Ladies - SHOES?!?

Heya

Been having a dilema, managed to pick a warm coat pretty easily, but I am having problems with shoes (haha im such a girl)

I am going to be in Europe/Skandinavia/China in winter so will be cold and wet. I was originally looking at the Tecnica Moon Boots but after owning a pair of Emu boots decided they wouldn't be easy to walk lots in. I then looked at the Gumbies Gumrunner boots, but they are only shower proof, then the Sorel 1964 Pac but they are expensive and I would really like a boot that I could wear out and about in the eve to pubs and bars...

So....exhausted from searching through websites.....I resort to - Can anyone suggest anything?!?

I guess my main points I am looking for is:

Waterproof
Warm
Comfy and suitable for walking
Suitable to go out in (bars/pubs)
Not TOO pricey (willing to spend upto/around £50)

Any help appreciated!!

I managed to score a pair of AKU hikers in a sale for £50, they felt comfy from the first moment and then saw me through a RTW, were warm waterproof & too. Look out for sales, buy the best you can afford when it comes to footwear.

I'm always a bit fan of Merrel for travel shoes/boots... they've got a nice pair of boots at the mo called Yarra, that are kinda funky as well as being warm and waterproof.

Have you considered buying on the road? It can be difficult to find shoes suitable for Scandinavian climate abroad, but you shouldn't have any problems finding something in Sweden or so. Plan on a shopping day or two in a big city.

For your initial travel until you buy those shoes you could take some old ones that you can throw into a trash bin once you got your new pair. (You must have some old sneakers floating around somewhere.)

Of course it can be a bit of a problem breaking in the new boots, so better bring some band-aid and blisterpatches to tape up your feet.

After much deliberation I have gone for a pair of black Gumbies - Gumrunners from an eBay shop (only £28.50!) Water resitant but I am going to water proof then with some stuff I bought from an outdoor equipment shop. Should be nice warm and comfy!! And they have trainer soles so good grip If they turn out not to be so great, I can do what you mentioned, buying some out there Thanks for the advise, I am such a girl when it comes to buying things!!

[ Edit: Edited on 16-Oct-2009, at 12:01 by ErolGirl ]

Gumbies - Gumrunners

I looked them up and this is what I found on the official website:

The Gumrunner is a combination of a snow boot and a training shoe.

The Cosy fleece-lining keeps you warm, water resistant nylon outer shell to protect in rain and snow and rubber treaded sole for great grip. ... great for all kinds of outdoor activities such as walking the dog, hiking or simply having fun in.

(Please note: the shoes are simply showerproof and not suitable for snowy or very wet conditions.)

Kinda sums it up nicely. Based on this description alone I would not buy them for a trip to Scandinavia/China in winter. Instead I would shell out some more money and go for Kamiks or the Sorels.

Well, like I said, I am going to be water proofing them, and if they turn out not so great I am going to buy some on the road, as you sugested. Im sure they will be fine for UK, Paris and Germany anyway, it will be mainly China where we will encounter the ridicuous cold and snow and Im sure they will have some in shops there, or even in Germany before we go! (we have ended up having to cut out Scandinavia gutted)

Waterproof is a tough bag. Nothing is going to be completely waterproof, and the ones that are more water resistant take a lot longer to dry out.

A good idea is to get two or three comfortable (and stylish!) pairs that are lightweight and easy to pack. Just count on a pair getting wet, and carry a pair that you can change into. Lesson learned in Vancouver...

I usually carry a warm, fuzzy, comfortable pair of socks for the plane as well. Two brands of shoes that make attractive and comfortable styles are Born and Privo. I've gotten more compliments on my Privo pair when traveling, and they come off and on very easily going through check points.

I just wanted to suggest Keens to the ladies. They make cute AND functional shoes. The 'Sydney' is a great example. They are water resistant, comfortable, tough and cute enough to wear out. I'm a huge shoe nerd.