I'm looking for something that is both sturdy and compact. Trainers are fine for walking etc. but too bulky to fit into my Giant Loop with the other minimal stuff that I carry, Euro size 48 feet doesn't help either! Sandals or flip flops are fine if not needing to walk too far and the weather is OK.

Ideally these shoes would have a grippy, durable sole with a soft upper that can be folded flat against the sole allowing them to be slid into small gaps between other items.

Crocs fit the bill for me; they are not perfect - certainly not flat in the way you describe - but they do dry out quickly after they get wet (e.g. in the early morning dew on the grass) and the soles are fairly grippy. They are not for longer distance walking of course.
Being made totally of rubber, you can even strap them on to the outside of luggage, in extremis.

I can step straight out of the shower and move on to breakfast, without a change of footwear = versatility.

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Dave

I use Merrell sandal. Not exactly fold flat due to the chunky soles, but as good as Crocs in that respect and, I find, better on rugged ground.

Converse (or Converse style) fold flat onto the sole and do the job. Crocs are surprisingly bulky and as I can testify have zero grip when the soles are wet. I still have the bruised backside from some impromptu stair surfing at the HUBBUK having taken a shower.

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I'm also interested in this as my pair of sandals are near to worn out.
I'm looking for something that you can put on after a day's ride and air the toes.

The leather sandals have been great, especially on hot days in the south of Europe, when you are on foot in the villages as they appear presentable.

And like 'Walkabout' says, in regard to heading to the shower block, there's nothing more awkward than having to put on socks and boots right after a shower.

I was thinking of flip-flops, but after reading this I might need to consider other options.
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Paul

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Thanks for the replies.

Anyone tried these: Timberland's Folding Shoes Zip Up Tight | Gadget Lab | Wired.com

Those Timberland's are intriguing....but do they really save space or weight compared to the alternatives? Maybe compared to Crocs or trail runners, but as far as I can tell the only reason they get small is because there's no substance to them: thin soles, thin uppers, flexy throughout.

Willing to be corrected, of course, by the first person who sinks $65 into a pair.

Mark

Yep, they are the equivalent of slick tyres when wet, but so were the soles on my Merrill/Merrell walking boots that I purchased over 20 years ago; I never did try them out in the shower.
The only things that are more slippery are Chinese tyres.

And, certainly Crocs are as bulky as many other forms of footwear, but they are very light weight.
For packing inside luggage, I tend to just stuff other items inside them rather than trying to fold them; basically that is one of the "oldest in the world" packing tips that my grandma used to teach. Crocs are very handy for holding a can of chain spray and a tool roll.

My level of interest reduced after about 30 seconds of reading.
Empanada "styled" shoes but only when folded up does sound like a marketing gimmick, as does the zip system; I would tend to use cut up strips of old inner tubes for the folding action, or even simply squash them flat; put them into a sleeping bag sac with compression straps?

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Dave

If your after a sandal I like the look of the Keens clear water model which has a thinner sole than a lot of the adventure type sandals. I tried a pair on the other day. Super comfy and will slide into spaces nicely in your giant loop.

Surf shop's sell cotton type soft shoes with thin rubber soles. They fold up nice and they are comfortable but not meant for serious walking or adventure type activities.

Crocs are chunky, ugly and will immediately rule out any stylish woman sleeping with you if she sees you in them :-)

I looked at the timberlands. More a casual yachting type shoe to be worn at the bar after a sail around the bay.

I would go for a minimalist type shoe like the VIVO's below.
Minimalist shoes are now the most popular type of shoe used in Functional Athletic training (like crossfit) and also running. The idea is they allow your foot to do what it should do naturally, while barefoot. The toes spread, no compression on top of the foot, (the last thing you need with blood pooling in your feet after a long days riding) and your foot bones can move and articulate instead of being encased in a shoe.

I have 3 pairs of VIVO's. The model pictured are trail shoes with awesome grip, super comfortable to walk in for long distances and fold or roll up. You can get all types and even ones that look more like a cool trainer rather than the multi purpose ones below.
Unless you need orthotics you will not be sacrificing comfort or stability.

Contrary to Markharfs view a "substantial shoe" is not necessarily better for your feet and will not meet your criteria which is that they are low profile to fit in your bag
You still get some arch support with these.
Bought these on special for about $75.
I have a lot of training shoes and these are the most versatile and comfortable shoes I have. Also because there is no compression over the forefoot air circulates nicely so they are still great in tropical weather. They are designed to be worn without socks(they don't get sweaty either) but of course if its cold you can wear them as well.

Most shoes that fold or roll up are not really suitable for any trail walking or adventure activities so these are far more versatile and dress up a little more than sandals IMHO.

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I use Keen Kanyon's. Lashed outside the luggage on the bike and readily available. The toecap was the thing I wanted. First pair lasted 6 years of abuse.

KEEN Footwear - Mobile

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Nostradamus Ate My Hamster

Look up Tevas
Walk in them, swim in them!
Perfect airing :0)

+1 for Teva sandals.

Sent from my GT-I9100G

I have a pair.
They are good for around the camp site.
But being foldable, they have little arch support and are thin soled.
So, I wouldn't want to do much serious walking in them.
Maybe if you also carried a set if insoles to stick in.... Hmm maybe I will try that camping this weekend.

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Japan touring information

Most of the teva's have a thick, chunky sole except for the new model which has a much thinner sole and would take up much less space.
The keens give a bit more protection to the top of the foot than the majority of the Teva models.
Also they look a bit dressier if you need to wear them out.

But had a pair of Tevas and they lasted for years.

Redboots wrote:

Quote:

I use Keen Kanyon's. Lashed outside the luggage on the bike and readily available. The toecap was the thing I wanted. First pair lasted 6 years of abuse.

I looked on the site and yes, they do look like exactly what I wish for.
Just need to find a store when I get to France in some weeks.

It's so good to be able to take off your day boots and put on some comfy airy foot ware while pitching le tent avec une glass of wine.
Thanks for posting this little red riding boots
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Paul

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