Skinners Comfort 2.0 Barefoot Sock Shoes

If you're doing any kind of multi-day adventure where you need to pack light then the Skinners Comfort 2.0 Barefoot Sock Shoes are a useful and compact way to bring some non-riding footwear.

> Buy now: Skinners Comfort 2.0 for £53.90 from Wildbound

The Skinners Comfort 2.0 is essentially a stretchy synthetic sock with a bonded rubber outsole. The sole itself is finished with small, irregular chunks of rubber and offers decent grip in normal conditions across a range of surfaces, and the barefoot nature of these shoes means that they conform around irregularities in the ground. If you're a fan of the barefoot feel then you'll probably see that as a positive thing, and if you're used to stiffer shoes then it'll take some getting used to.

The sole wraps around the upper to a certain extent so they're fine on damp ground, but if you're sloshing through puddles then your feet aren't going to be dry for long – the upper is a sock, after all.

These Comfort shoes have an additional 2mm insole that's perforated for better air flow. That makes them a touch bulkier but even then these are very packable shoes: wrap a ski strap round them and bundle them up and you'll have a grapefruit-sized bundle of shoes that you'll be more likely to be able to cram in your seatpack than a standard shoe. If you're really pressed for space you can pull the insoles out and leave them at home.

They were pretty comfy in use: the sock upper is close-fitting without being restrictive and they have a nice wide toe box that didn't compress my foot at all; a slim fit version with a narrower toe box and longer length is also available for £62.90 (the Compression 2.0). I found them to be a nice pair of shoes to wear; you have to respect the fact that the sole is very thin and not venture too far off the beaten track, but for slinging in a bag they're great if you want to get out of your clumpy bike shoes for the evening.

What are your other options for lightweight shoes on tour? If the weather's going to be good then lightweight sandals/sliders/flip flops are a popular choice, and the lightest of those will pack up smaller than these Skinners. Another option is a lightweight water shoe with a mesh upper rather than neoprene: you can pick them up in stores like Decathlon for next to nothing and they're also pretty packable, although they won't be as good as the Skinners in damper climes. Assuming that you're reading this somewhere where you might go bikepacking or touring in less than perfect conditions, the Skinners are a good option: sturdy enough and with enough of a sole to cope with a wider range of conditions and temperatures but still compact enough to find space for.

Care couldn't be easier: you can just sling them in the washing machine if you get them grimy. They're available in a range of six (muted) colours and seven sizes, to accommodate feet from size 36 to size 48. At over £50 a pair they're certainly not cheap, and if you're less worried about your feet, or you only head out on adventures in shorts weather, then a pair of sandals or sliders can be had for a lot less than this. I've found these to be a useful addition to the bikepacking/audax/touring arsenal, though.

> Buy now: Skinners Comfort 2.0 for £53.90 from Wildbound

Verdict

Useful packable camp shoes that are comfortable and reasonably sturdy