Last year I worried a lot about shoes. Comfortable shoes are essential at WDW. As are dry shoes.
In the end I went for Adidas UltraBoost for dry weather, and then Crocs — which I carried around with me all day — for when it rained.
This year I wanted an all-in-one solution and thought I’d found the perfect pair. But after a final field trial today, I’m not so sure.
Also this year I have the added complication of needing a formal pair of shoes for dinner at V&A. I decided to go with a suede pair that I have.
Here are the characters in our story:
At the top are the UltraBoost. These are the most comfortable shoes in the world. They’re basically a sock glued to a big chunk of styrofoam. They couldn’t give you blisters even if they wanted to. They’re really light, too. And breathable. And they’re what I wore last year.
But they’re a sock. When it rains, not so great. Hence the Crocs last year. But I don’t want to go down that route again.
Now, there’s a product called Crep Protect — you spray the shoes and they become hydrophobic: water literally will not stick to them. I tried it on my suede shoes (in the middle of the picture). I put the shoe under a running tap and not a speck of water made contact with the shoe. It just slips right off.
So I’m going to try that on the UltraBoosts. It may not work because the upper is basically fabric. Water may get through the holes. I don’t know.
Now the suede shoes are what I’m wearing for dinner but they are also actually incredibly comfortable. And with the Crep Protect they are utterly invincible against water. I’m thinking I might wear them all/most/some of the time in the parks.
Finally, the ones at the bottom. The ones new this year. Waterproof and all sorts of features. But, well, just not that comfortable. I really wanted them to be, but they’re just not. I’ve walked 4.5 miles in them today (it’s been a hot day here in the UK) and, well, I’m putting my feet up and being grateful for the relief. With the UltraBoost you just don’t need to do that.
Also I love the fact the UltraBoost are basically slip-on/slip off. Easy. Especially at airports!
So I’ll do a water test on the UltraBoost later when the Crep Protect has dried. I think I’m going for those and the suede. (I’m not saying I’ll wear one and carry one. I’ll maybe look at the weather and my schedule and see which is best for any given day.) And a spare pair of socks in my day bag.
Shoes, huh. Who knew someone could write this much about them?