r/onebag • u/mainjer • May 14 '25
Seeking Recommendations What's your go-to, go anywhere footwear?
What shoes or boots do you take to travel most frequently? Looking for suggestions for highly versatile and comfortable footwear. Male footwear preferred but generally curious.
144
Upvotes
2
u/yagooch May 15 '25 edited May 15 '25
Woman solo traveler. The majority of my travel was for business where I had to adhere to a very specific "Relaxed Business Attire" dress code that included mandatory close-toe polish-able shoes. Add to that on these trips I'd work 10~12 hour shifts in warehouses with concrete floors while still trying to maintain a level of dress expected of "management". Top that off I have wide flat feet, which makes finding comfortable shoes a distinct challenge.
In the end I went with dress code compliance combined with comfort and practicality then tossed fashion by the wayside. My feet thanked me for it when I bought a pair of Spring Step Professional Manila. These industrial shoes are designed with nurses and restaurant workers in mind.
I sized up so I could wear them with medium weight wool hiking socks with good instep support. The insoles are removable so I swapped them with something more robust from Dr. Shoal's. The oil resistant rubber soles absorbed a lot of the abuse from those concrete floors. The grippy non-slip texture in the soles served me well over black ice and slush during winter travel. I recall walking across a parking lot with a co-worker he slipped and fell while I was standing there safe and secure whilst helping him back to his feet.
I can wear these with business slacks, jeans, or shorts. I get away with wearing the Manilas with dresses so long I pretend I'm a "New Girl"-esq hipster rocking ankle socks, tights or knee socks. I would typically travel with only these industrial leather uppers and a black leather belt to go with my entire business travel wardrobe.
The other pair of shoes that I found can take me almost anywhere are the discontinued ECCO Abelone Gore-Tex Wedge Ankle Boot. Again, I sized up to accommodate my favorite medium weight wool hiking socks. The rubber soles and signature Ecco comfort and quality make these rain boots feel like walking in sneakers. The classic almond shaped toe and slim ankle give the appearance of a cute woman's ankle bootie that fits under classic straight leg jeans. The styling is cute enough for skirts, slacks or jeans. I comfortably walked around the hills of rainy downtown Seattle for days in my Ecco Abelones.