Product Review: On-the-go business footwear (with Gore-Tex)

by Jerry Guo on

If you guys don’t know already, New Haven is a wet place. So I was really excited to find a pair of dress shoes made out of Gore-Tex. The Berlin GTX, which retails for about $200, have been an absolute critical part of my wardrobe. In fact, I just wore them to a lunch dinner with Ted Sorenson, one of JFK’s closest advisers (I did make the mistake of wearing jeans, but these shoes at least got me through the door).

Best of all, the GTX is really for people on the go. I’m thinking in particular of those long treks through the airport. My old pair really made my soles hurt just from the walk between the security checkpoint and the gate.

And if you somehow do get them wet–I’m thinking the only case this would happen is if you ford a river–the removable Ecco Comfort Fiber System (ok they might have went a little far with the marketing) means you’ll have a dry shoe in no time. But again, I can’t emphasis enough how clutch the Gore-Tex has been in keeping my feet dry; I think it also helps keeping everything down there aerated.

The only downside is the shoes came with the laces all mistied. I tried relacing, and this may be a sign of my stupidity rather than anything on Gore-Tex’s part, but even now, the laces pop out on the inside of the shoes. Again, I think I’m just rather thick-headed.

There’s a couple other styles that I’ve found on the Gore-Tex site.

Gadling Gear: Vibram Five Fingers

by Tynan on

Ultralight packing is the constant quest for perfection. Each item put away in the bag must be outrageously useful, versatile, small, and light. That rules out almost everything.

And for a while, the ultimate shoes escaped me. Sandals are light and small, but not versatile. I couldn’t run or hike with them.

I had some gore tex trail running shoes that I liked, but they weren’t light and small. They were fairly versatile, but were a disaster at the beach.

For a long time I carried two pairs of shoes. One in the backpack and one on my feet. Not perfect, but not bad.

Then I stumbled across the perfect pair of shoes by accident. My travel mate bought a pair during a brief stopover in LA.

Vibram Five Fingers.They looked ridiculous at first glance, like a combination of a glove and a ballet slipper. I had read about them online, specifically that a small subculture of runners absolutely loved them because they were like running barefoot and promoted proper running form.

But I wasn’t convinced. They seemed so minimal that they must fall short in some area or another.

As our trip took us through Southeast Asia and my friend’s Five Fingers began stealing the spotlight from his other shoes, I started regretting that I hadn’t bought a pair.

I searched across several countries trying in vain to find a pair of these shoes. They were sold out or unavailable everywhere. All of a sudden a cult following had developed and they were in short supply.

Finally I contacted Vibram to see if I could get a pair to review. They agreed under the condition I didn’t run with the bulls wearing the shoes. Fair enough.

Now I’m a full on convert. I still have my sandals (for now…), but the Gore Tex trail shoes are gone.

To put it simply, wearing Five Fingers feels like cheating. You feel like you’re walking around barefoot, but with armor. It’s weird.

The experience of walking with the five fingers is incredible. The shoes are so light that you don’t notice they’re there. You can feel the texture of the ground below you. Walking on grass is fun.

Running in the Five Fingers does take a bit of time to get used to, as Vibram will tell you, but once you get used to it it’s actually a lot better for your body than normal running shoes. For more information on that, look up the “POSE” method of running.

They’re not waterproof, but they dry quickly enough that you don’t mind getting them wet.

They’re not formal shoes by any stretch of the imagination, but I wore mine with a Tuxedo on the Queen Mary 2. The shoes are so interesting looking that they curiously asked about them rather than giving me flak for not having proper footwear.

The one thing they’re not good for, apparently, is running with the bulls. My friend got pulled out of the street because the police wouldn’t believe that they’re actually running shoes. For everything else, they’re fantastic.

The shoes come in a few different styles which you can see at Vibram’s Site. My friend swears by the Classics, and I love the KSOs that Vibram sent me because sand and gravel don’t get into them.

It’s tough to get a pair of them right now, but your best bet is probably a local high end running store or outdoor gear store. Most online stores are backed up by weeks or months.

Gadling TAKE FIVE: Week of June 6–June 13

by Jamie Rhein on

Sorry to have missed last week’s Take FIVE post, but I was off in Hocking Hills, Ohio without WiFi, something I didn’t expect. In a few hours I’ll be heading to Tennessee. Who knows what will happen when I leave the house? Therefore, here’s this week’s Take Five before I go.

With summer travel comes footwear choices. Abha, Iva and Heather all had something to say about shoes. Flip-flops, Crocs or stew shoes? Which ones are safer? What about fashion?

Along with thinking about footwear options, summer is a time you can learn new things. Matthew has some suggestions for singing karaoke with the best of them. And, Aaron passes along tips about a Turkish bath.

Since I missed last week, here are a few more summer tidbits. Erik offers up sunburn advice, Kent knows just how to savor a meal in Paris and Jeremy provides details about GPS and location services to help you get where you’re going.

Happy Friday the 13th, Happy Father’s Day, and enjoy the weekend. As for me, I have to pack.

Galley Gossip: Stew Shoes (the search continues…)

by Heather Poole on

Ever wonder what flight attendants talk about in the galley behind closed curtains? Oh I bet you do. Most days you’d probably be sorry you asked. For real. It can get a little crazy back there. But recently I had a conversation on-board a flight that was tame enough to share, a conversation that I think all flight attendants at all airlines would be interested in hearing, and it started out something like this..

“I’m sorry,” said Diane, my fellow coworker, as she sat on the jumpseat and quickly looked over her shoulder into the dimly lit coach cabin to make sure no one was listening. No one was listening. No one was even there. All of our passengers were actually in their seats with their seat belts fastened. Most likely because we’d already finished the last beverage service of the night, the in-flight movie was just about over, and in less than an hour we’d be touching down in Los Angeles (And on our way to the layover hotel.) That’s when Diane leaned in close and half whispered, “But I just can’t bring myself to do it.”

“Oh my gosh, me neither!” I exclaimed, hopping off the jumpseat in order to grab a glass of water for a passenger who’d stumbled smack dab into the middle of our conversation. I smiled. He smiled. Diane smiled. We all smiled. And then he thanked me for the water and disappeared. Sitting down on the jumpseat closest to Diane, I added, “Don’t get me wrong, there are times when I wish I could do it, really I do, but I can’t. I just can’t do it. I don’t know why.”

We began giggling when the super cute one with the bleached blond hair dressed in navy blue polyester pants and a starched white button down shirt sauntered into the back galley with a full bag of trash in hand, because he had, in fact, actually done it. He’d done what Diane and I could not bring ourselves to do. Not in this lifetime. What the heck did he do? The Dansko clog of course!

In case you haven’t been on an airplane in the last ten years, the Dansko clog is to the flight attendant what the Tumi bag is to the frequent flier. Next time the beverage cart makes a stop at your row, go ahead, take a look, I bet they’re there. They’re everywhere! Just not on my feet.

What happened to be on my feet the night I found myself giggling away with Diane on the jumpseat in the back of coach on a 767 was a brand new pair of shoes that, after one six hour long flight, had turned out to be a huge mistake killing my feet. They needed to be replaced. And fast! So, once again, the search for the perfect flight attendant shoe began. It’s been ongoing for years. Thirteen years to be precise.

All I want is something cute enough to wear through the terminal and comfy enough to walk up and down the aisle, that’s it. But that, I have to say, as most flight attendants already know, is next to impossible to find. Oh I’m done with the whole high-heel-change-into-a-flat thing. Done carting around an extra pair of comfortable shoes in my already overstuffed tote bag that I have to change into as soon as we hit our cruising altitude . I mean all I want to do is put on a pair of shoes before I leave the house and be done with it. That’s it. I’m over it.

Which now brings me to three distinct types of flight attendant shoes (for women) I’ve encountered working the line over the years…

THE NEW HIRE HEEL. These clickity clackers can be seen from miles away, because they’ve probably been paired with a skirt that’s just a tad bit too short, as they strut through the airport terminal. Trust me, there is no freakin way these babies can work a flight, which is why they’re usually the opening act for the Dansko clog. Yes, this is the flight attendant fantasy shoe – for men. (And I’m not just talking about the men in drag.) Add another inch to this heel and these, to me, scream available! At least on the airplane they do, because in real life I…well…maybe, sort of, kind of, like them…kind of, maybe, sort of. Okay okay, so I actually own a pair (or two), so what! I only wear them hidden under a long jean. Not on the airplane. Nor in the terminal. Why? Because they say, “is there anything else I can get you, sir?” (Wink Wink). They belong to Cockpit Connie. Not you. Or do they belong to my flight attendant friend Steven? Or was it me! Jeez, I can’t remember.

THE OVER IT SHOE: Those of you who do not pick up trash at 35,000 feet for a living probably think this shoe belongs hidden behind the cart, or in the back of a closet, or at the bottom of a trash bin, and you’re probably right, but ever since our work days have gotten longer and our layovers have gotten shorter (layover, what layover?) this is the shoe for me. Remember, I’m over it, and because I’m so over it (the shoe, people, not the job!) I can’t even properly explain it. In fact, I don’t even know if it can be explained, whatever it is I’m trying to explain. Or perhaps I’ve just been flying too much.

THE SENIOR MAMA LOAFER: Can you say retire already so I can finally get a little seniority and fall off the reserve list before I’m 50. Seriously people! Believe it or not, the person who now wears these sensible comfy loafers once wore those sexy white patent leather go-go boots with a hot little mini skirt. She did. Really she did. And maybe, just maybe, he did, too. Hey, you never know. So when you see a pair of these tired looking loafers walking down the nasty carpeted aisle, remember where they’ve been. What they’ve seen. And all the things they’ve done. (That you haven’t. And never will.) And don’t forget to aways – ALWAYS – respect the loafer!

What will I be wearing on my next flight? Check out these babies from Beautiful Feel, which I purchased from The Walking Store earlier this week. No, they weren’t cheap, but if they can make my feet feel beautiful while I’m picking up trash at 35,000 feet, feeling oh so not beautiful, I’ll pay whatever it takes. And more.

Be wary of flip-flop travel this summer

by Abha Malpani on

Come summer and flip-flops are back in style. I personally own 6 pairs of carefully selected, comfy-yet-fashionable flip-flops and I wear them everywhere, all the time, especially when I travel.

Mine are mostly soft rubber with a decent grip on the sole, so I have often pushed my flip-flop limits and worn them hiking. OK, not smart but comfort wasn’t the problem, the bugs were!

Anyway, looks like wearing flip-flops for long periods of time needs to be reconsidered as they change the way you walk. According to the American College of Sports Medicine in Indianapolis, when in flip-flops, other than walking, the foot needs to put extra effort into keeping the flip-flop on the foot. This could lead to various aches and pains that could ultimately lead to tendinitis, lower leg, knee, hip and back problems.

But I love my flip-flops and I don’t have any other footwear for summer! I have a pair of Nike rubber sandals but they are really ugly. Looks like I need to invest in some open walking shoes. Any suggestions?