5 of the Best Stylish Vegan Barefoot Boots For Travel
We’ve traveled all over this great wide world (including all over the U.S.), and while travel backpacks and the perfect pair or trail to tavern pants so we can pack less and experience more are always on our radar, the quest for the perfect vegan boots for travel has been a personal mission of mine for years. That’s because when I travel, I travel light, often only bringing along one or two pairs of shoes total.
So I want those shoes to be able to do it all: take me from the hiking trail in the morning to a cafe for lunch to a cidery at dinnertime. I want to be able to wear them mountain biking, for a hike to a rad viewpoint, and into town without people staring at my feet and grimacing in disgust.
Naturally, style is relative and shoes I might find perfectly suitable to wear with nice jeans you might think are ridiculous, but here are a handful we think fit the descriptors “stylish” and “functional” supremely well (and are often packable, to boot–see what I did there?).
So we dug in, put our feet in boots, pounded the pavement, hit the trails, tested a few travel-friendly boots that also happen to be vegan, and found five of our faves.
The Best Vegan Boots For Travel
Lems Boulder Boot: The Chill Multi-Tasker
If you ask us, there’s no better boot to pair with flannel than the Lems Boulder, especially if you’re a fan of flexible footwear with zero drop that are also super comfy to wander around it. They are minimalist boots, which means there’s no aggressive arch support, unnecessary cushioning, or chunky heel, but that’s why we love them. They move with your feet, are cozy in cooler temps, and give off a chill lumberjack vibe that, not gonna lie, we’re here for.
They’re available for men and women in one color: black. The soles don’t feature terribly aggressive tread, but for easy hike, they’ll do nicely.
What we liked: We love the light weight of these boots and the flexible, comfy footbed and sole. They’re cozy, too, making them ideal for spring and fall travel. Plus, when you’re done with the, Lems encourages customers to donate gently used shoes to Souls4Soles, an org that provides shoes and clothing to people in need.
What makes them great for travel: They look good enough to wear around town with jeans, are comfy for long days on your feet, and are capable enough to take out on easy trails.
Vivobarefoot Primus Trail Flow Mid
These are some of our favorite barefoot boots for hiking in mild weather, but we also find them more than suitable for city travel thanks to their sleek styling. Do they go with everything? No. But if you prefer casual outings to dressing for dinner, their plenty stylish for more urban settings.
They’re mid-rise boots in style, but wear more like a shoe since they’re light, they have a soft and stretchy knit ankle, are breathable, ultra flexible, a tiny bit water resistant, and have plenty of traction. And they don’t look like clunky, overbuilt hiking boots, plus they supremely packable if you’re tight on luggage space. Bonus: they’re made of mostly recycled materials. Read our in-depth review here.
What we liked: The barefoot style sole and flexible upper make them supremely packable and are light on your feet and in your bag. We love the flexibility of the soles and the impressive groundfeel. Plus, the brand’s ReVivo program encourages customers to send their used shoes in for reviving and reselling!
What makes them great for travel: Not only are they packable and streetwear stylish, but they dry quickly when wet and the combination of the barefoot sole and sticky traction make them excellent sidewalk-to-trail boots.
Feelgrounds Chukka: The Stylish, Trail-Ready Boot
For a perfectly stylish boot that can absolutely handle everything from cobblestone streets to easy hikes (and not weigh down your bag), take a look at the new Chukka boot from Feelgrounds. Especially suitable for spring and fall travel, it’s not only comfortable and supports natural foot function, it’s made of more responsible materials, too. It features a breathable blend of abacá (like hemp, but made of a banana plant found in the Philippines) and cotton for the upper, the collar is made of TENCEL™ Lyocell and recycled polyester, and the inside is cotton. It even has a PFC-free water-repellent treatment! So if you get caught in the rain, you’re still golden.
The best part? They’re zero drop, have a super wide toe box, and are super flexible. It’s available for men and women in three colors: All Black, Gum Black, and Desert. Get 15% off with code TERRADRIFT
What we liked: A flexible footbed, extra wide toe box and soft interior make them comfy for all-day wear.
What makes them great for travel: While they’re more suitable for town than trail, they’re reliable enough on groomed trails that we don’t think twice about taking them for long walks on parkways and gravel paths.
Astral Pisgah: The Built-For-Adventure Boot
A bit more concerned with support than style? We won’t say these Astral Pisgah’s aren’t stylish (we’d totally wear them into the bar post-hike), but they’re certainly better suited for the outdoors over urban adventures. Why? Because those soles are STICKY! They should be, they’re made with Astral’s G rubber. Makes sense, because the brand is known for designing shoes meant to be worn in, on, and around water. So yeah, you can trust the grip on these bad boys in wet and slippery weather and on wet and slippery surfaces.
They come in two colors for men and two for women, and are made of recycled polyester, which makes them more sustainable than synthetic boots. Bonus: they’re waterproof!
What we liked: A minimal drop in the footbed (just 4 mm) makes them more natural to walk in that other built up boots, plus they’re comfy to walk in for hours. Bonus: They’e made of recycled materials.
What makes them great for travel: While this shoe may be better suited for trail-centric travel, we wouldn’t be embarrassed to wear them with a pair of jeans into the local brewery. Plus they’re waterproof, which means your feet will be protected from soggy situations.
Feelgrounds Patrol Winter: The Classic Barefoot Multitasker
Like the street-style look of Timberlands but not so much the leather, heft, and clunky soles? If you’re ready to give barefoot boots a try (and you totally should), get yourself a pair of Feelgrounds Patrol boots. They’re warm in cool weather, waterproof, stupid flexible, and even have tread that can handle off-road adventures. There’s also a Patrol Lite if you’re looking for something for spring or fall.
Another favorite Feelgrounds barefoot boot is the Chelsea, which give serious Blundstone vibes, but, you know, lighter, more flexible, and better for your feet and spine. Once I put these babies on this fall, I never took them off. They’re more suitable for light outdoor activity as opposed to serious hikes, though. If that’s what you’re looking for, check out our review of two different barefoot hiking boots here.
What we liked: The cozy lining in the winter version makes these boots feel like you’re actually wearing slippers. We love that they’re street-style forward but also capable on hiking trails. Plus they’re flexible and feel like wearing much lighter sneakers, all with the barefoot benefits of a wide toe-box and zero drop.
What makes them great for travel: The Patrol looks great with a variety of styles depending on where you’re headed. Plus, they’re pretty light for how warm they are. They’re especially suitable for cool to cold-weather travel.
Score 15% off with code TERRADRIFT or by using our link below.
Bottom Line
What defines “the perfect travel boot” may be relative, but if your goal is to pack just one or two pairs of shoes on your next trip, a sleek look, capable tread, and comfort after long days of wear are of the utmost importance. Especially if you’re going to be sliding your feet into the same pair day after day. So hopefully, we helped you find one that’s right for you. If we did, or we missed your favorite, let us know in the comments! Then get out there and wander on already!
