet Calmont in regular shoes with a heavy grip. I hiked the Austrian side of the Zugspitze as a young man in a pair of old style Rockports. Sure, it's not the same for everyone, I'm not comfortable with any footwear above the ankles (I don't climb).

I was diagnosed with plantar fasciitis once, brought on by a simple misstep on a stone at Longwood Gardens. I thought I'd broken a bone, it was so painful. I never resorted to special shoes or inserts, I bought a cheap massager and thick socks. No problem since (about seven years), though I was told it can come back at any time.

Regardless of season or location, I always wear ankle supporting boots of some kind since I made the mistake of not doing that on trips to Italy and France.

These Tevas are the ones I wore in Portugal and Spain last summer. They worked very well. These Abeos are the ones I'll be wearing in Ireland in May.

I had plantar fasciitis a few years back. Through doing some exercises and getting shoes with more forgiving soles than the Birkenstocks I'd been wearing, it's been gone for a long time and not recurred.

If you go to the Abeos website, you can see that their shoes typically come in 3 kinds of soles. If you go to one of their stores or a place that sells them, you can try each to see what works best for your feet. You can also be tested for orthotics. I've done both but have found that their neutral footbed works the best for me.

I'll also recommend Sockwell Circulator socks to wear with whatever footwear you choose. They really seem to help with stamina for walking or standing and the fiber content works at any temperature. Over the years I've tried many different brands of compression socks as well as different styles of Sockwells and these work the best for me.

I was in Zakopane, Poland and wore Keen Rose sandals with dollar store socks so they could be tossed after. They were on dirt trails and rick “stair” paths and we’re great. I had taken Easy Spirit lightweight athletic shoes to those trails around Bolzano and hated wearing them the rest of the trip. (Don’t do shoes well). Even though it was in the 40’s then, I would have preferred the hiking sandals- sock combo, as long as it’s not pouring down rain (or maybe even then). I don’t think light hiking justifies heavy hiking shoes unless you’re ok wearing them the rest of the trip.

My limited experience with Swiss trails is that they're compacted dirt or turf without much in the way of scree. But I'd still want something with a nice stiff sole anyways in case you hit a more gravelly stretch- had a rough time in Wales with scree a few years back that left my feet pretty trashed the following week in London too.

The waterproof boots you linked are cute but probably wouldn't be my choice for hiking - I wonder if they'd feel restrictive on ankles / lower legs. Sketchers with a good tread sound fine. I like hiking and backpacking and typically just wear cheap sneakers I don't mind getting beat up, and that's carrying the backpack with gear and going through whatever terrain. I hook some Tevas on my pack for if I need to get my feet wet. It feels like the "trend" is going away from intense hiking boots.

Caveats - if I were anticipating much rain, I'd probably opt for something more like a waterproof trail runner sneaker. I also know some people have ankle issues that make sneakers less of an option. But in general - I don't think you're describing anything that requires hiking-specific shoes.

I love my Ahnu waterproof hiking shoes. Light enough I just wear them all over and they are definitely what I take to Europe.

I've done quite a bit of hiking and would never pack hiking shoes. I'd avoid flip flops but training shoes, light hikers, trail runners or even walking shoes with some grip on the bottom will work well. A shoe that works for lots of different situations is much more valuable for travel than a dedicated hiking shoe.

Non-cotton socks are a good choice. Cotton loses insulation when you sweat and can give you blisters. Anything non-cotton, wool to nylon, will perform better for hiking.

Thanks again for all of your good advice and specific shoe suggestions. I have a very hard time finding comfortable shoes. It has nothing to do with the PF. Certain brands work better for me than others. Sketchers are a pretty reliable brand for me. I have Teva sandals that I love and are travel approved by me, but I've had less luck with their shoes/boots. I have a couple of pairs of Uggs that are quite comfortable. They aren't the slouchy type, they offer good foot support. I've had one pair for 12 years and have worn them on winter trips to Europe and NYC. They worked out very well, but visually they are more of a winter boot. I like boots. I would wear them throughout the trip on all but the really warm days. I really don't want to take a pair of shoes that serve only one function. I also want something that can span different temperatures and weather conditions. I know some people say that it's not necessary to have waterproof shoes, but I would prefer taking at least one pair. In Paris one year I was wearing a pair of non-waterproof boots that I had treated with some waterproofing spray. They got soaked through so badly I could wring out my socks. I've had some other situations where I ended up with wet socks. Maybe if I take boots just to wear around my Sketchers would then work out for the light hiking. I'm going to wear my hiking shoes for more walking to see how I do with them. Maybe they would be comfortable enough for my second pair of shoes. Thankfully I have plenty of time to figure this out. I have no problem packing light when it comes to regular clothing, but I struggle with footwear and outerwear. I get cold easily and I hate to be cold and wet.

The times I have been in Switzerland and done any hiking, I saw people wearing everything from expensive boots to flip-flops. While I would not go the flip-flop option, I was comfortable in my Sperry boat shoes.

There was snow around, but the trails were clearly marked and clear of any snow. There was even one woman pushing a double stroller with children in it on one trip. No one seemed to have trouble maintaining their footing or any issues at all on the trails.

I would just take the shoes that fit you best for longer walks as long as you are not going to attempt any cross country hiking off trails.

In my opinion, it is better to take shoes that are comfortable and without discomfort. And not one, but several pairs for the reserve. You never know what will happen. There should always be stock.

If I were you I would shop for my shoes at REI. They have a large selection of shoes for walking and hiking and sales people who are familiar with footwear requirements for outdoor activities.

I personally purchase all of my shoes with goretex or some similar waterproof membrane. It keeps my feet dry when there is dew on the grass or the area is muddy.