As someone who tries light travel, packing shoes has always been a challenge for me. Chunky heels can complete the night look, but they are too heavy to be friendly to carry. Slim sandals may have the smallest footprint, but they often lack the necessary support for sightseeing (unless they are walking sandals). So for this latest trip, I chose my Pons Avarcas, which seemed to be the ultimate solution to my shoe struggle, because they were compact And Comfortable.
I was satisfied to find the shoes took up minimal space. The soft leather tops were folded under the soles of the shoes, so they easily fitted into my clothes. When I reached my destination and took the sandals out of my suitcase, the upper parts were back in perfect form and I was ready to go with every outfit I brought with me.
The classic, uncomfortable look of lightweight leather shoes (I have them light brown) is nicely paired with sundresses, jeans and shorts. I have also traveled in a few different climates and found that they are as suitable for a beach as they are for a mountain town.
And boy, I hold them so well in every place I wear them. With 25,000 steps to navigate Milan’s crowded streets on a hot day, 17,000 steps to dinner on Lake Como and 14,000 steps on the sidewalk next to Sink Ter, these children were extremely comfortable. When some of my traveling companions complained of leg pain, I was ready to continue. All in all, I entered about 116,000 steps in this sandal in two weeks and didn’t even get a vague indication of reading a blister.
Although walking on rough terrain required more supportive sneakers, I found the Pons Avarcas perfect for exploring paved places while still staring together.