Top Notch Travelers

I almost kicked my Rothy’s into the bay taking my first jumping photo after the broken toe debacle. I wish I could tell you how hard I laughed when I landed barefoot and frantically searched around for my missing shoes. Luckily the sneakers I bought in Seattle were in the car, so I was able to take another crack at a jumping photo in front of the Golden Gate Bridge. The shoes were only in there because they had been making me miserable the day before and I had to rip them off and throw them in the backseat by the end of the day.

I’ve been looking for several years for white sneaker that look cute with dresses/rompers and are comfortable enough to go go go in. The latest attempt gave me blisters every time I wore them and the old tennis shoes I had packed were beyond ready to retire. It was going to be a long miserable trip if I couldn’t figure something else out. I tried on shoes everywhere, I even drove an hour to the allbirds store outside of Seattle. I am a longtime Rothy’s enthusiast, but I’ve had some sizing trouble with my past couple of pairs. I decided since I was in the land of flagships, I should go visit the Rothy’s mothership. Totally worth it. Turns out I am not crazy. Even though I own three pairs of the exact same style shoe, all three colors fit me very differently. The sales people told me that the different dyes effect the material differently. That’s great- but I have a standard sized foot and I feel like goldilocks in these things. I could wear 3 different sizes depending on the shoe and I refused to buy another pair without trying on the new styles. Their new sneakers looked so good online and felt even better on my feet. They are EXACTLY what I’ve been looking for, and after a month of floating around in these machine washable, lightweight, breathable, eco friendly, and lovely sneakers, I have a winner in the travel shoe department. I am ruthless when it comes to identifying the perfect travel gear. I will try on anything that I think will handle the rigors of life on the road with me and these totally hold up.

I have a referral code for $20 if you’ve been curious and wanting to try them. Their return experience is excellent- so I suggest ordering two pairs and returning your second choice if you are unsure on sizing. They aren’t cheap but they are totally worth it. I go nowhere without at least one pair of Rothy’s in my suitcase, and now my minimum number will be 2 pairs. It’s humanly impossible to get a blister in them. I recommend sizing up and putting in a supportive insert, especially if you’re taking them on an adventure that will have you on your feet for long hours. They are durable, comfortable, and washable- but sizing and arch support remain tricky. These sneakers were a total game changer for my exploring, and I’m never looking back. (These new essential pouches are calling my name, but I was just barely able to resist leaving with one.) The stores are doing a lot to keep you safe, and I had a wonderful shopping experience. I have had to buy a couple big ticket items for this adventure, and the shoes have been a giant pain in my butt. I finally have cute sneakers that are going to keep up with me, my sundresses and my crazy new life. Something tells me I’ll likely find myself in their West Village shop with a handful of different inserts when I’m in NYC this fall. I can’t help myself, they are that good.

This post seems a little weird and random for my blog, but I can’t tell you how many people have hit me up for suggestions on things to buy for the road. I have spent years and thousands of dollars hunting for the right shoes, bags and products to take on the road. I am a tough critic, a bargain shopper, and if I find something awesome and epic, I want to share it. I really effing hate wasting money on gear that is not the right blend of functional and cute.

For other great, comfortable, supportive travel shoes you want: Reef Cushion Bounce sandals , Seychelles heels, Taos shoes (their wedges and sandals are perfection.) You have to buy them on Poshmark since they are discontinued, but the Nike Air Cole Haans are way better than the replacement zero grand garbage and were my go to travel shoes until my arches fell and I’m now between sizes. If you find yourself at a Nordstrom Rack, try Susina, Sofft, Dr Scholl’s, Kork, and Born for affordable, supportive and high cushion shoes.

I have tried dozens of laptop bags and it took me three years of research and trials to replace my twenty year old carry on bag. Away makes a great bag, and I’m happy enough with mine. Now that they make a bigger carry on with expansion, so it would be my vote for best rollaboard bag. I’m a big Kate Spade fan, so the Jae Weekender is my go-to since it is easily sanitized and my purse slides into it before I board. I’ve had several iterations of this tote for meetings that don’t require air travel. Not being the biggest Vera Bradley fan, I was shocked to discover they had invented the perfect toiletry bag. My little sister dragged me in once and I have since purchased a half dozen of these hanging travel toiletry bags as gifts. They are always always on stupid sale at the outlet, so please don’t buy them full price.

I’m also impressed by the features and quality of Lo & Sons and Beis bags. I didn’t grow up dreaming of designing bags, but my neurotic need for efficiency, quality, and aesthetics has me percolating on what I’d do for my own collection of travel gear. I haven’t found the perfect bags, but I’m getting closer.

Camera and suitcase shopping are equally torturous for me, and I despise researching, comparing, and pricing both. It takes me forever to find and commit to something, but I need to speed it up. My big samsonite checked bag has a broken zipper, wonky wheel and the frame is starting to break through the side- so it is definitely time to pull the trigger. I just refuse to spend $300 on garbage and I don’t want it to weigh over 10 pounds. There is a 0% chance my iPhone8 captures the Northern Lights, and I won’t be able to keep it charged long enough to capture all of my adventures on this off-grid adventure. I just ordered a cheap adventure cam and a sony point and shoot, I’ll report back if I wind up keeping either :)

If you have any favorite travel gear, let me know in the comments. I am ALWAYS hunting for ways to improve efficiency on the go.