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Travel Advice - Shoe and foot care
during travel
General Advice
While on vacation, you will walk and wander
continuously. Our recommendation is to favor shoe comfort over style. Do
not take new shoes on a trip. Instead, take shoes that you have
"broken-in". Make sure that the shoes that you take on vacation are
designed for walking: give special consideration to the types of
activities that you have planned for your vacation.
Shoes - how many pairs to
take?
Shoes are a packing problem, especially for men, since the size of most
men’s shoes seems to require half of the space in a suitcase (of course
I'm not bragging).
- We recommend taking two pairs of comfortable
walking shoes on any vacation.
- In general, it takes 24 hours of natural drying
for the air to wick the moisture out of a shoe that has been worn during
a normal tourist’s day of wandering and walking. Consequently, your feet
will be more comfortable if you have at least two pairs of shoes to
rotate between wearing.
- If you do not care about comfortable feet and do
not mind the aroma of “toe jam”, take only one pair of shoes.
- However, be prepared to have your traveling
companion demand a separate room for your shoes (or, perhaps, for
you).
Shoe Care
Comfortable shoes are shoes that are cared for. Try the following to
make sure your shoes remain comfortable during your trip:
- If your shoes get wet, dry them at least
twenty-four hours before wearing them.
- Never dry shoes near heat sources (radiators,
heat vents, etc.), as it can damage the shoe.
- Stuffing newspaper in drying shoes can decrease
drying time and help retain shoe shape.
- Clean shoes breathe more freely and keep
your feet more comfortable) than dirty ones. While on the
road, use a paper towel to clean your shoes.
Foot care
Those “feeties” need consideration while you travel. Follow these tips:
During Vacations, wear shoes designed for the
activities that will be the core of your vacation. If you are going to
do a lot of walking, take along a sturdy shoe designed for comfort
during walking. If you wear orthotics in you shoes, make sure that the
shoes that you take on vacation are ones that work well with your
orthotics. - Make sure the shoes fit comfortably (i.e. they do
not pinch your toes or any part of your foot and provide good support
and cushioning).
- Cushioning problems can sometimes be solved by
adding a pad to the inside of the shoe (some pads are treated with
odor resistant materials, if this would benefit you or your
companions).
- The thickness or fit of the pad may influence
the fit of the shoe and should be “tested” before heading out on
vacation.
- Do not wear socks more than one day without
washing and thoroughly drying them before the next wearing.
- Socks that wick moisture away from the feet are
your best bet. Socks with high cotton content meet this requirement.
- Make sure to examine your feet when washing. Dry
feet thoroughly and take any other appropriate action.
- Take care of blisters and other foot irritations
the same way you would at home.
- Do not ignore foot problems on the road, as the
amount of walking during your vacation will surely complicate the
problem. Band-aids and foot care products are available at stores
worldwide.
Finally, to toughen you up a little, we recommend that you
exercise your walking skills before you leave on your vacation
(Vacationing means
walking).
If you need to find information about Destinations or other Things
Travelers Need To Know, try Googling ThereArePlaces.
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