[Travel Shoe Dilemma] How many pairs should you bring? Real-life travel shoe habits and recommendations from a travel-loving woman in her late 40s

Since many people are likely starting to plan their summer trips, this time I'd like to talk about travel and shoes.

If you were going on a trip, how many pairs of shoes would you bring?

Ever since I passed 40, I only bring the pair I'm wearing, or at most, one extra pair.

Shoes that won't tire you out even after walking all day (sneakers or sports sandals) are essential.
Basically, I go everywhere with just one pair of sneakers, but at most, I bring two. Depending on the season, destination, and purpose of the trip, I might add a pair of sandals or formal flats. I've decided not to bring a third pair because it just adds bulk to my luggage.

Basically, bring a maximum of two pairs of shoes for travel.

This is just my personal experience as someone who loves Southeast Asia, but I'd like to share my realistic travel shoe habits that have become standard depending on the trip duration and destination.

There are a few patterns depending on the destination and the purpose of the trip.

Pattern 1: The absolute basic! Sneakers that can easily handle 10,000 steps.

The basic choice is sneakers that won't cause damage even if you walk all day. For trips up to 3 days and 2 nights, one pair of sneakers is enough.

My favorite for the past few years is this! The Nike Waffle.

Thanks to the perfect amount of hold and the cushioning in the soles, I'm fine no matter how much I walk. The design is simple, so it's a style I don't feel embarrassed wearing even as I approach 50.
It was under 10,000 yen when I bought it, but maybe the price went up? What's going on?

I wore them out, and this is the second pair I got last year.

The first pair I bought was white and navy, and the second is ivory and gold. The deciding factor for both was that they are colors that match any outfit. I even wear them to work.

Pattern 2: If the goal is marine sports, sports sandals that are fine to get soaking wet!

If the trip is mainly for marine sports or staying at a pool, I might just go with sports sandals instead of sneakers. I also do this when visiting Southeast Asia during the rainy season.

These Teva sandals are what got me hooked on sports sandals.

The straps are elastic, so they won't come off in the ocean or river. Plus, they are light and the soles are soft, so I don't get tired at all. I can even go to Disneyland in these.
This design, which is all black with gold accents, doesn't look out of place at hotel restaurants or slightly more formal restaurants in tropical resorts.
However, since they are elastic, you have to stretch them with your hands to put them on, which is a negative point because it's a hassle to take them on and off.

I wore these out too, so I bought this second pair. It uses a Velcro system.

The nude beige color and thin straps give a delicate impression, so I don't think they look disappointing even on someone in their late 40s (or so I hope...).
Anyway, they are light, they don't fall off, and they are versatile. I can't live without Teva anymore. (Wait, what?)

Pattern 3: For trips of 4 days or longer, use a combination of sneakers + one extra pair.

For trips of 4 days and 3 nights or longer, I sometimes alternate between sneakers and one extra pair.
I wear sneakers for sightseeing, and I bring stylish flat shoes or sandals for when I go to slightly more formal restaurants.

Doesn't this just scream 'vacation'💕?
I bought these a few years ago. They're stylish, but the soles are completely flat, so I can't walk in them for long.
So, I keep them stored away for special occasions.

When traveling to urban areas where walking around town is the main activity, I bring flat shoes instead of sandals.

Since I suffer from lower back pain and can no longer wear heels, I opt for dressy flat shoes.

I often choose to bring black or monochrome patterned ones (like python print) because they go with any outfit, but I decide which ones to bring based on my mood at the time.
They come in handy for hotel dining, slightly more formal restaurants, and browsing department stores.

Bonus: Sandals for the plane and past failures

If I'm leaving for a trip in the summer, I sometimes wear sandals from home onto the plane and use them instead of the slippers I would otherwise pack. It reduces the amount of luggage I have to carry on board.

Sandals that you can slip on without using your hands are also great as a substitute for hotel room slippers.

Speaking of flip-flops, these are the ones! Havaianas. They're cheap and compact.

Havaianas are so thin that I used to pack them as a forbidden third pair because they don't take up much space when shoved into a corner of my suitcase, but because they are so compact, the soles are thin and they make my feet tired if I walk for a long time, so I stopped doing that.

When it comes to choosing shoes for travel, I bring at most two pairs from a selection of three types! What do you all do?

Since I got married and started a family, the pattern of shoes I bring on trips has mostly been one of these. It hasn't changed at all.

It's either one pair from the three types—sneakers, sports sandals, or dressy flat shoes—or a combination of two pairs.

In my 20s, I would strut around the streets of Paris in 10-centimeter heel boots, but Yuko is almost 50 now, and if I did something that reckless, my slipped disc would flare up again...

As I wrote at the beginning, I don't bring a third pair.
The reason I limit myself to two pairs is just a mysterious personal preference to carry as little luggage as possible.

What do you all do?

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