5 Best Walking Shoes for Summer Vacation
Posted by Cara Spindler on Aug 15th 2018
5 Best Walking Shoes for Summer Vacation
by CARA SPINDLER
Travel season is upon us.
And you have carefully planned out every step of your glorious summer vacation!
You have your hotel locked down, your airfare booked and your rental car in place.
You may even have an itinerary of activities written out so you don't miss a single thing; such as visiting all the standard touristy places, as well as some obscure places that are off the beaten path.
And I bet you will be packing a whole array of outfits to wear on all those different outings too.
But just as importantly, you'll need to pack more than one pair of walking shoes for your summer vacation. Different pairs, for all the different types of walking activities you'll be engaged in.
Whether you plan to be sauntering down the city streets of Paris, hiking up the rugged mountain trails in Peru, wading through clear water streams, or kayaking down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon, you will need the right shoes that can keep up with you, and not slow you down.
Being in business for over 25 years, Family Footwear Center knows quite a lot about the best walking shoes for all sorts of activities. Here is our expert advice that will guide you to the:
5 Best Walking Shoes for Summer Vacation
- Best Walking Shoes for Sightseeing
- Best Walking Shoes for Mountain Trails
- Best Walking Shoes for Water Adventures
- Best Walking Shoes for the Sea Shore
- Best Walking Shoes for the Beach
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Best Walking Shoes for Sightseeing:
New Balance 928v3When it came to making the decision of selecting the best overall walking shoes for long days of sight-seeing, we took these four things into consideration:
- Support
- Balance
- Cushioning
- Shock Absorption
...and the New Balance 928v3 has it all!
New Balance 928v3 Walking Shoes for Men and Women- with its blue Stability Strike Path
Hands down, If you will be walking for hours on end, our expert pick for the best walking shoes for sightseeing while on summer vacation is the New Balance 928v3, for both men and women. Take your pick of either black or white, this walking shoe will keep you going from morning to night!The New Balance 928v3 women’s and men's walking shoes offer industry-leading motion control and superior stability, thanks to the built-in roll bars and blue strike paths that helps guide your feet, to keep your gait is nice and straight.
It is important to have walking shoes that will stabilize each footfall, providing solid balance and support. (Your feet will feel great at the end of a long day after going on all those walking tours!)
The 928v3 has New Balance's ABZORB Midfoot Cushioning that will stave off foot fatigue, seamless Phantom Liners that won't cause blisters (because the liners won't rub against your feet) and built-in odor-resistance, because...hey, who doesn't want that?
As a nice added touch, New Balance has even added a soft padded collar around the top of these walking shoes for extra, extra comfort.
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Best Walking Shoes for Mountain Trails:
Merrell Moab HikersWhen it comes to taking long excursions into the mountains, nothing beats Merrell Moab Hiking Shoes. They are geared up with all the features you will need to climb even the roughest off-road trails! The Moab comes in styles for both men and women and they are equipped with world-class Vibram Outsoles.
Pictured above: Merrell Moab Hiking Shoes for Men, with an aggressive Vibram outsole.
Choosing the right hiking shoes for mountain excursions is critical because you will be traveling over unknown territory and at every turn of the trail you may be hiking over different terrains; such as loose gravel and dirt, rocks, boulders, or even wet slippery surfaces. The aggressive tread on the Moab Hikers is engineered with multi-directional lugs to help keep you in control on both wet or dry surfaces, whether heading uphill or down.
Want to see how well Merrell Hikers can hold up even on the most mountainous trails of Colombia, South America? Then check out Andrew Austin's Adventure here! Family Footwear Center supplied Andrew with Merrell Mid Hikers to see if they would pass the test - and they did...with flying colors!
Andrew Austin wore Merrell Mid Hikers (pictured here with Ice Clamp-ons)
when he tackled a snowy F-top in Colombia, South America!
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Best Walking Shoes for Water Adventures:
Keen Newport SandalsWhen you plan your daily adventure of walking summer forest trails, where you expect to be crossing streams, going canoeing, or going kayaking, you need walking shoes that can do it all!
The Keen Newport Sandals are the trifecta of summer walking shoes!
- They are first, and foremost, a summer sandal - lightweight and airy!
- They are built tough enough to handle forest trails - just like a hiking shoe!
- They are waterproof with a secure lacing system, and dry off super quick - the perfect water shoes!
....a Triple Win!
Keen Newport Sandals for Men and Women perform as Hikers, Sandals and Water Shoes!Engineered to be lightweight, while providing serious grip on the hiking trails, all of Keen's water shoes strap on tight and hold on for the ride.
In Keen sandals, you can confidently hike over any terrain to get to that amazing, secluded waterfall you've heard so much about - and then just jump right in...even while wearing Keen's waterproof leather sandals! Amazing!
The Bungee Cord Lacing System cinches these sandals comfortably around your feet, so they won't fall off and disappear into the water when rafting, canoeing, kayaking, or while having fun at the waterpark!
Feet will stay safe in these waterproof sandals, because Keen's Newport Sandals have a solid rubber toe bumper that protects feet from sticks, stones and other debris on the trail, and that also protects delicate toes from any unseen hazards that may be lurking underwater.
Plus they are engineered to dry off super fast!
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Best Walking Shoes at the Sea Shore:
Sperry Authentic Original Boat ShoesAsk anyone who lives at the seashore, or ask anyone who owns a boat, "What are the best boat shoes in the world?" Without hesitation, they will probably say Sperry!
When spending a day at the seaside or sailing, it is important to have secure traction when walking on wet boat docks, or slick, slippery piers. You simply cannot get any better traction than you would with Sperry! Their Authentic Originals (A/O) Boat Shoes have been around for over 70 years!
Sperry's Siping Outsole is specifically designed for wet boat decks and slippery docks.
How about a little history on these outsoles?
It was way back in 1935 when a man named Paul Sperry lost his footing on the wet, slippery deck of his schooner, causing him to fall overboard. While being quite traumatic for him, this event soon became the catalyst to his creating boat shoes that would provide secure traction on wet slippery boat decks.Now here's how the design was born!
Not too long after his incident of slipping off of his boat, Paul Sperry was watching his dog run across an expanse of slick ice. Sperry noticed his pet had very good traction on the slippery surface, so he invented an outsole mimicking the design of his dog's paws.
He took slabs of rubber, cut tiny zig-zag herringbone patterns into them, affixed them to the uppers and... wah-lah! The very first pair of Sperry Boat Shoes was born!
Women's Sperry Authentic Original AO Navy Leather Boat Shoes
Men's Sperry Authentic Original AO Brown Leather Boat Shoes
View all Sperry Boat Shoes on sale here!
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Best Walking Shoes at the Beach:
Birkenstock SandalsWhile there are many classic summer sandals out there, Birkenstock Sandals are truly iconic.
They are almost a legend in their own right, personifying a relaxed, free-spirit vibe that is truly in tune with the whole glorious idea of summer vacation!
Birkenstock Sandals make great walking sandals because of their comfortable, adjustable straps and their ability to adapt to your feet. Birkenstock footbeds are designed to perfectly mold to the natural shape of your own feet over time. This fit becomes personalized, providing you with just the right amount of arch support that your feet need to stay super comfy and to stave off foot fatigue.
Birkenstock even makes a line of Vegan Sandals that are Animal-Friendly and Eco-Friendly too!
One Final Thought
After you plan out your list of summer vacation activities, be sure and plan out what shoes you need to bring! Equip yourself with the right kind of walking shoes for each different adventure you plan to have, to maximize your summer vacation experience.
Packing the right shoes will help you get the most fun out of your summer vacation, and your feet will surely thank you!