Nothing derails a holiday faster than a blister on day two. The team at Condé Nast Traveller UK has put together an edit of the most comfortable walking shoes for travel, with every pair tested by an editor on at least one real trip. The brief was simple: shoes that handle 20,000-step days without screaming 'tourist', work with a whole wardrobe, and don't wreck your carry-on weight allowance.
The winners cover every kind of trip. For classic hiking-boot lovers there's the Timberland Euro Hiker for Women, while the Adidas Terrex Voyager 21 takes the crown for lightweight, multi-climate adventure travel. City breakers get two strong options: the Danner Trail Trainer 3 for trips that might turn into spontaneous day hikes, and the New Balance 574 for long days of urban sightseeing and airport slogs. For style-conscious flyers, the Allbirds Wool Cruiser gets the nod for in-flight comfort, and the Hunter Skye Dealer Boots handle country-to-city transitions.
Rougher terrain gets its own section. The Salomon X Ultra 360 Leather Mid Gore-Tex is the pick for mountain trails and wet weather, the Merrell Moab 3 earns praise for dependable all-terrain durability, and the Veja Fitz Roy blends off-road capability with a Gorpcore look that doesn't feel out of place in town. The Vivobarefoot Tracker Forest ESC suits wide feet and fans of natural movement, while the FitFlop Neo-D-Hyker Waterproof Walking Boots bring maximum cushioning and cold-weather warmth, alongside the shearling-lined Danner Mountain Pass Sierra for winter.
Warmer climates and runners are covered too. The Salomon XT Whisper is the editor pick for warm-weather day trips, the Nnormal Kjerag for long-distance trail running, and the Lululemon Beyondfeel Running Shoe doubles as gym footwear on active city breaks.
The testing method matters here. Rather than unboxing shoes and guessing, each editor wore their pair on a genuine trip and judged it on comfort, endurance over long days on foot, and versatility — whether it could shift from a city outing to a 5k run. The wider team applies the same approach to luggage and cabin bags, weighing value, looks and durability.
Why does this matter for travellers? Because packing is zero-sum: most of us can only justify one pair of shoes per trip, so that pair has to do everything — cobblestones, trailheads, airport corridors, dinner reservations. An edit of tested options, sorted by trip type rather than brand hype, is a genuinely useful starting point. If you know your holiday is a city break with a hike bolted on, you can jump straight to the Danner; if it's a winter walking trip, the cushioned, waterproof options lead the list. It also acknowledges the reality that style counts — a technically perfect shoe you'll never wear out to dinner isn't a travel shoe at all.
Story sourced from Condé Nast Traveller UK.