Lightweight Shoes for Men

[Frank II]

For years, I've been traveling with one pair of shoes--my ever loving Rockport Dress in Black.

But now, I'm thinking of taking a second, lightweight pair that won't take up much room or add a lot of weight. The shoe must go with either black or gray Dockers and not look too ridiculous. They need to be in black so they'll go with everything I wear when traveling.

Any suggestions?

[Rory]

They aren't cheap, but I really like Rancourt & Co loafers. I have two pairs:
Rancourt & Company
and
Rancourt & Company

They both have been slightly customized. I got the brown ones about a year ago and really loved them for the thin flat leather soles. However, those thin soles wore out pretty quickly so I had them resoled with a honey boat sole that should last longer. The black ones I just got a couple weeks ago, and had them custom made with black stitching instead of the contrast stitching to make them dressier. They will now be my go to travel work shoes: lightweight, easy on/off, dressy enough, and very comfortable to walk in.

[campfire]

If something more casual is acceptable, I like Soft Star Shoes. The >Dash Runamoc in black might be one to consider. I own two pairs of Soft Stars with the 5mm Trail Soles and couldn't be happier with them.

Vivobarefoot makes the Jay, Dharma and Gobi models in black leather.

These brands cater to the minimalist running or hiking enthusiast who wants work/dress shoes of a similar construction, so they feature extremely flexible soles and low-drop / zero-drop. For travel, they tend to pack very small as well. Googling "Minimalist Dress Shoes" should turn up some relevant discussions.

[jilytibrme]

Frank, check out Vivobarefoot, formally known as Terra Plana

Jim

[campfire]

I'll second the Vivobarefoot recommendation, as well as Soft Star Shoes. If a more casual style is acceptable, the Soft Star Dash Runamoc is a great minimalist running shoe that packs very small for travel as well. I own two pairs with the 5mm Trail Sole and couldn't be happier with them.

[campfire]

Sorry for the double post.

[autolycus]

Two other possible options: Keen has recently added a "CNX" line that is lighter than their normal lines. For leather shoes, they have a lace-up and a slip-on that would work with khakis, but probably not a suit. Both have a black option. I just got back from a trip with a pair of the Clearwater CNX, which is the lighter version of their standard "hiking sandal". They were very comfortable and exceptionally easy to pack. I'm not sure I'd want that thin of a sole for standing around in museum lines or on pavement all day, but for short walks and even for a couple of 1-2 hour hikes on soft dirt trails with some rocks, I was not yearning for my regular shoes with more cushioning.

KEEN Footwear - CNX

The other option not already mentioned is Patagonia, which has some shoes in a dark gray or black that might work for your purposes. I've never owned Patagonia shoes, but a few of them might be worth checking out if you have a store nearby that carries them.

[Yonkdaddy]

I recently got a pair of Ecco Bioms. There are about a hundred variants on their website. They are VERY comfortable, VERY light, and are a great "around town" shoe that could serve as a casual shoe under a pair of chinos in a pinch.

[Badger]

+1 on Vivos and Soft Star. Toms also make an oxford-style shoe that's very squishable, and nice for warm weather. Merrell makes a few minimalist shoes that would be dress-casual appropriate; the models are usually called "Barefoot Something Glove" shoes.

birthdayshoes.com has some good reviews on minimalist footwear for both men and women, and they've covered many if not most of the minimalist dress options out there.