Shoe dilemma... what do you take?

Celtic_Queen · Oct 8th, 2003, 23:34

I will be going to India for five months (leaving Nov.4) and I'm still stuck on what I should bring for shoes... I am terribly tempted to bring my sandals as they are relatively light and very sturdy but have my toes exposed doesn't seem like the best idea. Would just ordinary walking shoes be my best bet? Any advice would be brilliant!

vistet · Oct 9th, 2003, 00:13

I`ve used Teva`s which have the advantage of being oversized in front , which gives some protection against banging toes .

You als might want to check the footcare thread

bolebridge · Oct 9th, 2003, 00:32

Two threads going on shoes... this is great.

Like of pair of 501s, Tevas will go on and on. Mine have taken me round the world and on several other trips, including India - and are now in their 6th year. No problems.

steven_ber · Oct 9th, 2003, 00:41

What are these 'Tevas', is there a picture on a website?

vistet · Oct 9th, 2003, 01:22

Below about the same model I´ve used for a couple of years now ( home mountains, Scottish Highlands, Ladakh, Sikkim and a couple of hundred k`s in the hospital corridors) without the layers of black hot glue...
Good grip even in the monsoon (made for river guides originally)
Tolerates machine wash as well.

URL : www.teva.com

wonderwomanusa · Oct 9th, 2003, 04:18

I think I'm taking either Reeboks or deck shoes for the mountains -- more for warmth than for trekking... and most of the time I'll be wearing chappels that I'll get in Delhi, or wherever.

indiamike · Oct 9th, 2003, 04:59

If its what you take...

I don't give it much thought and just bring the shoes that I wear at home. No special shopping or any special shoes.

A pair of Chuck Taylors, a pair of Converse One Star Skate Shoes, pair of Hiking boots, and a pair of flip flops or whatever else is lying around while I am packing (boots are only necessary if your going north into snow).

Personally I like to wear the shoes that I am comfortable with and so far have had no reason to go crazy and get special shoes.

Unless your climbing Everest or something, whatever your comfortable with at home should be fine.
(except for high heels of course---not that I wear those )

maree · Oct 9th, 2003, 07:05

Snap! Last year, I took my favourite pair of red Converse sneakers and a pair of flipflops. I knew I wouldn't be going on any hikes so was extrememly happy to leave my bulky tramping boots behind... all the more room for purchases!

Samsara · Oct 9th, 2003, 08:46

I would take my platform slip ons (with rubbery heels) for the city - they work like medieval pattens, keep your feet above the mire and muck. They are very comfortable and let my feet breathe, and as I'm a short girl, they make me feel taller. Also, people think you must be a lady and not a backpacker if you are wearing high heels with a salwar kameez. I believe this might possibly get me better treatment with more perks. Also, as they are slip ons, they come off and on in a second. I suppose I might save them for evenings though, it seems frivolous to wear platforms in the daytime. I get very sweaty, dirty feet whenever I wear footwear in the daytime, so I'm not looking forward to the endless routine of taking my chappels off and on, off and on, to enter various edifices. I'll have to try and find some comfy chappels for the daytime. At home, I always go around in barefeet inside. For nature walks, some worn in joggers with or without socks (I got an old pair). I don't plan on hiking from Ladakh to Tibet so I don't really need any expensive equipment. I will take a pair of cheap Aussie rubber thongs for suspicious looking bathrooms and backpacker type situations (easy to bung them on your feet on the way to breakfast).

Adam18au · Oct 9th, 2003, 11:33

last year i took two pairs of flip flops and just wore them the whole time and it was great, no build up of sweat, slip on and off when you need to and you and most of all they are comfy!
Adam

goldfish · Oct 14th, 2003, 08:59

I took my birkenstocks and my blundstones (and another pair of slides because for 'dress-up' occasions) which is what I wear a lot of the time at home. I purchased some chuppels and joothis as well, but near the end of the trip, for wearing at home

This was the perfect combo for me - birkenstocks are good because there is a fair amount of room around your feet, so you feel a bit more protected from the filth, but they are easy to slip off and on.

I always wanted to clean my feet a bit after walking around in temples etc before putting my footwear back on, but I never had anything to clean 'em with (it never occured to me to use my antiseptic hand wipes - far to prissy!). what have other people done in this situation? Just put up with grotty feet?

wonderwomanusa · Oct 14th, 2003, 09:01

In India, I wash my feet when I get back to my hotel, and again before I go to bed. Well, I do that at home, too, because I don't like to wear shoes -- but I'm more consistent about it in India.

Take a pumice stone with you; your heels get all dried out and will crack if you don't exfoliate them once in a while. A little petroleum jelly at night helps.

bijapuri · Oct 14th, 2003, 09:57

A&D ointment works slightly better than Pet. Jelly for me, but it's essentially the same thing, with vitamins in it.

gozer · Oct 14th, 2003, 10:05

TEVAS -

ok, so what's the preference, water resistant leather, or the original model? does the leather model get sweaty dirty gross and not dry out? or what......?

i've got the pumice stone, the lotion, the powder, the rest of the pharmacy and the kitchen sink, but the shoe are leaving me stumped!

bijapuri · Oct 14th, 2003, 10:16

well, if I follow this thread correctly, you have been given all the info you need to make your choice. You can always change it once there.
me, I take a pair of nike Pegasus (used) and flip-flops

Oct 8th, 2003, 23:34	#1
Celtic_Queen Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Ireland Posts: 2	Shoe dilemma... what do you take? I will be going to India for five months (leaving Nov.4) and I'm still stuck on what I should bring for shoes... I am terribly tempted to bring my sandals as they are relatively light and very sturdy but have my toes exposed doesn't seem like the best idea. Would just ordinary walking shoes be my best bet? Any advice would be brilliant!

Oct 9th, 2003, 00:41	#4
steven_ber Member Join Date: Sep 2001 Location: London, England. Posts: 8,664	What are these 'Tevas', is there a picture on a website? __________________ . How to get helpful replies to your transport/Itinerary questions. Train information.

Oct 9th, 2003, 01:22	#5
vistet Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Umeå , Sweden Posts: 1,697	Below about the same model I´ve used for a couple of years now ( home mountains, Scottish Highlands, Ladakh, Sikkim and a couple of hundred k`s in the hospital corridors) without the layers of black hot glue... Good grip even in the monsoon (made for river guides originally) Tolerates machine wash as well. URL : www.teva.com Attached Thumbnails

Oct 9th, 2003, 04:18	#6
wonderwomanusa Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 3,002	I think I'm taking either Reeboks or deck shoes for the mountains -- more for warmth than for trekking... and most of the time I'll be wearing chappels that I'll get in Delhi, or wherever. __________________ The map is not the territory. --Alfred Korzybski

Oct 14th, 2003, 09:57	#13
bijapuri laid traps for troubadours Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Priustan Posts: 2,601	A&D ointment works slightly better than Pet. Jelly for me, but it's essentially the same thing, with vitamins in it. __________________ Focusing your life solely on making a buck shows a certain poverty of ambition. It asks too little of yourself. Because it's only when you hitch your wagon to something larger than yourself that you realize your true potential. Barack Obama lookit me!!!: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bijapuri/ Utube fuzzy logic: http://youtube.com/profile_videos?user=bijapuri&p =r

Oct 9th, 2003, 00:13	#2
vistet Maha Guru Member Join Date: Jul 2002 Location: Umeå , Sweden Posts: 1,697	I`ve used Teva`s which have the advantage of being oversized in front , which gives some protection against banging toes . You als might want to check the footcare thread

Oct 9th, 2003, 00:32	#3
bolebridge Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: UK Posts: 36	Two threads going on shoes... this is great. Like of pair of 501s, Tevas will go on and on. Mine have taken me round the world and on several other trips, including India - and are now in their 6th year. No problems.

Oct 9th, 2003, 04:59	#7
indiamike Retired Admin Join Date: Aug 2001 Location: New Joisey for now Posts: 1,760	If its what you take... I don't give it much thought and just bring the shoes that I wear at home. No special shopping or any special shoes. A pair of Chuck Taylors, a pair of Converse One Star Skate Shoes, pair of Hiking boots, and a pair of flip flops or whatever else is lying around while I am packing (boots are only necessary if your going north into snow). Personally I like to wear the shoes that I am comfortable with and so far have had no reason to go crazy and get special shoes. Unless your climbing Everest or something, whatever your comfortable with at home should be fine. (except for high heels of course---not that I wear those )

Oct 9th, 2003, 07:05	#8
maree Maha Guru Member Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: New Zealander in Bangkok Posts: 850	Snap! Last year, I took my favourite pair of red Converse sneakers and a pair of flipflops. I knew I wouldn't be going on any hikes so was extrememly happy to leave my bulky tramping boots behind... all the more room for purchases!

Oct 9th, 2003, 08:46	#9
Samsara Sentient Being Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 509	I would take my platform slip ons (with rubbery heels) for the city - they work like medieval pattens, keep your feet above the mire and muck. They are very comfortable and let my feet breathe, and as I'm a short girl, they make me feel taller. Also, people think you must be a lady and not a backpacker if you are wearing high heels with a salwar kameez. I believe this might possibly get me better treatment with more perks. Also, as they are slip ons, they come off and on in a second. I suppose I might save them for evenings though, it seems frivolous to wear platforms in the daytime. I get very sweaty, dirty feet whenever I wear footwear in the daytime, so I'm not looking forward to the endless routine of taking my chappels off and on, off and on, to enter various edifices. I'll have to try and find some comfy chappels for the daytime. At home, I always go around in barefeet inside. For nature walks, some worn in joggers with or without socks (I got an old pair). I don't plan on hiking from Ladakh to Tibet so I don't really need any expensive equipment. I will take a pair of cheap Aussie rubber thongs for suspicious looking bathrooms and backpacker type situations (easy to bung them on your feet on the way to breakfast).

Oct 9th, 2003, 11:33	#10
Adam18au Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Adelaide, Australia Posts: 73	last year i took two pairs of flip flops and just wore them the whole time and it was great, no build up of sweat, slip on and off when you need to and you and most of all they are comfy! Adam

Oct 14th, 2003, 08:59	#11
goldfish Member Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 20	I took my birkenstocks and my blundstones (and another pair of slides because for 'dress-up' occasions) which is what I wear a lot of the time at home. I purchased some chuppels and joothis as well, but near the end of the trip, for wearing at home This was the perfect combo for me - birkenstocks are good because there is a fair amount of room around your feet, so you feel a bit more protected from the filth, but they are easy to slip off and on. I always wanted to clean my feet a bit after walking around in temples etc before putting my footwear back on, but I never had anything to clean 'em with (it never occured to me to use my antiseptic hand wipes - far to prissy!). what have other people done in this situation? Just put up with grotty feet?

Oct 14th, 2003, 09:01	#12
wonderwomanusa Maha Guru Member Join Date: May 2003 Location: Northern California Posts: 3,002	In India, I wash my feet when I get back to my hotel, and again before I go to bed. Well, I do that at home, too, because I don't like to wear shoes -- but I'm more consistent about it in India. Take a pumice stone with you; your heels get all dried out and will crack if you don't exfoliate them once in a while. A little petroleum jelly at night helps.

Oct 14th, 2003, 10:05	#14
gozer Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: LA Posts: 52	TEVAS - ok, so what's the preference, water resistant leather, or the original model? does the leather model get sweaty dirty gross and not dry out? or what......? i've got the pumice stone, the lotion, the powder, the rest of the pharmacy and the kitchen sink, but the shoe are leaving me stumped! __________________ If you want a friend, feed any animal.....

Oct 14th, 2003, 10:16	#15
bijapuri laid traps for troubadours Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: Priustan Posts: 2,601	well, if I follow this thread correctly, you have been given all the info you need to make your choice. You can always change it once there. me, I take a pair of nike Pegasus (used) and flip-flops

User Name		Remember Me?
Password

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
shoe problem	Selfdefinition	Packing Tips for India travel	13	Sep 7th, 2005 19:31
Dilemma	Richmar	India Expat Area	3	Jan 3rd, 2005 19:48
Shoe thieves	hfot2	Scams and Annoyances in India	16	Dec 19th, 2004 16:23
shoe fashion?	jezterbabe	Chai and Chat	1	Dec 6th, 2004 06:50
Shoe security?	bexta	Scams and Annoyances in India	11	Aug 15th, 2004 17:28

Thread Tools
Show Printable Version Email this Page
Display Modes
Linear Mode Switch to Hybrid Mode Switch to Threaded Mode