Best Walking Shoes Recommendations Please!
 

Hi,

I am going to Germany from late March until April 12th, what types or brands of shoes do you find the best considering the weather and all the walking?

You don't say if you are male or female, which will impact your choices.

There are lots of threads on this topic that you can search, but I would say the camps divide into Mephisto vs Merrell, which is sort of highly constructed vs soft, protective vs comfy.

The one great agreement except for determined contrarians is not to wear white (or really any color) athletic shoes.

Wear what most Germans wear when sightseeing; white, athletic shoes.

Wear what you find comfortable, even if that is white athletic shoes. Lots and lots of Europeans wear them too. No one will be looking at your feet anyway, and comfort is number one priority on holiday.
Are you planning on walking just on pavements or will you be walking in the countryside too? That will also impact on what you choose, as you will need a sturdier, more supportive shoe for country walks/hikes than for city walking.
Whatever you choose, make sure you war them plenty before you travel so you really are comfortable with them.

Dansko proffesional clog/shoes - have worn mine for 5 years - best walking shoes and also fashionable. These shoes last forever and they are comfortable from day one. They come in male/female sizes, so that isn't an issue. Many chefs/health care workers and others who spend a lot of time on their feet wear them for comfort. Can't recommend them highly enough!

Privos, my FAVE shoe!

hi silver,

Great advice above.

Whichever you choose, my advice would be to make sure they are well broken in. Your feet may swell, depending on how long your flight is, and also by being on them walking all day. Comfy, well broken in shoes, that are not tight will be best.

Also, I would wear one pair and pack one pair of shoes that you have worn that you know will be comfortable for all day use. Alernating between two pairs has always helped me.

Enjoy your beautiful trip to Germany!

I like Paul Green; they are available on www.zappos.com and better shoe stores. They have good arch support and coincidentally are made in either Germany or Austria, I forget which.

I have to always wrap parts of my feet with moleskin when I am on vacation. This really helps my problem areas.

I wear the leather sandals I bought in Florence in 2001. I have looked for a similar pair in black, but no luck.

Previous poster wrote: >>Dansko proffesional clog/shoes - have worn mine for 5 years - best walking shoes and also fashionable.<<...NOT!! Ugliest shoes ever.

Did someone say white athletic shoes?

Sure, why not? (white athletic shoes) unlike common misconception often passed on here, lots of europeans wear them.

For silver, there's nothing special about going to Germany. Just wear what you'd wear at home to do a lot of walking. If you need new shoes get them asap so you can wear them before your trip and make sure they are OK.

Rick Steve's has a whole board devoted to just this subject. The problem with taking this kind of advice is that we are not all made the same.

One popular recommendation on Steve's board is Keens. I can not walk in them for any distance as they stress my knees. They work for some but not for others.

Rockport walkers are my favorites. You need to shop and see what seems to work for you.

Regards, Gary

<i>Privos, my FAVE shoe</i>

This is a perfect example of why you have to go to the shoe store and try them on yourself. I just gave away a pair of Privos -- loved how they looked, hated how they felt. I don't like Keens so much either. Eccos are my brand of choice.

The white athletic shoes they wear look different than ours. However if you really want the attention of muggers, why not wear a cowboy hat too?

I agree with the posts above that say that what works for one person absolutely will not work for another, so you really have to try shoes on. Eccos work best for me, but maybe not so much for you.

And as for the attacks of the vapors at the thought of white athletic shoes: get black athletic shoes. Same comfort, fewer attacks by the fashion police.

Frank-- the white athletic shoe comment was trigered by a poster stating that it is the one type shoe NOT to wear. The point was made that it happens to be the most COMMON type shoes wear by GERMANS while on travel.

No one mentioned them, but I love Borns, great styles and colors, sandals &amp; lace ups. I've had several pairs.

A really fabulous sandal for warm weather is the KiWi. They are hand crafted leather, by Lee Risler, a guy in California. You stand on a piece of paper and have someone draw around your feet. Send him the pattern and he sends you the right fit. I've had two pairs. They are very reasonably priced and last for years. I love these sandals. I have the adjustable, thong type with the strap around the ankle. www.kiwisandals.com

I like my Eccos. Comfortable, light, nice-looking enough to wear from casual to business and waterproof which is really nice in Europe.

The number one thing that makes you look like a tourist is not having a cell phone glued to your ear. I'm thinking of taking mine or at least a blue-tooth just so I look like a local (even if it's too expensive to actually use).

I'm female and like the &quot;unstructured&quot; line by Clarks. Not very fashionable, but very comfortable. Latest favorite style for travel: Un.fog.

http://clarks.zappos.com/n/es/d/722685834/page/1.html

I like Eccos for walking and all the rest of the time. I have several pair in different styles. You can check on SierraTradingPost.com to see if you find something you like.

Here is some info that I left off (Sorry!!):

I am a woman going to Germany for my honeymoon.

We are going to be doing an assortment of things such as:
walking the Berlin Zoo, museums, touring the Burg Eltz, walking a great deal in Trier, visiting Dachau, touring during the day, etc.

I'd probably want to take a nice looking but comfortable pair of boots (La Canadienne). Another pair of either sneakers or walking shoes. Plus a dressy flat for evenings.

silver, As said before, we all have different feet so no one brand suits all. For city walking I love SAS suede walking shoes. For hiking or walking in wet conditions, I like New Balance off-trail shoes (sort of like a hiking shoe but low-cut) because they are completely waterproof and comfortable (but look clunky). For &quot;dress-up&quot; I like Ecco slip-on low wedge shoes. These are also good for city walking and are somewhat water resistant.

Congratulations and have a fabulous honeymoon!

Mephsto without a doubt, if you can find a style that fits.

Jean, you are a nasty women for providing that link to the &quot;un&quot; shoes! ;-) Now I want them desperately! The unfog is great looking! I want it, BUT it is bit pricey.

&gt;&gt;The white athletic shoes they wear look different than ours. However if you really want the attention of muggers, why not wear a cowboy hat too?&lt;&lt;

Ah... The old tried and true method. If you can not convince them your are right, try scare tactics.

Regards, Gary

Gary,

I saw the pure humiliation of wearing white athletic shoes in Germany was having little impact, so I had to move on.

Judyrem, sorry to be mean, but I have to tell you the &quot;un.&quot; shoes though expensive are really the most comfortable walking shoes I've found in many years. If it's any consolation, they seem to last a long time.

I buy a new pair of SAS walking shoes every year -- about a month before we travel -- and wear them all year long. There are other shoes I like better for style, but for comfort, the SAS works well for me.

Sandy

It mostly depends on what kind of feet--particularly arches--you have. I have high arches and tried on every brand imaginable. I ended up with Naot's. I bought sandals but they have all kinds.

I also prefer SAS walking shoes, the oxford type. However, since the OP is going to Germany, choices will be legion--that's my favorite place to show for shoes, as there are more styles to fit wide feet.

I love SAS shoes and have worn nothing else for the past 15 years. I have literally put on a brand new pair and gone on a 10 km walk with absolutely no problems.

That's for the man's 'time out' model. I'm sure they have an equally good woman's model.

I love Arche, and you can find them at both Zappos and Endless.com, which also has free shipping both ways and 365 day return policy. Arche are so soft--many of the soles are made with a special kind of latex. They are also tres chic!

Connie, I completely agree with you. I also have high arches and thus cannot wear certain shoes/brands. I absolutely love Mephistos and Naots. I cannot wear Arche. I have a pair, paid a lot for them but they are just not as comfortable as my Mephistos and Naots.
OP, you really need to find out what works for you.

Being from Florida, I have learned the proper attire for Germans. I try to wear wild tropical shirts with sandals and socks. I have on a pair of bright blue bermuda shorts with a pair of red speedos over them. I also have that straw fedora style hat with the little palm tree sticking out of it.

Oh, and I dye my skin a bright red to simulate the sunburn.

I'm sorry, I just couldn't help myself.

:-)

dave

Reiker of Germany shoe is a good walking shoe and I also like Keen.

I haven't read all the threads but my friends recommend Merrells. That said, I don't know why people buy special shoes for walking on vacation. Why don't you just wear what's comfortable for you at home?

In recent years I walked miles in Italy and France (on hilly terrain and on cobblestone streets) in my $60 Skechers. This year, here in London as well as in Lisbon, Paris and Hamburg, I've been happy with my regular ballet flats, flat ankleboots or my good old athletic shoes (and no one will look at you twice if you wear athletic shoes -- they're everywhere and they look just like the ones in North America).

Just wear what's already comfy for you. I wouldn't risk trying something new on a trip. A friend of mine spent a bundle on Naots and said they "tore up her feet" and ended doing the rest of her trip in Skechers. Certainly, though, if you ARE going to buy new walking shoes, do it well in advance of your trip and wear them for months at home.

Just 'in case' you are replying to the OP -- the thread is very old and was topped by a spammer advertising fake designer shoes.

The ed's nuked him . . . .

Since a spammer topped this, I will add that I just got my 1st pair of Keens and they are great!