Help me decide on a travel shoe

[KtownGreg]

Love #4 and adds a bit of flare but for versatility I'd go with #6. Good luck Enjoying your posts.

KtownGreg

 

[bmulford]

Originally Posted by binge

I think you'll definitely enjoy either of those choices, and every man deserves to have a good boot, but it does seem like you've drifted from your original parameters. IMO neither a chukka nor chelsea will be any easier than a plain old lace-up when it comes to airport security. Are there any other considerations with regards to your travels? Are you taking long distance flights? Are the travel shoes also shoes that you want to wear while on the trip and therefore need to fit in with business outfits? When I'm flying more than 1 hour, I always slip off my shoes for the flight. I personally find that my chelseas can be more cumbersome to take off and put on, especially in the cramped confines of an airplane seat; unless we're talking business class international or above. If you're taking relatively short trips, say a few days at a time; then I suppose you do want your travel shoes to pull double-duty and be something you can wear while on the trip. In that case, a chelsea can fit right in with a suit for sure. But for a longer trip, the suede loafer or driving shoe can also double as a slipper of sorts when staying in a hotel for days or weeks on end. Or, if after a long day of business meetings you want to dress down with a sweater and odd trousers for a light snack and drink at the hotel bar, the more casual shoe can fit right in. Just my $.25...
Good points. Mostly intercontinental US - 2-5 hours. Its not uncommon to go to meetings right from the airport, then head back. I would like whatever I choose to work as a business shoe in that case. The Chelseas seem like a good all-around choice as I can wear them on weekends for quick trips to the market. For the airport I have to imagine they're easier than high vamped shoes that need a shoe horn. Not having owned a pair, correct me if that presumption is incorrect. Loafers clearly are the lowest effort choice, but I've just not seen many that look appealing to my eye. I saw that whnay has EG suedes with an elastic gorge for sale. if only they were calf.... Here's my challenge; I'd pickup loafers, but I can't bring myself to spend much on them (why didn't I BIN when Ron had those bombay loafers for $100?!?!?). The Chelseas on the other hand, are nice enough to be a casual choice in addition to travel and easier to justify. Thoughts?

 

[binge]

IMO, chelseas are a great choice in every regards except for being easier at airport security and on the flight compared to lace-ups. It sounds like this whole exercise has transformed into one convincing you to buy a pair of chelsea boots, against which I cannot argue. In the end, if you wind up with a solid pair of boots, but find that they are no easier in airport security, I still think you are making the right choice

Chelseas are versatile and can as easily be paired with as suit right off the plane, as well as with jeans on the weekend. Once you have them, you'll look for excuses to wear them more and more. But, after having them on more business trips, you may still find that your original complaints regarding lace-ups for travel apply equally as well to boots. Or maybe not, I can only speculate based on my own experience. Either way, give it a shot. The worst that will happen is that you have a pair of versatile boots, which I'll bet you'll thoroughly enjoy...

 

[bmulford]

Thanks. I think perhaps I should cave and find a pair of loafers I can embrace (e.g., sutor in antique orange), and look at the boots in their own light.

Thanks for the advice!

 

[spectre]

Why is it that Italians love suede (and suede tassel) loafers and Americans seem not to like them generally?

 

[DocHolliday]

Originally Posted by bmulford

Here's my challenge; I'd pickup loafers, but I can't bring myself to spend much on them (why didn't I BIN when Ron had those bombay loafers for $100?!?!?). The Chelseas on the other hand, are nice enough to be a casual choice in addition to travel and easier to justify.

Thoughts?

FWIW, I find loafers to be much more of a hassle to get on than chelseas. But maybe I'd feel differently if I had beefy calves. I don't, and so most chelseas slip right on, at least after I've worn them a few times. In the chelsea's favor, there's no battling the heel into the shoe the way there is with loafers.

As far as loafers, have you checked Yoox? I bought a pair of suede cheapies off there and am quite content with them. Considering how rarely I wear them, they should last me many years.

 

[s1llyph1lly]

nice

 

[fritzl]

Originally Posted by bmulford

...and look at the boots in their own light.

Thanks for the advice!

Go with the chelseas. As DocH stated: After a few wearings, you slip in and out easily.

FWIW:

http://www.styleforum.net/showpost.p...4&postcount=15

 

[bmulford]

Thanks everyone for the input. After kicking the idea around, I decided to get a pair of loafers that don't make my eyes hurt.

I'm still interested in the Chelsea's but didn't want to buy a pair, specifically for airports, and find they didn't fit the bill.

Ron hooked me up with a pair of Pompii's in cognac that'll do just what I need. And they're on my favorite RM last, with a high vamp, so won't look so "loaferish".

In the meantime, I'm planning on getting a pair of Ron's Captoe boots when they come in, and will get a pair of Chelseas too.

Thanks!

 

[Cary Grant]

Nice choice. Ron is wonderful to work with.

 

[JayJay]

They look good.

 

[binge]

I realize I'm kinda necro-threading this, but here is a fine specimen of a travel shoe:



Probably not the best choice if going from the the airport directly to a client meeting, but these would hit all my criteria for comfort and convenience.

 

[porcelain monkey]

I may be way off base here, but how is an extra 30 seconds after security to tie your shoes such a hassle? If the choice is between lace ups and flip flops, I can see how the latter is more convenient, despite how reprehensible they are.

I probably make in the neighborhood of 200 flights a year for business and just about every airport I go to has a bench right through security to sit down on (the lone exception is the Marine Air Terminal at LaGuardia as far as I can tell) and it really doesn't take me that much more time to tie my shoes than slip on loafers. Since I like to sit down to put on any shoes, so I don't crush the back, I guess I don't think loafers save that much time.

 

[bmulford]

The above loafers ended up being a little too loose in the heel and would slip off when walking. So Ron graciously allowed me to return them to him.

I bought a pair of suede EG Parson's from Whnay that has the elastic gorge - so we'll see if that'll do.

In the meantime, researching this I concluded that I should add a pair of Chelsea's to my modest collection, which will come after the cordovan balmoral boots Ron will have in soon.

 

[voxsartoria]

Originally Posted by bmulford

I bought a pair of suede EG Parson's from Whnay that has the elastic gorge - so we'll see if that'll do.

Hah!

Nice.


- B