shoes

For an endless discussion of this subject go to - http://www.ricksteves.com/graffiti/graffiti92.html Every major brand of walking shoe is someone's favorite. Our is ECCO.

My wife and I both wear shoes from MBT when we travel. We love them. At the end of the day my feet are in much better shape than with any other high quality walking shoe. They take a little getting use to but I bought my first pair about 7 years ago and now own 4 pairs in different styles such as a sandal look as well as a more dressy casual look. They are great for walking the cobblestone streets of Europe. The only thing I will caution you on about them is that when you are standing still, they 'rock' backwards a little because of the unique shape of the sole but for walking...they are my favorite! Hope that helps.

Start with comfort. Generally, if it's not comfortable in the store, it's not getting any more comfortable with use. Everyone's feet are a little different (wider, narrower, narrow at the heel, wider at the toes, high arch, flat footed, etc.), it's probably better to try lots of shoes and decide on the ones that work best for you. It's never a bad idea to pack a pair of shoes you already wear comfortably. Speaking of fit. Your heel should settle into the heel cup and stay there. If your heel slides up and down while you walk, you're likely to get blisters. Toes should not hit the front of your shoe. Laces should keep the heel locked in without cutting off circulation to your feet. I also shop for weight. Since I bring an extra pair of shoes, I'll carry my shoes at least some of the time. When you go to the store pick up different shoes. Notice some of them are quite heavy while others are noticably lighter. I go with the lighter ones. Flexibility is another thing I look for. I go with roughly three categories. First is dress up - wear with a suit, nice slacks, etc. Second is heavy walking - wear for a day of touring, hiking, etc. Third is very casual - wear with shorts, to the beach/pool. Each shoe I pick covers two of the three. Usually one shoe I pack will cover walking to dress up and the back up shoes cover casual to walking (depending on the travel itinerary). My favorite brands right now are Ecco, Addidas, and Dockers. That said, the brand I pick rarely stays the same - by the time I buy the next pair, styles have changed and I'm starting from square one.

I wear black cross trainers that almost look like they are shoes and not sneakers. BTW shoes that are comfortable to wear in Seattle work great in Rome, shoes that give your feet blisters in Seattle are just as uncomfortable in Venice. Just pointing that out cause sometime folks overstress the travel part and forget they need a pair of walking shoes not a pair of walking shoes specifically designed for Europe or travel.

My favorites are Eccos.

I've been wearing Ecco & Merrell oxfords for years. Excellent walking shoes and not bad looking either.

Thanks for the input. After trying on many I settled into a pair of red wings and was surprised. They have a light weight oxford that looks fine and a non slip sole. Its a very comfortable shoe, I wore them 1/2 of the day today without any issues. So far so good.
Vinnie

New Balance. Recommended by my foot doctor, and he says that this is what he wears all the time. L.L. Bean online catalog has them in two different brown colors (one is suede looking) so they look like regular men's shoes instead of tennis shoes, if that's important to you. They give your feet the support they need while you are pounding the pavement walking all day. I wear a pair of New Balance that are white with blue details on the side, and do not feel this necessarily marks me as a tourist.

(Edit) Redwing oxford shoes are a good choice. And, a Men's shoe that my feet like to be in is the "Waterproof Casuals" from L.L. Bean. Style : Oxford (plain toe), or Moc toe. Color : Coffee Bean.

Just out of curiosity Susan, how much time have you spent in Europe? I have been living here for 25 years, so I do kind of know what marks people as tourists and white sport shoes are not it. Believe me, they don't.

I'd suggest not getting 'white' sport shoes. May as well wear a glowing sign that says "inexperienced tourist". Try out some Dr. Schoell inserts for your preliminary training walks. Also, be sure to bring an extra pair of laces!

Den, that is an old, old myth that just won't die for some reason. Have a look at the shoe stores the next time you are in Europe. Probably 50% of the shoes are big, white, sport shoes. Thus, wearing these style of shoes will actually make you blend, rather than stick out. I always wear big white, bouncy Shape-up shoes and I blend great. Why? Cause tons of other women are wearing these too. Besides, it is how tourists walk, talk, wear their hair, cross the street, hold their bags and behave that gives them away, not so much their clothing, now that chain stores clothe the world in the same styles. Back to favorite walking shoe. I just gave it away. Skecher Shape-ups. Have 6 pair, wear them in all kinds of weather, they keep my feet warm and dry, even in the rain and the snow. Great on cobblestones, climbing spiral church towers, or climbing up a forest path to visit a castle. Even brand new and wearing them for 12 hours on the first day, I have never ever gotten a blister. I walk a lot too, as I don't have a car and my job requires me to be on my feet all day.

Hi Vincent, IMHO, Den is correct, Jo - not so much. Buy the shoe that gives YOU the most comfort. Everything else is rubbish. Enjoy your trip. Susan

RE: Susan and Jo. Europe is a big place. White shoes might be more popular in Germany than Northern Ireland, just like wearing cowboys boots will mark you as tourist in LA and help you blend in when visiting Dallas.

Thanks for all the feedback, It was very helpful.
Vincent

I've worn quite a few, Merrell, Lowa, Ecco, Clarks, all good shoes and it kind of depends on your feet. Give them a good test drive before you leave.

Has anyone heard of the brand Hush Puppies? It was the brand of my snickers during college, when we were doing so much running. Hhhmmm I think eckos are good too. :)

I have a pair of Ecco shoes I bought more than 3 years ago that work great for me. That being said, they aren't great when the rain is falling heavily, which happened once to us in Amsterdam, granted for about 5 minutes only. I brought a second pair of shoes with me on this trip, and didn't need them at all. Like Rick says, "If you do bring a second pair of shoes with you, make it a light one."