So I don't really want to be a woman when bringing shoes, so that's why I'm asking for opinions of well-traveled peeps. :cheers:

I'm leaving for Europe pretty soon now (the 25th i fly out) and I'm wondering what shoes to bring along for the trip. The only pair of shoes I have to have are my running shoes (gonna be doing alot of running there). Besides that I dunno.

The dilemma - I don't want to carry extra shoes, extra weight around. Shoes are annoying, they take up lotsa room and weigh a fair amount. But I also want to be prepared for the right situations.

My dad got me a really nice pair of hiking boots (low-cut, gore-tex, "vasque" boots) and I think I would like to bring them, but they are kind of heavy - like 3 lbs (for both of them). I don't think we're going to be doing alot of hiking in places where my running shoes aren't usable (Interlaken and Southern Germany maybe moreso). Also with these shoes, I doubt they would work as "dressy" shoes in a club (which we will do some of) and in Churches. I have some other slightly dressy shoes (Dr. Martens - waay too heavy tho, and then some plain black dress shoes) are those shoes better to wear around at night or even just wandering around? And then sandals...flip-flops I hear are a must for hostel showers, and then I have a pair of old very broken in birks. Are these good to wear around?


I guess I'm just confused and kinda getting antsy. I'll give a quick overview maybe It will make more sense.


~Running shoes (must)
~Hiking boots (mostly brown)?
~Brown Docs (too heavy)
~Black dress shoes ( i don't really like these)
~Flip-Flops
~Birk sandals
~New shoes! (cheap, ebay im looking)
~Crap I dunno - help!



Thanks again for insight. :party:

For my 4-5 month Eastern Europe trip, I'll be taking running shoes for running and hiking. And some DC shoes or some sort of all-around shoe for everything else. I might find myself in a bind if I'm trying to get into some super fancy club, but I don't think I'll be doing much of that anyways. Oh ya, and sandals for the shower and beach.

I'll be wearing the all-around shoes most of the time, the running shoes and sandals are light and won't take up too much space.

Well honestly I'm not much of a hiker, but I am a skater and I know how it is to be travelling with not-so-light footwear, here is what I do most of the time; I use the slots on my Bpack and my skates adjust perfect on the outside, normally I travel with some rare low-rise converse shoes and that's about it (well and my flip-flops but they are so light and spaceless) well yeah other thing I do when I feel like it's too much I simply put my skates on and solved, you might think airports would make a huge deal about it??? well not really I go around with my skates on and my flops in the outter slots of my Bpack that way when I go thru an inspection point I can just show or leave the skates while wearing my flops then after they are done I put them right back on, I have doen this in CCS (Maiquetia), JFK, NWK, LGD, (the one over houston I forgo it's name), MIA, BOG, CAL, LAX, within others. either with my skates or even my skate board. I'm guessing hiking boots are not a issue at all.

Hmm. . . Talking of shoes and stuff I'm a die hard Converse shoehead anyone alike around here even Nike (And yes I already know Nike owns Converse and Adidas bought Reebok).

Thanks for the insight. Maybe I just need to not bring much. Meh

Would I be right in thinking that the converse type shoes would be one of the best space-wise in a backpack?

Im usually a die hard boot wearer, but I don't know if it's such a good idea to take them, the only way I can think to carry them while they're not on is on string or something attached to the outside of the backpack...

I don't think my legs could handle the Cons with no support.

Well I have been using Chuck's (low rise mostly) for over 3 years in a row, I actually have the inner shoe-lace spots perm-marked on my feet! I think they are way too comfy, I feel like I'm not wearing shoes and yeah they are mad light make very few space, but remember that converse also has shoes like the one stars, which are more sneaker type or the ones for basketball. But going bak to the Taylor's (which are the ones everyone thinks of) they are awsome and as I do (Holy Shit O-zone! I love this band & club) you can find very trendy ones around even any All-stars blk Chuck Taylor, they are a classic and they are not a pain in the ass at all cause they are a classic and qualify as retro. Yeah I know a little too much on Converse shoes. BTW they have come up with the Converse slip-on's, not my thing but check them out. More free space!

What about style. Don't Europeans wear mostly drab colours? Would an individual stick out wearing white sporty shoes? Or like a green pair o puma street shoes?

WoooooW, dude come on be yourself you can adjust to a place but not change it all! and Cons are universal! #1 dummer shoes World wide!

I don't think "drab" would quite describe European footwear...

For general walking/touring everyday shoes, we all wear leather walking sandals - the European brand we swear by is Bama, but some of my kids have Columbias and they work well too. If I only have room for one pair, that's what I take, and wear them walking, exploring, to church, with dresses, pants, in the sun, at the beach, in the rain, whatever... I also have a pair of flat, leather Minnetonka sandals which I can wear with a dress or casual clothes, and they don't weigh a thing. For weekend trips with not much walking involved, that's what I take. My husband usually brings Doc Martens (low) and his sandals - he wears the Docs most days, and they're good enough for church, restaurants, or going out, and he packs the sandals along for hot days, beaches or whatever. Remember you will actually be wearing one pair of shoes when you're walking, so the weight won't all be in your pack.

Flip flops, if you can stand 'em, are good for showers and whatnot, and I've seen plenty of people this summer walking around in them, although they are rather more common on tourist feet than locals walking around Paris or Rome.

:tumbleweed:

How come I can't find Bama shoes anywhere online? Weird thing, I live in Minnetonka!

Drab colours?! Heck, wear whatever you feel like, you'll find all sorts!!!

At the mo, there are LOADS of brightly coloured shoes over here (ok, so I'm in the UK, not mainland Europe, but still...) Yeah, so there are bright dressy shoes, bright trainers ("running shoes" or whatever), funky everything!

One thing I have never liked of the sandal wear is when people kill the style with socks! WTF is that all about in the plaz over Italy, Old people get this do not wear socks with leather sandals! Oh yeah if you use ground toned pants it might go with it as long as you are not wearing white jockey socks!

Minnetonka? Wild. Do they have an outlet store there?

Mainland Europe shoes are just as colourful as in the UK - though the styles are a bit different in different countries, I've noticed. Even from Germany to Netherlands, there are different things available.

I don't know if Bama's are available on line - I bought mine in Lithuania, but they're a German brand and I've seen them here, too. If you can wait til you get here, you can buy them at Reno shoe stores (maybe check out Reno online?), that's the only place I've found them, though the chain exists at least in Germany, Poland and Lithuania...

Good luck!

(try googling Bama.de, to get German sites...)
:tumbleweed:

K, here is what I'm thinking.

~One Pair Running Shoes (used for running EVERY day, and just walking around)
~One Pair Black dress shoes (clubs, nice places, Churches)
~Birk Sandals (just for walking around or whatever)
~Flip Flops for showers or whatever


I'm most hesitant on the Birks, but they dont take up much room. What yall think?

Personally, I wouldn't take the Birks. You'll have running shoes to wear when you're wandering around, and if your feet are ot, you can wear your flip flops (providing you know they'll be comfy enough for everyday wear).

Or, I'd take the Birks, but lose the dress shoes. Most clubs that I know of let you wear flip flops or whatnot, so if you can take a plain pair that isn't took "beachy" that would be alright.

I think I'll be taking flip flops, a pair of pumps or plimsolls, and some converse. Although, just lately, a bit of rubber started poking out of the shoe into my heel, and it's not too comfy!