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Best Travel Shoes

Designed with versatility in mind—from city streets to the mountainside, create the perfect memory at every stop.

Updated on July 2, 2024

Shop the best travel shoes

Your choice of travel shoes can make or break your adventure. Whether you’re exploring the cobblestone streets window-shopping or trekking up a mountain, you should wear the best traveling shoes for maximum comfort while you create happy memories throughout your journey.

Otherwise, what you’ll remember for the whole trip are foot pain symptoms, cuts, blisters—or worse, an ankle injury.

With KURU travel shoes, you can walk in comfort with our superior arch support and cutting-edge technology that flexes with your heels for cushioned support.

What are Travel Shoes?

Whether you’re a new or experienced traveler, you know that comfortable walking shoes are one of the must-haves when going on trips.

The best traveling shoes will give you the highest level of comfort and support while staying stylish and trendy. Traveling shoes should be easy to pack, versatile, and offer lasting shock-absorption for long days on your feet.

KURU offers some of the best travel shoes, from high-quality athletic shoes to hiking shoes to lifestyle Chelsea boots. Every pair of our super comfortable shoes feature our built-in arch support, heel protection, and shock-absorbing foams to help you walk in comfort mile after mile.

  • A woman with a suitcase wearing KURU LUNA shoes for travel.

Types of Travel Shoes

Ultimately, the shoe that will suit you best all depends on the activities you engage in. If you’re active or like to travel a lot, then a pair of comfortable athletic shoes or some durable hiking boots might be for you.

Meanwhile, if you like going to parties or social events, it might be smart to pick up some comfortable, fashionable sneakers, sandals, or stylish boots. Here are a few types of footwear you can wear while traveling:

  • Sneakers
    From casual lifestyle shoes to athletic shoes, sneakers are perhaps the most diverse category. Despite the variations, a similarity these shoes share is their durable and comfortable build. This is all thanks to the molded footbed and shock-absorbing materials usually incorporated in sneaker design.
    Sneakers
  • Boots
    This type of footwear provides warmth, ankle coverage, and can be worn in a variety of settings. Well-designed boots have a flat heel and come with comfortable materials, ensuring unhampered walking. Some hiking boots are even waterproof, thus making the boots especially useful during rainy or winter seasons.
    Boots
  • Sandals
    This footwear comes in different forms, from active sandals to flip flops. Usually built with flexible and light materials, sandals with arch support can be a smart choice for warm summer days. Sandals with adjustable straps or a heel strap can also help you feel more secure while walking.
    Sandals
Shop shoes for travel from KURU today!

Packing Checklist

Simplify the packing process with these tips from our KURU gurus.

Picking the right shoes to pack for your next trip is no easy task. Sometimes, you might even want to bring everything you have. However, you need to be smart about your packing, so here are a few tips:

  • Prioritize comfortable footwear: Pack comfortable travel shoes that you can wear for casual or more formal settings. Keeping comfortable means you can help avoid blisters and injuries and enjoy your trip to the best of your ability.
  • Pack just 2–3 pairs of comfortable travel shoes: Pick versatile shoes that go well with your activities and outfits. Two (or all three) of them must be comfy enough to walk long distances, so you get the right balance of style and comfort.
  • When packing, identify the types of activities you’ll engage in during your adventure: The best travel shoes are versatile options that you can wear in different situations.
  • Make sure to check the weather forecast: In general, ankle boots are perfect for spring or fall, sandals or flip-flops for summer, and mid-calf to knee-high boots for winter.
  • Don’t forget to pack a first aid kit, including adhesive strips or a blister kit to prevent blisters and manage raw spots.

FAQs

  • Which type of shoes are best for traveling?

    The best shoes for travel will depend on the kind of journey you’ll take. If you’re walking offroad or through a mountain, hiking boots are your best bet. If your journey includes only occasional walking and more time in cars or trains, comfortable sneakers are a must.

    If you’re just traveling to the next block or town, then you can make do with some slide ons. Regardless, make sure that your footwear has the necessary comfort features like soft padding, shock absorption, or arch support to ensure that your feet stay comfortable through your travels.

  • What shoes are best for the airport?

    Going to airports involves long walks and lengthy waits. It’s best to wear comfortable shoes with superior breathability, support, and cushion. The shoes should also easily stay on your feet, so you can safely navigate modern industrial areas like airports.

  • Are boots good for solo travel?

    It depends. If you’re traveling to a cold place or somewhere where there is uneven terrain, then boots are ideal as they offer the most foot protection against both low temperature and ground hazards. That said, if you’re set for the tropics or any place where it is very humid and dry, wearing boots is not ideal as they might cause discomfort or even foot irritation.

     

    If you’re taking a car ride or going to the airport, boots can be a good option if they’re comfortable and offer cushion and arch support—like our KURU boots. However, several boots don’t have these features, so they can be too stiff, warm, and uncomfortable.

  • Are there flying shoes?

    When traveling on an airplane, you can wear different types of flying shoes. These include tennis shoes, slip-on sneakers, ballet flats, moccasins, sandals, and boots—as long as they are comfortable, breathable, easy to remove, and provide enough support and soft cushioning, you can wear them as flying shoes!

  • How should I pack my shoes for travel?

    After cleaning your travel shoes, stuff the inside with any material that will prevent them from losing shape. Put each shoe in a clean plastic bag, and wrap them firmly but not very tightly. Make sure that you have enough space in your bag or suitcase to accommodate the shoes.

    To save space, the top portion of each shoe should be placed opposite that of the other. Before you close the bag, fill in any gaps with other clothing, such as socks.

How to Choose Travel Shoes

While traveling can bring plenty of excitement, it also involves a lot of walking or hiking, standing, and waiting. That’s why it’s important to prepare and pick the best travel shoe.

Here are a few things to consider to help you find the right travel shoe:

  • Activity Type
    Choosing the perfect shoes for travel includes considering the nature of the activities you’re trying. For instance, if you’re traveling during the rainy season, a pair of water-resistant hiking boots might help you stay warm and comfortable.If you want something you can wear even when going to a fancy restaurant, you can choose a more formal pair of travel shoes.
    Activity Type
  • Durability
    If your shoes for traveling are not durable enough, you might find yourself barefooted while hiking or visiting a desert. To avoid this, make sure the travel shoes are made of top-quality material from the insole to the outsole. They must withstand harsh conditions and keep you comfortable, even when used frequently.
    Durability
  • Comfort
    No matter how cute and stylish your travel shoes are, it won’t matter if you end up getting blisters or foot pain. Thus, make sure the shoes feel comfortable on all surface types. They should fit right and provide soft cushioning and strong arch support.
    Comfort
  • Weight and Space
    A pair of high-quality shoes is an essential part of any travel pack. However, since you have to carry this footwear on your journey, take their added weight and bulk into consideration. It’s ideal to have lightweight, compact shoes. When worn, they do not feel heavy, thus relieving added foot strain as you head toward your destination.
    Weight and Space

Three Layers of Support

At KURU, we pride ourselves on our unique approach to shoe design. We believe that shoes should be shaped to fit the natural contours of your feet, which is why we create every pair in three distinct support layers, not just an insole.

 

Our revolutionary ergonomic design starts with a curved footbed and adds unparalleled triple-layer support that includes shock-absorbing KURUCLOUD, heel-cupping KURUSOLE, and arch-supporting ULTIMATE INSOLES. The result? Shoes that are so comfortable you’ll stop thinking about your feet.

  • 1

    KURUSOLE

  • 2

    KURUCLOUD

  • 3

    ULTIMATE INSOLE

  • How KURU brings relief

    KURUSOLE

    Our patented KURUSOLE takes heel protection to a new level. Using exclusive technology,KURUSOLE allows your heels to dynamically flex with each step and cups your heel to alleviate pressure. No matter how technical the terrain you’re traveling, KURUSOLE technology helps you walk in comfort.

Our Secret

Animated GIF showing KURUSOLE tech in KURU shoes vs. typical flat interiors for plantar fasciitis pain.
Why Others Love KURU

Why Others Love KURU

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ratings.

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These are great! Almost 1 year ago I had a complete fasciotomy and a release of the baxter’s nerve as well as a repair of a severed tendon in my right foot. Even with the surgery I am bound to tennis shoes forever it seems….until finding these boots. Traveling with family soon and am so happy to be taking these (without my orthotics in them) for long days of walking in the city. If you’re on the fence on these, don’t be. Totally worth it.

No more sneakers

Smart and comfortable. I’ve worn these non-stop on my travels for the past two weeks. Delivery was faultless and courteous and the boots exceed my expectations. Thanks. Kuru!

BEEJAY.

Super comfortable! Fit good, wore them to travel. Easy to slip on and off at the airport and then walk for miles. Felt like slippers on my feet but with the support you need. Loved the look on!

ME23

So comfortable! I bought the Kuru’s for my husband as I love my Kuru’s! He has issues walking distance as his hips and knees do not enjoy the walking he does. Immediately after walking a half mile he realized he had no issues at all. I am on my feet nine hours a day and realized how pain free I was and how much energy I still had at the end of the end of the day. We will be traveling and will be doing a lot of walking. These shoes will get us where we need to go comfortably and happily!

Janie KN

Amazing. I’ve worn these as my primary work shoes (I’m a nurse) for 2+ years now, and I love them. Honestly they are my favorite pair of shoes that I have ever owned. I get compliments on them all the time, they’re super comfy for 12 hour shift, for travel, and for every day wear. I even got them soaked in the ocean in Alaska and they’ve been fine! Still going strong 2 years later.

Kelly B

Shop KURU shoes today!
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