What shoes/boots to bring?

Hey guys

Im planning to do South and North America for 5 months between March and August and was wondering what sort of walking shoes/boots to bring?

I'll be doing a lot of major cities (Rio, Buenos Aires, Lima etc), but also things like the inca trail, the rockies etc.

Im definitely bringing some flip flops (naturally ) but was wondering what the right sort of shoe/boot to bring for this trip would be? Id be tempted to get some breathable lightweight walking shoe for the hot climates, but they wouldnt be very good for ankle support on mountains. On the other hand I could go for a heavyweight boot which could hike up anything, but would make my feet sweat like a pig in a sausage factory.

Any help would be greatly appreciated!

I would recommend a hiking trainer such as, the Merell Radius. I will only hike in these. They are comfortable and can be used for a variety of activities. I used them for 4 months. 2 Months in Nepal (hiked to Everest base camp in them) then on to Jordan, Isreal, and Egypt. They are comfortable and breathable. Also do not go for anything waterproof. They will keep your feet really hot!

Are Merrell a good brand to go for? They seem a bit pricey compared to some of their competitors!

They are a fantastic company. You are right, they are a bit pricey. I have heard a lot of people go for the brand Keene, though I have not tried them. What I do know is that the Merell's have held there own. I know that I can trust them without an issue.

I did two months in Europe wearing Merrels and flip flops. I tried Keenes and Chacao (sp?) but both didn't stand a chance hiking. I wore the Merrels hiking through the Swiss Alps and tromping through the city streets of Paris. They were fantastic and I still wear them all the time!

Two giant *Thumbs Up* about the Merrells... did me good all the way through Asia, including some harrowing treks in the Himalayas that would have totally worn through lesser quality shoes. They are sort of pricey but are worth every penny. If you buy them from an American store called REI (www.rei.com) they have good prices and also can do a 100% moneyback return (no matter how beat up they get..) if you don't like them or they're not the right type of shoe. I ended up wearing my flip flops alot of the time and tying my Merrells to a strap on my pack, letting them dangle

• Also* something random that saved my butt, was that I took $200 cash and folded it up really small, and duct taped it to the underside of the slip-in insole in my Merrell... Definitely saved me until I could work out a money transfer when I had my wallet stolen in Thailand!

Thanks for your advice guys!

so just to be absolutely sure, something like these will be fine for the inca trail, the rockies, and city walking?

Yeah those would be fine.