The Magical All-Purpose Backpacker's Shoe

Does this perfect shoe exist? You can find a lot of discussion on what shoes to bring travelling. A Google search with lead you to these if you wish to investigate, however, I did not find any to be particularly helpful. Firstly, consider what conditions you will encounter on your travels.

• The bitter cold: Winter trips or up in high altitudes.
• Lots of walking: What else do backpackers do besides drink? Walk through urban settings and some like to do a bit of hiking.
• Mud and water: Jungle trips, river visits or adventure sports like rafting.
• Casual urban: Strolls, sightseeing and hanging about.
• The beach: Sand and water.
• Nights out: Restaurants, clubs, bars and parties.

The Incredible Three Shoe Plan

After deep deliberation, I have come across the perfect shoe combination for nearly all of my needs... theoretically...

1. Hybrid Water Sport Trail Running Shoes

At first, these shoes look like normal sneakers, but they have particular features that make them more advantageous to the backpacker than regular running shoes:

• as well as support for your foot and adequate cushioning (note that if you are carrying a heavy backpack on hikes and not just from bus to hostel, these will not give you enough support!), they are lightweight, making them great for walking long distances
• specialized grippy soles for slippery rocks and light trekking
• drain holes, removable mid-soles and dry-quick fabrics, so you can walk through a stream, go rafting or walk in mud and wash them out
• good ventilation, so suit warm weather or intense trail runs
• inconspicuous; they look like normal sneakers, so you don't stand out as a tourist in sport sandals or hiking boots as much

2. Havaianas

Havaianas are almost indispensable. There's more to them than just a rubber flip flop:

• perfect at the beach
• complete ventilation
• good for wearing in dodgy hostel showers
• waterproof
• easy to clean
• packs flat

Disadvantages and limitation: not for walking through streams, mud, rock-hopping or rafting because they are not stable, grippy or enclosed, and they can fall off or get pulled off by the mud.

3. Ballet Flats

High heels for nights out are a nightmare to pack. Ballet flats however, are cute and dressy enough for a night out, yet can be packed flat. While these shoes don't fit the "everything should have more than one purpose" rule of packing light, smart shoes are a must to bring if you're backpacking for a long time and are expecting to participate in the night life.

A possible alternative is buying a pair of casual flats from an adventure shoe company like Merrell, Teva or Keen. They don't pack as small as some cheap flexible ballet flats, but even the cute ones are made for walking, so you can bring them as your urban walking shoe and wear them out to a party as well. I might mention Crocs here as well since they're popular with some. They're comfortable, waterproof, easy to clean and the black "Alice" Mary Jane could be a passable going out shoe.

Why Not?

Let's look at some other types of shoe that have been suggested around the internet, their features and why I'm not going to bring them:

• Hiking boots: great if you're hiking and visiting very cold places but not for everyone; they're shit to dry if they get wet, make you look like a tourist, are hot in warm weather, and heavy and bulky to carry around.
• Doc Martens: like hiking boots without the hiking performance.
• Sport sandals: these are great for light hikes, getting wet and long walks. Their main disadvantages are that they're not enclosed enough for the bitter cold and they look dorky and touristy. Otherwise, they are probably the best and only shoe you need if you're not going to encounter the cold or dressier occasions.
• Trail Runners: excellent shoes, but why get ordinary trail runners when you could get ones that can take water and dry quick? An excellent alternative combination is trail runners or some other warm enclosed shoe and sports sandals instead of hybrid runners and Havaianas.
• Chuck Taylors and other urban sneakers: Chucks are my shoe of choice but they don't have the advantages of hybrids.
• Crocs: a matter of personal taste, but a perfectly fine alternative to the flip flop; great for beach, river crossings, mud, casual about town. I just think they look dorky and they don't pack as small as flip flops.

So, there's my three-shoe plan. Ballet flats and Havaianas pack really small compared to anything else I might want to bring, and during travel when I wear the heaviest shoe, the hybrids even in the heat shouldn't be a problem.

The bitter cold is an issue, however. A pair of warm boots for the two months they're needed will be in order.