My Feet Hurt

Some sensible (non-Salomon) footwear options for your next trip

Home from yet another work trip to Europe, I examine the latest batch of blisters from long walks in unsuitable footwear. I absolutely loathe wearing sneakers - especially with an “outfit,” but I think with so many New York and Europe jaunts ahead of me, I may have to surrender to pragmatism and invest in decent walking shoes.

My JM Westons are comfy - but maybe not after the 6 mile mark.

Over the course of my travels, I found that one brand kept popping up, no matter what country I was in… Salomon.

What was once the telltale sign of the urban hipster has become a wardrobe staple. What if I like the look (and the idea) of the technical pseudo-hiker, but want something a little less saturated… where should I turn?

And look, if you like Salomon, that’s fine! Enjoy their shoes and wear them in good health! I’ve just always thought one of the most exciting parts of style and fashion is seeing a popular trend and trying to find a way to make it my own - in a slightly alt way. And hey, call me a contrarian if you want, but it’s something I like to do.

Footwear Reconnaissance

Brand discovery, for a nerd like me, has to be one of the best parts of getting out of the country. Sure, in our globalized and interconnected world, we know what’s being worn everywhere all at once, but there are still brands to be discovered - and often ones that don’t carry their full lines here in the states. While I was on the road, I noticed a few fun and funky Salomon alternatives that I may need to buy the next time I cross the pond. (For the sake of my aching feet.)

It’s a whole lot more fun to see new shoes on actual human beings - college students or grandpas - and get a sense of how I might personally wear them. E-commerce is fine, but this is better.

Scarpa

Scarpa is short for “Società Calzaturiera Asolana Riunita Pedemontana Anonima” and was founded in 1938 in the Asolo region of northern Italy. By all appearances, still a family company, they were (and are) an innovative footwear brand mainly catering to hikers, skiers, and folks generally out to enjoy the mountains.

Mojito Wrap

IDK, it looked cool on a French film student.

While in Lyon, at the cafe on the campus of the Musée Lumière (an absolute must-visit for film buffs) I encountered a hip group of French film students having a lively conversation over coffees and pastries. One of the students was wearing a shoe I now know to be the Mojito Wrap.

On the cold white backdrop of the site’s product page, the shoe looks…ugly. But on foot, paired with faded vintage jeans, I was charmed. (I thought I was ahead of the curve on this one, but Lawrence Schlossman of Throwing Fits has since discovered these as well.) There are only two colors currently available on the US Scarpa site, but they have plenty colors if you go to scarpa.fr (at least just to window shop). A welcome re-imagining of the unbearably ugly original Mojito, I think with their low-profile silhouette and suede upper, they might walk that fine line between all-out technical shoe and everyday sneaker.

Here’s the link to the US site options. ($199)

Rapid LT

A decidedly more technical option, also from Scarpa, I saw an older man with a walking stick and a pair of these zooming down the street near Saint-Germain-des-Prés. With a thicker sole and a bit more of a heel, these could pair nicely with work pants or cargos and would most certainly support your arches on your death marches from your hotel to some far-flung tourist destination. The Mescalito seems to be a fairly similar silhouette - and as actual approach shoes, I think these would definitely be worth a look-see.

As ever, the US site only has a muted gray version of the shoe, but you can see it here. Offered for $159.

La Sportiva

Another footwear brand born in the Italian Dolomites, you can see from the design language that La Sportiva is ready to eat Salomon’s lunch. I discovered the brand in L’Etiquette Magazine and have been passively following them ever since. As with Scarpa, there are fewer options on the US site, but it’s fun to check out their Euro options online.

TX4 EVO

In all its funky glory.

With garish colors and their trademark bonkers laces, La Sportiva’s TX4 models speak to me the most. The majority of the site is devoted to actual climbing shoes and Hoka-coded runners, but I like the silhouette of this model and I think with the right pants or shorts, they could most certainly work.

There are several executions of this model: the TX4, but I like that this particular version, the TX4 EVO, has a strip of suede, which gives it a little more texture and heart than their all-out technical options.

Not as subtle as the Salomon du jour, but hey, why not!

Two colorways of this shoe are available on the La Sportiva USA site. ($169)

There are a few sizes of another crazy model, the TX3, on sale. ($113)

Hanwag

Guess what?! Another heritage hiking brand, this time from Bavaria. Hanwag kind of blows the competition out of the water, because they can boast 100% EU manufacturing on their products. After several jaunts through European factories and after speaking with some Euro-based brands, I’ve learned firsthand just how rare that ethos is becoming.

Rotopunkt Low LL

Hanwag is mainly known for their beefy hiking boots - some technical models and some made in a more heritage leather style. But around a year ago, their 80s repro Rotopunkt series crossed my radar. I thought, “those are cool, but does anyone wear them?”

And what do you know, I saw another stylish septuagenerian cruising around Paris in a pair of these bad boys. (I believe that’s a very high vote of confidence when I see old people rocking shoes like this.) In a variety of fun color combos and with that decidedly retro hiker energy, these ought to slot into most people’s wardrobes fairly well.

These shoes are the priciest entry on the list ($250), but with that EU construction and a vibram sole… you can probably see why.