P acking for a trip can be fun and exciting as well as stressful and frustrating. Of course, bringing the right footwear is one of the biggest concerns when it comes to packing for travel. What kind of shoes are you supposed to bring? How many pairs would you need and how do you pack them properly?
Having the right shoes is essential to having an awesome trip. That’s why we’re here to share some tips on how to choose the right shoes for traveling and how to pack them like a pro.
What shoes to bring on your trip
Most frequent travelers swear by the “3 pairs of shoes” rule, which is to pack two pairs of functional and comfortable shoes and one pair that’s a little more formal and dressier. Some travelers would say you can make do with just two pairs for the entire trip. There’s really no strict rule, but it’s safe to say that you’re good to go with two to three pairs and the actual number would depend on how long your trip will be, where you’re going and what you would be doing during that trip.
Now how do you choose which shoes to bring? The key factors to think about here are comfort and versatility. That is, after you have considered the weather and your itinerary. Pack shoes that are appropriate for the weather and won’t kill your feet after a few hours of sightseeing or what not. Also, choose shoes that you can match with different outfits.
Here are a few examples to give you an idea.
- If you’re going on holiday at the beach, pack comfy flats and sandals. Bring a pair that you can use on the sand and a pair you can wear to drinks and dinner. If you’re planning to go trekking or sightseeing inland, swap out a pair of sandals for light sneakers.
- If you’re going somewhere cold, pack warm boots, either ankle boots or mid-calf to knee-high ones.
- If you’re going off to do some trekking or hiking, pack hiking shoes or boots, functional sandals and comfy casual sneakers.
- If your trip involves a mix of the city, countryside and beach, pack nice flats or sandals and cute sneakers that are good for going on light hikes and can still be worn with skirts and casual dresses.
- If you’re going to a specific event like a wedding or a gala, make sure to bring dressy shoes for the event, along with comfy flats or sandals for the downtimes outside of the event.
Our last tip: bring only what you need and always go for comfort. Take care of your feet when traveling!
How To Pack Your Shoes
When you have chosen the shoes you’re bringing on your trip, the next step is to pack them the best way possible.
Decide carefully which pair (or pairs) to put in your luggage and which pair to wear while in transit. Keep your luggage light and save a lot of space by wearing your heaviest shoes to the airport or during your initial travel.
Put folded socks or other small items inside your shoes before packing them. It not only helps keep their shape but it also helps save more space. You can also keep their shape intact by packing your shoes tucked against each other in an interlocking way, with soles out and heels touching the toe of the other. This method also makes it easy to pack around them.
Put your shoes in their own bags. Put them in the dust bags they came with or in shoe bags. This not only protects your other things from dirt - let’s be honest, shoes track so much dirt when we’re wearing them and we don’t want that dirt on our clothes and what not - it also helps keep them secure and prevents them from shifting or moving around inside your bag. For bulky shoes, pack them separately so you can organize them more easily inside your luggage.
If you want added padding or protection for your shoes, wrap them with a piece of light clothing like a scarf or a pair of cotton pants.
Pack your shoes at the bottom of your luggage to serve as the base for all your other stuff. When traveling, it’s best to pack the heaviest pieces at the bottom so that your luggage is easier to carry.
And that’s it. You’re ready to go on your trip! Do you have any packing tips you want to share?
