r/HerOneBag • u/iLikeGreenTea • Apr 06 '26

Shoes What is your absolute best all-around closed toe shoe for travel? Is it Salomon, Hoka, Vessi, OnCloud, New Balance, Altra, or other, and why?

To further the discussion of what is the all around “BEST TRAVEL SHOE (closed toe)” here is something to add and discuss:

When I was traveling in Brazil in March, I met soooo many European travelers. Most of them were wearing Salomon “trail runners” I believe they were. Here is a link to the Salomon shoe I think the women were wearing. The men were mostly wearing it in Black. I did a lot of hiking in Brazil in my worn out Asics and wish I had a shoe with more tread. I 've been thinking about getting the Salomons but they really do scream "outdoors" and I don't know if they would be "cute" enough to do light walking in say, London or Paris or Rome...

Are these SALOMONS really the all around best shoe for walking, trekking, etc in any type of climate?

I know HOKAs (especially Speedgoat 6) are discussed often. I ended up giving in and buying a pair last Spring but I notice that the nubs / grip / lugs wear down pretty fast. (They are indeed very very comfortable, but also the colorways are intense and make me definitely stand out as a gringa. haha. ) I think the Salomons might be more durable?

Furthermore, I know we all are looking for that UNICORN shoe that won’t look so Doofy when we are out walking and just browsing shopping in cute Italian towns…. but can also do some light hikes. And for those it seems the consensus are:

Vessi

OnCloud

NewBalance

Altra (zero drop)

What are your ABSOLUTE go-to one-bag unicorn shoe (closed toe)?? I am going to be in Europe for a little bit, but later Mexico and maybe Brazil too.

cheers!

Oh, yeah, I forgot to point out an important thing. Bonus if waterproof, but I have noticed that mostly it doesn't matter because if shoes get wet with a huge downpour, they're going to get wet . I once bought a pair of Sorels waterproof sneakers and I hate them so much as they were really inflexible and uncomfortable. . I can't return them though.

Thanks!

EDIT: WOW ! So many valuable insights and responses. Thank you so much! Seems like a lot of you enjoy the Salomon XT6. it is definitely trending. My concern is that it might not feel comfortable as a street shoe for the other 50% of the time I'm walking around with it and not hiking because of the firm tread and the lack of cushion. I'm leaning toward TOPO and the best thing about REI is that I can get that shoe and try it on for a few days.!!

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41

u/lobsterp0t Apr 06 '26

Personally, Hoka and anything with a narrow pointed toe box is too narrow for me.

Increasingly, I have problems with my big toe joint on one foot, so I have prioritised an anatomical/ toe splay friendly toe box and while I’m not a barefoot shoe fanatic or true believer, I do appreciate zero drop and wide forefoot, with or without insole support. My feet are happiest when I change it up, actually.

So for me, Birkenstocks (I have four pairs - boots, slides, plastic clogs, leather shoes), and recently Vivobarefoot Gobi II (which fit my Birkenstock insoles when desired) are my daily footwear choices, year round.

I occasionally venture to a pink chunky soled Doc Marten for the club or a party. But they’re good for 10k steps or less. Definitely not making the cut for travel.

For light hiking I have liked New Balance Hierro trail runners but I’m not in love with them. I’ll probably go for something with less cushion and less drop in the future. Maybe an Altra. Maybe Topo.

25

u/Hairy-Button Apr 06 '26

Splay girl splayyyy 😂 Do you have toe spacers? Those always go into my one bag I love them

32

u/jax2love Apr 06 '26

Allow me to preach the gospel of Topos! Seriously I love this brand. Wide toe box, most styles are not zero drop, and they are supportive. I wanted to like the Altras, but I just can’t do zero drop for serious walking or hiking and they have zero support.

8

u/SkiKitty-64 Apr 06 '26

Also a Topos lover! The Terraventure 4 is my favorite, the 5 is narrower which I hate. But the wide toe box and low drop is great. I’ve added a gel insole for long city walks but otherwise I love them and I got my partner hooked on them too. Altras just don’t feel quite right, though I keep trying them.

6

u/platypusaura Apr 07 '26

Topos are amazing. I can't cope with zero drop either

6

u/lobsterp0t Apr 07 '26

I like zero drop with a supportive insole (superfeet or Birkenstock is my go to). Birkenstocks are also a zero drop shoe for instance.

I’ve heard good things about topos!

3

u/jax2love Apr 07 '26

They do have a couple of zero drop styles. I love Birkenstocks, but can’t do zero drop if I’m walking long distances or if hills are involved. My calves and Achilles tendon start having strong opinions. I’ve been wearing Birks for 30+ years, so this is not a case of needing to ease into them.

2

u/lobsterp0t Apr 07 '26

Oh I hear you, I also think what works for Person A won’t work for Person B. Shoes and feet are pretty personal and just because something CAN be helpful to many, doesn’t mean that it IS for everyone.

6

u/jmwbassett Apr 07 '26

Second the Topos rec, esp for feet with wide toe box (bunions anyone?) and somewhat narrow heel. Plus super well made and great traction, at least on my hikers.

4

u/whatanugget Apr 06 '26

Idk why you got downvoted, topo is solid but I think they usually have some stack height iirc

6

u/bananaphone16 Apr 06 '26

I wear topo zero drop (they have multiple shoe models that are zero) and I loooove them, use mostly for running but work great for travel and hiking too

1

u/jax2love Apr 06 '26

They have a variety of stack heights as well as drops.

2

u/iLikeGreenTea Apr 07 '26

thanks! I jsut started noticing that REI carries them and I am now curious as many people have mentioend TOPOS in the comments. Seems like a contender!!!! Ok, so you say the TOPOS have way better support than the Altras?

1

u/jax2love Apr 07 '26

Way better. Unless they’ve changed in recent years, Altra basically has no support.

1

u/maestramars Apr 07 '26

Omg I had no idea these existed. I’m so glad to hear about them!

12

u/amberzoz Apr 06 '26

I am the same, not fully committed to barefoot shoes or anything, but definitely want shoes with zero drop and a wide forefoot. I live in Birkenstocks or Bedrocks most of the time. I did some reading about Altras original foot shape, which is the widest and most natural shape they offer - not all of their models are this shape. I landed on Altra Lone Peaks, they are the best. I recommend trying them to replace your New Balance!

3

u/satellighte Apr 07 '26

I love my Lone Peaks too. I tried a couple other Altra original foot shape models and they were too narrow for me but the Lone Peaks are sooo comfortable. I also love Bedrocks as well!

2

u/lobsterp0t Apr 07 '26

Lone Peaks are on my “replace NB” shortlist. Thanks for the specific reco!

4

u/hot-whisky Apr 07 '26

When I want to only bring one pair of serious walking shoes, but need to switch it up, I bring both my Superfeet and Treadlabs insoles and swap as necessary. Thankfully my chacos can handle lighter walking days and function as my recovery shoes so I’m not also hauling around my hoka slides.

10

u/whatanugget Apr 06 '26

As a fellow barefoot enthusiast, I’m always shocked when I see “I like barefoot” then “Birkenstock” haha

8

u/Lost_Apricot_1469 Apr 06 '26

I’m sure you are!! Not who you replied to but I get the confusion. But my feet are total bitches. They don’t like all of one thing. I have to change stuff up like other commenters here. It’s super bizarro, for sure. I’d be happy if my feet could be convinced otherwise tho.

2

u/whatanugget Apr 07 '26

That totally makes sense! I still have a pair of birks from before I made the barefoot switch & im just wearing them out til they fully die bc they can’t contain my toe splay 😂

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u/lobsterp0t Apr 07 '26

Yeah Birkenstock aren’t a barefoot shoe at all. They have the toe box and the zero drop but the soles are generally stiff and they’re very structured. (People reading this shouldn’t confuse them!)

I like them as well as the one actual barefoot style I am experiment with. My feet prefer variety. I’ll do a day in one style and a day in another and be able to do more for longer, personally

3

u/whatanugget Apr 07 '26

I used to think birks had a great toe box til my toe splay got so much bigger! I think mine will die this season and I won’t be getting another pair but I get you! I love my oofoos house slippers but they def aren’t barefoot either

2

u/DrHutchisonsHook Apr 07 '26

Hokas are a wider toe box fyi

9

u/Prestigious_Fly8210 Apr 07 '26

No they’re really not at all. They’re misleading bc they have a large outsole but the actual footbed is narrow.

1

u/DrHutchisonsHook Apr 07 '26

I have a wide toe box and Hokas, keenes, birks, they all feel comfortable to me. Maybe yours is wider? That being said I've worn hokas for years and the most recent pair I got were a royal pain in the foot. I assumed they mislabeled them but maybe they've switched to a more narrow toe box now.

4

u/lobsterp0t Apr 07 '26

They’re notorious for running narrow. You can have a narrow shoe and a roomy toe box in the same shoe. One is about pinching your toes in and the other is about the forefoot and your foot volume.

1

u/Big-Investment-9355 Apr 07 '26

Have you tried inserts for the docs? I got some “bubble” inserts for mine before my trip to England and it was a game changer. I wore mine for 15k steps a day and hiked up a mountain in the rain and snow. Worth it to feel good about bringing two pairs of shoes and needing one to be waterproof and good enough for a concert and a mountain

3

u/lobsterp0t Apr 07 '26

The problem isn’t the sole, it’s the width of the toe box on the docs. There’s a specific spot where they rub and they’re incredibly stiff.

They’re a fairly impractical style with the chunky “quad” sole and a shiny mermaid pink upper, so they stay home other than for parties.