Travel Shoes for Big Guys
Traveling for big men isn’t always easy…. small seats on airplanes, small seats on airplane toilets, small cars, small showers, but just because the world around us doesn’t cater to our size, doesn’t mean we don’t have options when it comes to footwear! As a relatively well traveled big man, I think I can provide some strong suggestions on the best travel shoes for big guys! I want to make a few things clear, I am not a foot expert, nor a proper walking expert, so if you’re looking for orthotic or alignment advice... I ain’t your huckleberry. I also spend more money than most on shoes, however I expect a lot from my shoes. I’m a lot of gross tonnage, and I expect these guys to be my tugboats, so these aren’t going to be the cheapest options, but they aren’t going to be Gucci boots with the fur either (even though the whole club was looking at me). Let’s get into it!
Traveling by air: OnCloud Cloud 5 $139.99
OnClouds! Ah yes… the shoes that say “I’m a yuppie, and I’m proud of it!”. In all seriousness the OnCloud Cloud 5 have quickly become my favorite shoe to travel through airports. Thank you to my buddy Garrett, who introduced me to these shoes a few years back, and yes…. He is a yuppie. One of the biggest pros to these shoes is how quickly you can take them on and off. The shoelaces that come with these are a very stretchy elastic material and remind me of a non-spiral version of the spiral shoelaces that we used to have in our shoes when we were kids, so there’s no tying involved, but they’re still tight enough to not fall off. These shoes are very comfortable, and have a rigid heel area so many times you don’t even have to reach down to put your shoes on or off; in addition to the rigid heel, the tongue is attached to the outer shell of the shoe, and doesn’t fall down. Let’s also call a duck a duck, the shoe looks dadgum slick and they look great with everything (except a suit… don’t be that guy)
The cons of these are few but mighty. The cost is definitely a prohibitive wall at $139.99. I will say that even though the price is pretty high, the construction of the shoe is solid and I feel like I’m getting what I pay for. Another con is that these shoes are VERY narrow; even the wide fit is more like a regular fit and if you wear them for long enough, you’ll begin to feel the pressure.
7.7/10
Traveling by car: HeyDude Wally Sox $64.95
HeyDudes, or Dude shoes, have quickly become a staple of my everyday wardrobe. I drive close to 30,000 miles a year being in sales, and Dude shoes are my daily driver shoes. They are super comfortable, affordable, and they look pretty good. I was, in another life, a Sanuk stan, however, I have switched my allegiance and I am now a Bonafede Dude. Similarly, to the OnClouds, the shoelaces on these shoes are an elastic that do not require tying, and the tongues are part of the outer shell of the shoe. Dude Shoes is also INCREDIBLY AFFORDABLE at as low as $44.99. This makes them an easy purchase, and I have also purchased a few, in different colors to go with different outfits. These shoes are also very wide from the beginning. I typically wear a EEE in boots, and these shoes fit me perfectly and depending on the style, even a little breathing room!
The cons of these bad boys are that they do not have a rubber sole, so they wear out very quickly (3 or 4 months) and the insoles are also fairly flimsy and don’t last long. Also, the nature of knit footwear, is that they pick up all kinds of dirt and stains, so they begin to look a little ratty, pretty quickly if you don’t wash them frequently.
8.9/10
Traveling by boat: Birkenstock Arizona $110.00
Birkenstocks are the only footwear that can be worn by both presidents and potheads… CEOs and hobos… Hollywooders and Myrtle beachers. Socks & Stocks, or barefooted, these sandals are my go tos when I am on a boat, or just kicking around town. Much like the Dude shoes, these are very wide from the get go and can fit any size of foot due to the adjustable straps. Any big man with sausage toes like me knows, we can’t just wear flip flops from Walmart like everybody else. Those little plastic ends behind the straps dig into the heel, and they last about 25 steps before we flat tire them out! The stocks just won’t do that. They are very sturdy with a full rubber sole and the cork midsole; however, they still allow your foot to breath, and break free of the chains of oppression levied on them by closed toe shoes. I’ve had mine for going on 6 years now, and like a 1996 Suzuki sidekick that has been made into a rock crawler, they are low mileage, but they have been drug through some pretty sticky situations, and they always come out looking fine! The more your wear them, the more the footbed molds to the shape of your foot creating a more comfortable wear.
The cons of the stocks are pretty slim, but the price is definitely up there. Most people don’t think about spending 110 bucks on sandals; however, I can attest, they are worth every penny. I’ll also say that the sizing can be confusing. Birkenstocks are a European company (German) and have European sizing, so make sure you research your correct size before purchasing.
8.7/10
Traveling by foot: New Balance 990v4 Core $184.99
The New Balance... The final boss of all dad shoes. These shoes have seen a freshly manicured lawn or 2, and can make the baddest burgers in town, but don’t you dare touch these shoes thermostat. These shoes make you want to stand up, grab your hedge trimmers, march in the street and scream “DEFUND THE HOA!”. These bad daddies may have even sold propane or propane accessories in their lifetime. The 990s have been my favorite shoe of all time. They are without a doubt the most comfortable, well made, highest quality shoe I have ever owned. These are well built with a firm, but not too firm, midsole, and what I can only assume is a truck tire for the sole, as I have put multiple Disney World miles on mine and they still look fresh out of the box. They wash like a dream, and the insole feels like one from the Dr Scholls machine at Walmart. I’ve had multiple pairs of these over the years and with every generation they somehow get better. These look great with a pair of chubbies and a polo, or with running shorts and a t-shirt, or even with khakis and your shirt of choice (I’m not Tim Gunn). They also come in Wide and Extra wide, so for the fellas with the pancake feet, these are the shoes for you!
The cons of the Fatherhood 990s is that they are pretty expensive, however if you look at the mileage per penny, I’ll bet these rank pretty high up there! I’ll also say they aren’t ideal for flying as they don’t have the fancy laces like the OnCloud, and the tongue is free floating so they aren’t hands free on and off. They’re also pretty heavy to pack into a suitcase so if you’re walking a lot in your travels, make sure to wear them.
9.2/10
Traveling in a suit: ZEROGrand Oxford Wingtip $198.00
Gentlemen… these are the ticket to greatness. These cats have the sole and feel of a tennis shoe… but look like a dress shoe. The bottom of the shoes are rubber like a running shoe, however the top is leather, and not that stiff leather like on cowboy boots, but a nice, supple, soft, stretchy (don’t know how they do it) leather. These come in wide sizes and go up to a SIZE 16. Now, unless your Shaq, that should cover almost everyone! One of my favorite parts of this shoe is something that dress shoe purists won’t like and that’s the cross stitching on the wingtip. It looks more like a t-shirt stitch than a shoe stitch but I think it gives the shoe more panache (real word, look it up) than just something you would see every day on the rack. These look great with slacks, dress pants, and with the right jeans, it could be a PTA meeting staple.
The cons of the wingtips are of course, the price, however for a good pair of dress shoes, you would typically pay about 200 bucks anyway, and you might as well get some that incredibly comfortable. Another con would be, and this is a little one, the laces that come with the shoes aren’t very long, and they don’t leave very much room to tie once your foot is in it. I would suggest going aftermarket on the laces.
8.3/10
From one big man to another, I hope I was able to steer you in the right direction for your next footwear purchase, and with no blisters, and happy feet, your travel should be anything other than regular!!
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