When packing for a trip, I frequently second-guess my shoe choices. I don’t have that problem when I’m packing for an activity-intensive trip, like hiking or boating or biking. But when it comes to leisure trips, it’s usually my choice of sneakers that have me going back to my closet again and again until I finally decide.
It’s not that I don’t have a good collection of sneakers. I likely have too many. Do I want the pair with a lot of cushion, or the pair that packs small? Perhaps the leather pair, or maybe the lightweight canvas? I think you see my challenge.
On a recent trip to Europe in which I knew I was going to be on my feet a lot, I chose to bring my pair of OluKai Kohu Women’s Canvas Sneakers. At first glance, they resemble the type of Keds sneakers that I wore through high school and college (multiple pairs, of course), often removing the laces for their slip-on-simplicity. An old-school profile, but with comfort, was exactly what I wanted.
Made with lightweight canvas, the Kohu shoes are extremely breathable, which was something I appreciated while walking countless miles in European cities during the hot July weather. The shoes also have an ultra-soft microfiber lining, which made them just as comfortable to wear with or without socks.
The sneakers have OluKai’s special Wet Grip Rubber sole, which keeps you from slipping on wet sidewalks, smooth cobblestones, or anything else that might challenge your surefootedness. And, like all OluKai shoes, the footbeds are inspired by the sensation of bare feet walking on wet sand, and provide immediate comfort and sustained support. Whether I was climbing stairs, walking through city streets, or zipping through the airport to catch my connection, my Kohu shoes were always comfortable.
I will forever sing the praises of OluKai shoes that incorporate the brand’s signature Drop-In Heel, that lets you treat the shoe as a sneaker or slide. Ideal for getting through airport security lines where you have to remove your shoes, or even using when you need a shoe for walking down the hotel hallway to get some ice, it keeps you from destroying your shoe’s heel and allows you to get your shoes on and off quickly.
The Kohu canvas sneakers come in a handful of colors: off white (pictured), puka, lehua flower, mist grey, Navy, and white sand/lei. They list for $100 on the OluKai site.