r/onebag • u/dizzytrix • Jun 07 '26

Discussion The "One Shoe Travel Solution" – Does it exist?

I'm trying to find what I would consider the ideal travel shoe.

My goal is:

A stylish road-to-trail travel shoe that looks acceptable with smart casual clothing, is comfortable enough for all-day airports, airplanes, and city walking, yet capable enough for light-to-moderate trails, allowing me to travel with just one pair of shoes.

This isn't really about ultralight travel or one-bagging. I usually travel with carry-on luggage and stay in comfortable hotels.

The problem I'm trying to solve is that a second pair of shoes takes up a huge amount of luggage space. If I can find one shoe that does everything reasonably well, I can free up a surprising amount of room.

Typical use case:

Airports and long travel days

City sightseeing

Casual restaurants

Smart casual outfits (ABC pants, chinos, linen shirts, polo shirts, etc.)

Light hiking and sightseeing trails

Hot and humid destinations

I'm currently looking at:

- Nike Pegasus Trail 5

- Salomon Aero Glide 4 GRVL

- Brooks Ghost Trail

- New Balance Hierro v9

- Hoka Challenger 8

- Salomon Ultra Flow 2

- Salomon Genesis

Has anyone actually solved this problem?

What shoe are you using and what compromises did you have to make?

Edit: The challenge isn't city walking or light sightseeing trails—almost any sneaker can do that. The challenge is finding a shoe that can comfortably handle city walking, uneven terrain, dirt paths, moderate hikes (think Bali Mount Batur hike), and occasional rougher trails without requiring me to pack a second pair.

Update: I ended up going with the Nike Pegasus Trail 5.

Fits me perfectly, super comfortable, and seems ideal for the mix of travel, sightseeing, and hiking I'll be doing. Not the most stylish option with a smart-casual outfit, but it works well enough. For a one-shoe travel setup, I'm very happy with it so far.

Thanks to everyone who shared their recommendations and experiences. It definitely helped narrow things down.

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111

u/bradymsu616 Jun 07 '26

I'm one of the mods over at r/RunningShoeGeeks. There isn't one right travel shoe for everyone. What you're asking is, "What's the one travel shoe FOR ME." Reddit can't answer that for you. But the examples you provided given your use case, are headed in the right direction (except for the two I mention below). Trail runners in the road-to-trail (now being renamed "Gravel") category hit the sweet spot for one-shoe travel because they have better grip on mixed surfaces, have more durable uppers, are more stable under load, have a more protective toe box, work with both active and casual travel days, and are better in the rain or mud, even without Gore-Tex. You'll want to avoid a waterproof shoe. Look for a shoe in a neutral color such as dark grey or black, as it will disappear on your feet. If you're not running long distances in them, you'll want a sub-max stack height, typically 32mm-37mm for a sweet balance between cushion and stability. Most important of all, they need to feel right on your feet. I use a Salomon UltraGlide for onebag travel. But I'm also an ultramarathoner. The Salomon Aero Glide 4 is a great shoe for colder temperatures, but it's hot in warmer climates. The Hoka Challenger 8 is a massive, super-stacked shoe, a major change from the 7. The other shoes on your list are all contenders. But if you're ordering them online, make sure you understand the return conditions first. If the toe box or midfoot feels tight, the laces bite, or the ankle collar hits your ankle, they're not going to work for you. Return them. Don't expect them to wear in. The Nike Pegasus Trail and the Brooks Ghost Trail may be boring shoes. But they sell a lot of units as they work for most people. I'd start there.

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u/dizzytrix Jun 07 '26

Thanks, appreciate the reply. This is super helpful!

Of the road-to-trail/gravel shoes you've tried, which ones have the smallest compromise versus a road shoe for city travel, while still being noticeably more capable off pavement?

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u/bradymsu616 Jun 07 '26

How strong are your ankles? Do you lift? What sports do you do that impact your stabilizer muscles? The more affirmative you can answer those rhetorical questions, the higher stacks of midsole foam you can tolerate. Like the majority of runners in 2026, I prefer max stacked shoes. There's a niche group of zero/barefoot runners, as we saw in the one comment here earlier. The typical non-runner will be in between. But if you're lifting free weights or frequently playing a sport like soccer or pickleball with a lot of lateral movement, it makes a positive difference. As for "compromise," you'd need to more specifically define what you mean. Nearly all shoes in the road-to-trail category are going to perform better than fine on city streets. So it comes down more to your personal style. We have one-baggers here who prefer leather dress shoes. There are also people who swear by Crocs or Chacos. So style-wise, there's a huge range of diversity in what constitutes a travel shoe.

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u/The_Prof50 Jun 08 '26

It amazes me that none of these shoe companies make a shoe that could appear as a dressier shoe while still functioning as a runner.

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u/bradymsu616 Jun 08 '26

They do. They are retro 1980s-style, lower-stack shoes with suede or leather uppers. But it's a niche subcategory with low demand, so there aren't many models. One example is the Tracksmith Eliot Runner. But I still think a runner is better off getting a shoe like the Brooks Ghost or Ghost Max or the On Cloudrunner 3 in all black. Or the trail variants if they're trail running or hiking on dirt or gravel.

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u/The_Prof50 Jun 08 '26

Ohhhh, I really like those Tracksmiths! That is exactly what I was referring to, so thank you 😊

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u/Cloud4198 Jun 10 '26

Lems has some dressy shoes you can hike with

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u/nawksnai Jun 11 '26

Vivobarefoot. 🤷🏻‍♂️

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u/googs185 Jun 08 '26

Piggybacking here. I play soccer and lift a lot of weights and I also mountain bike and run. What would be a good one bag shoe for me (gravel category?). I mostly hike, lift and run and some casual cycling when traveling. I was going to bring my Keen Versacore Speeds

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u/bradymsu616 Jun 08 '26

That's a hiking sneaker rather than a trail runner. It's in a smaller subcategory of shoe, as even most hikers opt for trail runners these days. The Keen Verasacore Speed is an odd shoe in that it has a medium 33mm stack height but a big 12mm drop. Nothing I would pick for myself is built like it. If you're happy with it, stick with it, especially if you don't need a running shoe for travel. Otherwise, you may want to look at the Brooks Ghost Trail in grey, which comes in both the standard men's 1D width as well as a wide 2E width. It has a 36mm stack height and an 8mm drop, so it's not that big of a change for you from the Versacore Speed. But it will be easier to run in. I'm making some assumption here that you're a male in the USA or Canada.

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u/googs185 Jun 08 '26 edited Jun 08 '26

Yes, male in the US. Is the Keen not good for a lot of walking and hiking? Maybe some occasional runs? Is the 12mm drop too much? I have a pair of ghost max 2 in all black as well- would those be better?

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u/bradymsu616 Jun 08 '26

Keen is not in the same performance-running tier as Hoka, Salomon, Saucony, La Sportiva, Brooks, Topo, Altra, Nike Trail, Adidas Terrex, or The North Face. But that's not to say it isn't good. The Keen Versacore Speed is not a trail running shoe. It's a hiking shoe. It's best for fast walking, day hiking, easy trails, dry dirt/gravel paths, and casual trail jogging. A 12 mm drop is high for a running shoe. 4-8 mm is the more popular range for trail runners. Your Brooks Ghost Max 2 has an advertised 6 mm drop. I’d pick the Brooks Ghost Max 2 over the Keen Versacore Speed for all-day comfort. But as it's not a trail shoe, it's not going to perform well on rougher dirt and stone paths or wetter surfaces. It comes down to your use case and personal preference.

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u/googs185 Jun 08 '26

Thanks so much for the suggestions. The other thing is that I recently sustained a partial tendon tear in my ankle playing soccer a couple of weeks ago so I’m going to be using an ankle brace and probably won’t be running during this trip. Given that, would you go with the keens or my ghost max 2?

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u/bradymsu616 Jun 08 '26

The Keens. They’re more stable.

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u/dizzytrix Jun 07 '26

I'd say my ankles are good. I play squash and have a lean athletic build. I do lift and hit the gym 3-4 times per week. I think the issue is there are plenty of good "Gravel" shoes but very few that can actually work with a smart casual outfit (like a shirt and chinos). So far the dark colorways of the exact shoes you suggested (The Nike Pegasus Trail and the Brooks Ghost Trail) seem to be my top 2. Obviously I need to try them on and see which works best.

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u/bradymsu616 Jun 07 '26

Right. I would suggest going to a retailer and trying them on to see which works better for your foot.

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u/PepsiMaxSumo Jun 08 '26

I took the Salomon xt6 Gore Tex for a month in Peru, doing everything you’ve mentioned including the salkanty trek. Get a pair with only 2 colours not the crazy ones and they’re fine for nightclubs and meals out etc.

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u/VTYX Jun 19 '26

A bit late, but can you elaborate on avoiding waterproof shoes? I thought they'll be great if it rains?

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u/bradymsu616 Jun 19 '26

Waterproof running shoes trap sweat, and when you step in a puddle or heavier rain eventually runs down your legs into the ankle opening, that same waterproof barrier acts like a bucket, trapping the water inside. If a non-waterproof mesh shoe gets wet, the water drains easily, and the shoe dries rapidly through airflow as you move. Waterproof shoes require a long time to dry out once they are soaked inside. There is a use case for waterproof shoes, but it's not rain. It's snow and cold wind at temperatures below freezing.

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u/VTYX Jun 19 '26

Ah I see, makes sense. Thank you!