Walking Shoes

Best Travel Shoes

The best travel shoes are light, packable, and comfortable for a full day of city walking. Six real men's models checked for weight, grip, and fit.

A pair of dark leather shoes in a top-down flat-lay on blue-toned cobblestones.
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The best travel shoes are light enough to pack without eating your carry-on space and comfortable enough to wear from breakfast to a late dinner. Allbirds Tree Runner, Skechers Go Walk 7, Hoka Clifton 10, Merrell Moab 3, Ecco Soft 7, and New Balance 990v6 all fit that brief, each covering a different priority, from minimal weight to maximum arch support.

A travel shoe has a different job than a shoe you'd buy for a normal week at home. It needs to survive a full day of walking on surfaces you don't control, from smooth airport floors to old cobblestone streets, and it needs to do that without taking up a huge chunk of your suitcase or looking out of place at a nice dinner.

Every shoe below is a real, current model, checked against the brand's own specs or hands-on gear reviews of the exact shoe. No guessed names or invented ratings.

Quick answer

For the lightest, most packable option, get the Allbirds Tree Runner or Skechers Go Walk 7. For the best cushion on long walking days, get the Hoka Clifton 10. If your trip includes cobblestones or rougher terrain, step up to the Merrell Moab 3. If you want a shoe that looks sharp at dinner too, get the Ecco Soft 7. If you need wide-width sizing, the New Balance 990v6 covers that better than anything else here.

Allbirds Tree Runner

The Tree Runner's upper is made from a TENCEL Lyocell (tree fiber) blend with recycled polyester, and the midsole uses Allbirds' proprietary sugarcane-based SweetFoam. It's built as a breathable, lightweight everyday sneaker, and the whole shoe is machine washable, with insoles and laces needing a separate hand wash.

Who it suits: travelers who want the lightest possible shoe for a carry-on-only trip and don't need rugged outdoor traction. It's a plain, simple sneaker rather than a technical walking shoe, so it's built for smooth city streets, airports, and museum floors rather than rough cobblestone or unpaved paths. The machine-washable upper is a real practical plus on a multi-week trip where you can't exactly hand-wash a leather shoe in a hotel sink.

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Check current listings for the Allbirds Tree Runner

Skechers Go Walk 7

The Go Walk 7 uses Skechers' Ultra Go cushioning foam paired with Goga Mat technology for a lightweight, high-rebound feel, plus an Air-Cooled Memory Foam insole and a dual-density traction outsole. Many versions use Skechers' hands-free slip-in design, which means no bending down to tie laces after a long day.

Who it suits: guys who want a genuinely comfortable all-day shoe that's fast to get on and off, which matters more than people expect at airport security or slipping shoes off at a small European guesthouse. The slip-in design and lightweight foam make this one of the easiest travel shoes to live in day after day, though the softer foam build isn't meant for aggressive outdoor terrain.

Check current listings for the Skechers Go Walk 7

Hoka Clifton 10

The Clifton 10 weighs 9.80 oz per shoe, light for how much cushion it packs in, with Durabrasion rubber placed at high-wear zones on the outsole rather than as a full slab, which keeps weight down while still holding up to regular street wear. It runs as a normal sneaker silhouette, so it doesn't stand out as a technical shoe.

Who it suits: travelers whose days are heavy on walking, whether that's a big city itinerary or long museum wings, and who want more cushion underfoot than a minimalist shoe like the Tree Runner or Go Walk 7 offers, without stepping up to a full hiking shoe. It's one of the better balances on this list between low weight and genuine all-day comfort for people covering serious mileage.

Check current listings for the Hoka Clifton 10

Merrell Moab 3

The Moab 3 runs a Vibram TC5+ outsole with 5mm lugs, a compound formulated exclusively for Merrell, built for grip on loose and uneven ground. A waterproof version is available, and Merrell offers wide-width sizing for a roomier toe box. Half-pair weight lands around 1lb (480g), heavier than the other picks here but standard for an outdoor-style shoe.

Who it suits: travelers whose trip mixes smooth city walking with cobblestone old towns, castle grounds, or countryside day trips where the ground isn't paved at all. It's the bulkiest, heaviest shoe on this list, so it's not the pick for someone optimizing purely for pack weight, but if your itinerary includes real rough terrain, none of the lighter picks here will grip as well.

Check current listings for the Merrell Moab 3

Ecco Soft 7

The Soft 7 is a leather sneaker with a soft leather upper, an anatomical footbed, and a dimpled PU and TPU outsole. Its low-profile, clean design pairs well with jeans or tailored trousers, which makes it the most dress-versatile shoe on this list.

Who it suits: travelers who want a single shoe that works for sightseeing during the day and a nicer dinner at night, without carrying a separate pair of dress shoes. It won't out-grip a Vibram-soled hiking shoe on rough cobblestone, but for a trip that's mostly smooth streets and indoor sites, its combination of comfort and looks makes it one of the more versatile packing choices here.

Check current listings for the Ecco Soft 7

New Balance 990v6

The 990v6 is made in the USA and comes in six width options for men, from extra-narrow (2A) through extra-wide (6E). Weight runs around 13.2 oz per shoe, heavier than most travel-focused sneakers, reflecting its structured build.

Who it suits: travelers with wide feet or feet that swell noticeably after a long day of walking, which is common on multi-city trips with heavy mileage. Few shoes marketed for travel offer this much width range, so if you've struggled with standard-width shoes pinching by evening, this is worth the extra weight in your bag.

Check current listings for the New Balance 990v6

Breaking in shoes before you fly

Every shoe on this list, even the softest ones like the Allbirds Tree Runner or Skechers Go Walk 7, needs at least a couple of weeks of regular wear before a trip. New shoes fresh out of the box haven't molded to your foot yet, and a full day of walking on cobblestones or marble museum floors is the wrong place to discover a hot spot or a seam that rubs. Wear a new pair around the house, on errands, or on a normal commute for two to three weeks before you leave, and pay attention to any spot that feels tight or rubs after an hour or two. That's the spot that will blister on day three of a trip if you ignore it now.

The Merrell Moab 3, being a stiffer outdoor-style shoe, needs the longest break-in period of the six picks here. The Ecco Soft 7's leather upper will also stretch and soften with wear, so a size that feels snug on day one at the store often fits better after a few weeks, though that's a reason to size carefully rather than a reason to buy tight on purpose.

Seasonal considerations for European walking

Europe's weather shifts more across a trip than a lot of US travelers expect, and shoe choice should shift with it. In spring and fall, a shoe with some water resistance matters more, since rain is common and cobblestones get slick when wet; the Merrell Moab 3's Vibram outsole holds traction better in those conditions than the smoother soles on the Allbirds or Ecco. In summer, breathability matters more than water resistance, and the lighter, more ventilated builds of the Skechers Go Walk 7 and Allbirds Tree Runner hold up better over a hot, humid walking day than the more structured Moab 3 or 990v6. In winter, none of the six picks here are built as true cold-weather boots, so if your trip includes genuinely cold, wet conditions, plan for a separate winter-specific shoe rather than stretching one of these picks past what it's built for.

What actually makes a shoe good for travel

Weight and packed bulk matter more for a travel shoe than for a shoe you'd only wear around home, since it has to survive a flight, fit in a bag, and hold up over days or weeks without a break. Of the picks here, the Allbirds Tree Runner and Skechers Go Walk 7 pack the smallest and lightest, while the Merrell Moab 3 and New Balance 990v6 take up the most space and add the most weight to a carry-on.

Versatility is the second factor. A shoe that only works for hard outdoor walking, or only works for a dressier dinner setting, means you might need to pack a second pair. The Ecco Soft 7 and Hoka Clifton 10 both lean toward doing double duty across sightseeing and evening wear better than a dedicated hiking shoe would.

Surface matters too. If your trip is mostly modern city streets, airports, and indoor sites, a lighter shoe like the Tree Runner or Go Walk 7 will serve you fine. If you know you're walking cobblestone old towns or unpaved paths, the traction on the Merrell Moab 3 earns its extra weight.

Packing for carry-on limits

If you're traveling carry-on only, shoe weight and volume add up fast, since shoes are some of the bulkiest single items in a bag. A common approach is packing one lighter everyday shoe, like the Tree Runner, Go Walk 7, or Clifton 10, and wearing a second, bulkier pair like the Moab 3 on the plane if your itinerary needs it, rather than packing both. Packing cubes can help compress the rest of your clothing to make room, though shoes themselves generally shouldn't go inside a cube since they can damage soft fabric items packed against them.

Fit and sizing notes

Feet swell over a long travel day, particularly on flights and during multi-hour walking days, so it's worth trying shoes on in the afternoon rather than first thing in the morning if you can, or sizing slightly up if buying without trying them on. For width, the New Balance 990v6 offers by far the widest range of any shoe on this list, while the Ecco Soft 7 and Allbirds Tree Runner run closer to a standard, narrower fit.

Frequently asked questions

What's the single lightest travel shoe on this list? The Allbirds Tree Runner and Skechers Go Walk 7 are both built to be as light as possible while still holding up to daily wear, ahead of the cushioned Hoka Clifton 10 and well ahead of the heavier Merrell Moab 3 and New Balance 990v6.

Do I need a separate pair of shoes for dressier evenings? Not necessarily. The Ecco Soft 7 is built to look reasonable with both casual and slightly dressed-up outfits, so many travelers get by with it as a single all-purpose shoe rather than packing a second dress shoe.

Are these shoes good for cobblestone streets specifically? Some more than others. For traction built specifically around European cobblestones, see good men's shoes for walking, which covers Vibram-soled options in more detail.

How many pairs of shoes should I actually pack for a trip? Most people do fine with two: one all-purpose walking shoe from this list, and a backup pair for either rougher terrain or a specific dress occasion, depending on your itinerary.

Warranty and durability

Most of the six brands here stand behind their shoes for a limited period against manufacturing defects rather than a lifetime program, which is standard for footwear rather than a red flag. New Balance and Merrell both offer a one-year limited warranty covering material and workmanship defects, like sole separation or a stitching failure, but not wear from normal walking or running. Allbirds instead uses a 30-day trial return window on all footwear, letting you return shoes even if they've been worn, muddy, or broken in, which functions less like a defect warranty and more like a low-risk way to try a new pair before committing. None of these cover normal sole wear from months of daily walking, which is expected wear rather than a defect. If you're buying shoes specifically for one long trip, that's less of a factor than it would be for a shoe you plan to wear daily for years.

How these six compare on packed size

Shoes take up more suitcase space than almost anything else you pack, so packed bulk matters as much as weight for a carry-on-only trip. The Allbirds Tree Runner and Skechers Go Walk 7 pack the smallest of the six, thanks to their soft, low-profile builds. The Ecco Soft 7 and Hoka Clifton 10 take up a bit more room but still compress reasonably in a packing cube or shoe bag. The Merrell Moab 3 and New Balance 990v6 are the bulkiest two, both because of thicker midsoles and more structured uppers, and both are better candidates for wearing on the plane than for packing away entirely.

Caring for travel shoes mid-trip

A shoe that's carrying you through weeks of walking benefits from a little maintenance along the way, not just at the end of the trip. Letting shoes air out overnight rather than packing them straight into a bag while still damp from a rainy day helps prevent odor buildup, which matters more on a multi-week trip than a weekend one. The Allbirds Tree Runner's machine-washable upper is a real advantage here, since you can do a quick wash mid-trip at a laundromat if needed, something you can't do with the Ecco Soft 7's leather upper or the Merrell Moab 3's technical build. For those two, a damp cloth wipe-down and thorough air-drying is the safer option on the road.

A note on sizing across brands

Shoe sizing isn't consistent across these six brands, and that matters more when you can't try a pair on before a trip. Allbirds runs true to size for most wearers, based on its own sizing guidance, while the Hoka Clifton line has historically run narrow through the midfoot and toe box, with reviewers noting the Clifton 10 widened its toe box compared to the previous Clifton 9 but still fits snugly for wide feet, which is part of why checking a size chart before ordering matters more than defaulting to your usual number. The New Balance 990v6's six width options sidestep this problem entirely for wide or narrow feet, since you're choosing an actual width rather than hoping a standard-width shoe happens to fit. If you're ordering any of these six without trying them on first, order early enough that a size exchange doesn't cut into your last days before departure.

Feet also aren't perfectly symmetrical for most people, with one foot commonly slightly longer or wider than the other. Fit any shoe to your larger foot, not the average, since a shoe that's snug on your bigger foot will only get more uncomfortable over a long walking day, while a shoe sized to your smaller foot leaves the other one cramped from the first mile. If you're between two sizes on a specific model, sizing up is usually the safer choice for a travel shoe, since feet also swell over the course of a long flight and a long walking day, and a slightly loose shoe is easier to manage on the road than a tight one that only gets tighter by evening.

For a full breakdown of men's walking shoes built around European city terrain, see good men's shoes for walking. For the broader trip-prep hub with the rest of your packing list, see the Europe packing list.

The free Europe Packing Checklist Get it