Hi, my wife and I are heading to Europe next week. We will be visiting Lucerne, Grindelwald, Salzburg, and Prague. We will only be bringing a carry-on bag each. I am having trouble deciding what footwear to bring. Specifically, for mild-moderate hiking while in Switzerland. I want to limit myself to the shoes on my feet and one in the bag. Are hiking boot/shoes necessary for this time of year? My hiking shoes I would bring are a lightweight, mid-height Solomon. They would take up a decent amount of space since I wear a men's size 13. I would love to leave these behind and just wear a thicker sock with my Chacos since I wear them pretty much exclusively outside of work. Any advice?
Posted by
Forest Grove, OR
11315 posts
One to wear and one to carry is perfect! If your Chacos are closed toe, they will be fine for light hiking. Most of the Swiss trails are very well groomed and pretty easy to traverse unless you get into expert/demanding stuff.
Personally, I would not hike in any kind of open-toes shoe. (And I love my mid-height Salomons so they get to go to Switzerland later this month with me despite their size.)
Posted by
Los Angeles
4389 posts
you have to have 2 pair of shoes, you just have to. Switch them back and forth so your feet don't get sore and they get a chance to dry out.
Posted by
Ottawa, Canada
193 posts
A sturdy pair of walking shoes with a good tread will suffice. I logged many miles on the trails in the Berner Oberland this past June in a pair of low cut Merrells with a vibram sole. Trails included all types of surfaces, from asphalt to snow. The only other footware I took was a pair of sandals.
Posted by
Lynnwood, Washington
8369 posts
Wear the bigger/heavier shoes on the plane. Pack the others.