Posts Tagged footwear
Casual Leather Shoes With Gore-tex: Clarks GTX Street Lo
We’re always interested in good double-duty travel shoes that can take you from the streets to the trail to the restaurant. These nice-looking leather shoes from Clarks appear to the naked eye like some regular street shoes you’d wear to the office or the mall, but there’s more to them than that.
The GTX in the name is a clue: these Clarks Street Lo shoes have a Gore-tex membrane inside, so they’ll work fine with khakis at a restaurant, but they’ll also keep your feet dry when you get caught in the rain. That makes them a great pair of shoes to wear in the airport on the way and then use as your main pair when you’re heading to, say, anywhere between Portland and Vancouver.
I wasn’t sold on the idea of Gore-tex with solid leather—no venting—so I talked to someone at Gore to get more details. Leather is naturally permeable since it’s skin like ours. The problem comes when it’s subjected to lots of processing in the tanning and coating process. Those patent leather shoes or ones treated with wax waterproofing are going to trap all the moisture inside. So Gore works with the shoe companies in recommending certain types of leather that still let moisture escape after it passes through the Gore-tex membrane. Then each type of shoe is tested extensively in their lab to make sure your feet won’t get sweaty. (See 8 things you should know about Gore-tex.)
Granted, leather is not going to breathe as well as synthetic fabric in a trail runner or ski jacket, but hopefully you’re not using these Clarks shoes for that kind of strenuous activity. For normal walking and hanging out, these should keep your feet dry from the outside and inside.
The thick rubber sole is great for pavement pounding and should hold up to years of heavy use. I often pull out the cheap insoles supplied with many shoes and put in my own orthodics, but the “Active Air” ones included with these Clarks are keepers. They’re thicker than most, with several layers of construction, and have a little airpod system that pushes air up and onto your foot as you walk. I couldn’t feel it, but the idea is that this helps the air circulate.
These shoes list for around $150, despite being made in China, but part of that premium is the Gore-tex and part of it is the quality materials and real stitching—-not glue. The padding around the ankle and tongue are good and there’s one big bonus factor for those with larger feet who normally have problems with Gore-tex booties making the fit too narrow: these come in a wide version too. They’re on the heavy side and feel very substantial, so wear these as you travel and pack the wispier shoes in your bag.
Get the Clarks GTX Street Lo at Endless.com or PlanetShoes.
See other reviews of travel shoes and items with Gore-tex from our archives.
Posted by Tim L. in Business Gear, General Gear on November 17th, 2011
Rockport Zenacity Unique Waterproof Shoes
When the walking shoe company Rockport sent me a pair of their bold-looking Zenacity shoes and told me they were Gore-tex waterproof, I don’t think they expected me to drag them through the mud and muck for four hours. But hey, that’s how we roll here at Practical Travel Gear.
So the photo above is how they looked through most of the hike through the jungle in Chiapas, where days of solid rain had turned the trail into a big mess and the streams were lapping over the footbridges. (Below you can see a picture of what these fine shoes look like when not subjected so heavily to the elements.)
Until the water got too high at one point and sloshed inside, these lightweight Zenacity shoes were performing great. My socks stayed dry the whole time and my feet stayed cool. These being Rockports, they were quite comfortable for all-day wear. We review a lot of travel shoes here, but I haven’t seen any that look quite like these and I enjoyed wearing something around that stood out in a sea of sneakers and hiking boots from the others in my group.
The usual Gore-tex properties apply here: waterproof on the outside, but sweat molecules can escape from the inside. Adidas is also in the mix on these, with their technology built into the cushioning. They were using an old typewriter with a sticky caps lock button apparently to come up with adiPRENE, geoFIT, and truWALK names to brand the various contributions. It’s basically shock absorption, cushioning around the edge, and full-range motion enabling in your stride. Silly names aside, these are very comfortable shoes straight out of the box. No wide size though—only regular—but they’re not very narrow.
Like Superman faced with kryptonite though, these shoes lost their powers when they got wet inside. The inserts fell apart and both they and the shoes themselves literally took days to dry in humid San Cristobal de las Casas. They were fine after drying and I was going to stick my own orthodics in to replace the inserts anyway eventually, so no biggie. But just be advised: these are meant more for a stroll down sidewalks in the rain than they are for rough conditions. I should have known that: they’re too pretty for the jungle.
If you use them in normal travel conditions instead of extreme ones, these should be great shoes for the long haul. If they hadn’t gotten wet inside, all would have been fine and I plan to keep using them on trips where the walks will be more sedate. They come in three colors and all of them look good. There are also two modifications of this Zenacity design, but I like this “molded” one the best.
The Rockport Zenacity molded shoes with Gore-tex don’t come cheap. They list for $160 and for now anyway, they’re not discounted anywhere that I can see. You can find them in department stores like Dillard’s and on the Rockport site, but follow this link to search Rockport Zenacity prices online
See more travel shoes reviews from this gear blog.
Posted by Tim L. in General Gear, Travel Light on October 27th, 2011
Teva Churn: An All-Purpose Sport/Travel Shoe
Earlier this season I went on a hunt for the lightest possible all terrain shoe. I wanted something that I could walk in all day but I didn’t want the weight of hikers. I wanted something well ventilated for hot weather. I wasn’t planning on wet feet, but should that happen, I wanted shoes that would dry quickly or at least not hold water. Lots of research and many web clicks later, I landed on the Teva Churn, a shoe that met all my requirements.
The shoes have a mesh upper that doesn’t hold water — or sweat, for that matter — and is great for hot days. The shoelaces have a quick release shock corded closure, so they’re easy to get in and out of. The heel cup is designed to collapse so you can wear the shoe as a slide; that’s handy for airports and shuffling around your campsite. They’re super light weight, they won’t add a load to your luggage if you’re packing them as a second pair of shoes. I picked up a pair for travel but found I was wearing them at home, too, for running errands, for walking to the beach near my house, for just about anything where I could get away with wearing sneakers.
They’re not designed for super rugged terrain, so I wouldn’t substitute them for a shoe with a heavy Vibram sole if I needed something for camping, but for general city walking, or parks, or very light hiking, they’re perfect, especially if you’re doing those activities on a warm day. I’m not a runner, so I can’t comment on their suitability for that sport, but I’d recommend trying them out first before committing to them as the running shoe you take on your trip. Because they dry quickly, they’re great for creek hopping and tide-pooling and walking on the sand when the surf is a little unpredictable. I’ve found them very comfortable and kind to my feet; they needed no breaking in.
Teva’s Churn shoes come in four colors and yes, there’s a men’s model too. The Churn is a versatile, all purpose shoe that travels light and dry. It works well for light sport and long walks, and it’s comfortable after hours of wear. While it won’t replace the sturdier shoes I wear for longer hikes or outdoor activities, it’s nearly perfect for that lazy beach vacation, car camping or spa trip, or as the shoes you where when your navigating the TSA, your flight gate and everything in between.
The Churn is $80 for men or women if you buy directly from Teva. Prices on Amazon came in quite a bit lower, you may see them for as low as $40. If you’re interested in something sturdier, check out Tim’s review of the Tahoe from Ecco or Kara’s on the Teva Dalea eVent or GoLite Trail Lite.
Posted by Pam in General Gear, Travel Light on October 21st, 2011
Fun and Funky Cushe Surf-slipper Loafer
Yeah, I know, it’s getting cold already where some of you poor souls live, but for those who live in warm climates or will be heading to a warm place on vacation, these lightweight Surf-slipper Loafers from Cushe are definitely worth packing or using daily.
Cushe Footwear is known for its fashionable European designs that eschew the clunky impression of many U.S. sneaker brands. They stand out and and present a fun look that won’t get disapproving looks from that Italian couple hosting you on Couchsurfing. Many of their styles are cool enough to wear to a velvet-rope club, but comfortable enough for a day of sightseeing.
These Surf Slipper loafers are no exception. One of my fashion tests is if my shoe-obsessed mother-in-law notices what I’m wearing and the first time she saw these she exclaimed, “Oooo, those are nice!” The wife likes them too, which isn’t always the case. (My beloved Reef Fanning flip-flops with the built-in bottle opener don’t seem to have the same appeal with her as they do with me.)
For me the curb appeal is a bonus because these are super comfortable travel shoes that can be slipped on and off in a hurry. They’re in the shape of a foot, first of all, which helps a lot. No pinching together of the toes to make them come to an unnatural point in the front. There’s a little elastic at the back of the leather upper and on each side of the tongue to enable them to go on easily and keep from rubbing the heel. They’re soft inside and have a contoured EVA midsole. They work with or without socks. The rubber outsole extends around the bottom a bit and has extra rubber pads where your foot needs them the most, creating a design on the bottom—a nice touch.
When I say these are lightweight, I mean really lightweight. They’re as wispy as those running shoes meant to simulate jogging barefoot, but still managing to provide good support. When I put one of these shoes on my postage scale to test the weight, it came in at seven ounces. So the pair will add less than a pound to your luggage total.
The Cushe Surf-slipper Loafer leather version comes in three colors, basically tan,brown, and black. There’s also a canvas version and a felt version for a bit less that looks like it would work well for apres-ski around the fireplace.
These list for $80 and prices vary quite a bit from place to place depending on style and stock level. So check prices at Amazon, or Altrec.
Follow any of the links in this review and you can find various women’s versions too, some with much less muted looks—bright plaids anyone?
Related reviews:
Posted by Tim L. in General Gear, Travel Light on October 13th, 2011
Dress shoes? Walking shoes? I’ll take both please.
If there’s one thing I hate to pack on a trip it’s dress shoes that look good but leave my feet aching. Fortunately, since my job is mostly travel writing and editing, that doesn’t happen too often—I don’t have to cover fashion-obsessed Italy thankfully—but occasionally I have to look presentable for a business meeting or conference.
Rockport has its sights set on people like me with its ultra-comfortable and supportive DresSports line. You can look good in these without packing Advil for a day of walking on hard surfaces. In true double-duty gear fashion, these are comfy enough to wear after the workday is done.
The company Rockport has always branded itself as the place to go for good walking shoes and that’s been at their core since 1971, even as they’ve branched out in the number of styles on offer. These dress ones come in 11 different looks, with the one I’ve been trying out—the DresSport 2 Arratoon in suede—pictured at the top. The photo below is a conventional Truwalk Wingtip and you can also get loafers, captoes, or boots.
Apart from the thicker rubber sole, these look like regular dress shoes, with full grain leather uppers. But they have a polyurethene midsole, padded collar, and shock-absorbent cushioning. And here’s something you don’t usually see in a dress shoe: an advanced footbed designed by Adidas. These are surprisingly lightweight as well, so they won’t affect your weight restriction on, say, budget European airlines.
So how well did all this translate into comfort? Well, after taking these on a recent business trip through airports and a trade show floor in California, I had one more day of activity left on the schedule: Disneyland. I had three pairs of shoes to pick from in what I had packed, but I hit the theme park in these Rockports. I knew they were the shoes my feet would appreciate the most after a day of pounding the pavement and waiting in lines. (Note to travelers though: going to Disneyland on a September school day is pretty sweet. On some rides we waited less than five minutes.)
I can’t think of another pair of dress shoes I’ve ever owned that also would make the cut for a day of sidewalks and standing. That’s nothing though; a VP of the company, Tony Post, ran the New York Marathon in a pair of Rockport dress shoes to show off their durability and support. These come in two widths too, so if your feet don’t squeeze into the standard size very well, you can opt for the wider ones.
These DresSports shoes are great for business travelers who are on the move a lot or for those who have to mix time manning a trade show booth with bouts of sightseeing when the work is done. They’re not the cheapest shoes around, at a list price of $120 to $135, but they’re purchased by a lot of people who can afford any shoes they want: like the last two U.S. presidents before Obama.
See the whole DresSports line at the Rockport site or check prices online for Rockport DresSports at Endless.com.
See the full line of Rockport shoes for men and women.
Posted by Tim L. in Business Gear, Travel Light on September 28th, 2011
