As avid travelers and readers of WBTW, you’ll likely be the kind of traveler who appreciates comfort but doesn’t want to give up style. After all, we bring you unusual and creative styles and fashion through our curation process and try to find brands who do a great job at both. After all, who wants to look like a geek while you’re on the road? You want to feel chic but be comfortable too.
Meet Khombu, a new shoe brand we discovered who also doesn’t believe in sacrificing style for warmth and reliability. Their shoes are really great at dealing with all-terrain and all weather. Their mantra is innovative footwear with unique features and benefits that deliver waterproof and water-friendly protection, exceptional performance and comfort. They offer choices for men, women, and for kids as well, making them a great family travel brand choice for footwear. My favorite for women? The Khombu Molineo which I opted to test out because of it’s combination of functionality, and fun vibrant color.
The first thing I noticed about the Khombu Molineo was its fun factor. Sure, tons of brands have running shoes and trainers in wild vibrant and even neon colors, but what I loved was the richness of the purple combined with high quality material that was obvious even before I put them on. The other thing to note about this shoe is its durability and grip, making it a great shoe for hiking trails and hills. It is crafted from black and purple scuba knit, which cuts back on the weight of the shoe. I love the adjustable bungee toggle which makes it easy to tighten as you go. My foot is very narrow so even with medium width shoes, my foot can get a little lost. The Khombu shoes tend to run a little wide, which isn’t a problem for those of us with narrow feet as long as you wear a thicker than average sock or add an inner sole which I do when I wear them.
Want to test them out? Head on over to Amazon to order this vibrantly colored and comfortable gem.
For men, we went with the what they refer to as the Reef Shark 2.0 which comes in a couple of color options. Echoing with what we experienced with the woman’s Molineo shoe, the Reef Shark combines high quality material with comfort. Since they don’t come in half sizes, I’d suggest ordering a half size up from your regular size. We wanted to put these to the test together, so Anthony and I went on a hike up a moderate hill near our house, one which has a combination of grass and dry dirt as we don’t get a lot of wet terrain in the San Francisco Bay Area, at least not recently. The traction was definitely above average (two thumbs up!!) and unlike some of the other outdoor walking shoes in this category, they are very light, which is a nice feature for avid travelers.
This trail walking shoe will also work in less than ideal weather conditions, including water rapids. While the upper is leather, it’s a waterproof leather with a mesh upper for breathability. There’s a perforated cushioned removable insole, a water drainage bottom and like the Molineo, there’s an adjustable bungee lace strap. We love the quick dry materials, one of the features we were thrilled about since it makes for a great buy for adventure travel gurus. You can order the Reef Shark on Amazon and the price is oh so reasonable!
They have something they refer to as All Season’s Technology and K-Guard is part of that all season’s technology, to help protect your shoes when you’re out in the rain. Their shoes feature memory foam insoles so make it oh so comfy for those longer walks, whether it be on rocks, climbing a hill or while sightseeing in a city. Because they focus on being so crafted for all weather outdoor environments, they have included slip resistant outsoles to really deal with those more complex and wet terrains.
Athletes will love their shoe’s breathability and ventilation, which means that you’ll feel good in them for long periods of time, which is especially useful for travelers who can’t bring tons of shoes with them on a trip. Often a few pairs have to serve multiple purposes, which we believe Khombu does very well, especially if you have an adventure trip planned.
Renee Blodgett is the Founder and Managing Editor of We Blog the World, a global travel, culture and lifestyle publication exploring the world through the lens of meaningful experiences, human connection and cultural depth. Having lived in 10 countries and traveled to 95, Renee has spent much of her life immersed in the people, traditions, landscapes and ideas that shape how we experience the world.
Since launching We Blog the World in 2007, she has written and produced extensive editorial coverage spanning boutique and luxury travel, culinary experiences, arts and culture, wellness, adventure, technology, spiritual traditions and transformative travel. Her work is rooted in the belief that travel is about more than where we go—it is also about what a place, culture or encounter awakens within us.
Renee brings more than three decades of experience across journalism, photography, media, brand strategy, technology, wellness and global storytelling. She has worked with companies and organizations around the world on brand positioning, communications, product launches, media strategy, speaker positioning and storytelling. Through Blue Soul Media, she works with authors, entrepreneurs, thought leaders and purpose-driven brands to clarify their message and expand their impact, which includes speaker coaching/training for high-profile stages such as TED and bringing authors’ work to market while retaining authors rights.
She is also the co-founder of Blue Soul Earth, an educational platform exploring consciousness, ancient wisdom, spirituality, healing and the intersection between science and the nature of reality. Renee is the producer and host of the award-winning Blue Soul CHATS, a conversational series bringing together leading voices in science, technology, consciousness, wellness and spirituality.
Her growing body of work also includes Blue Soul Living, which extends her interest in consciousness and well-being into the spaces we inhabit, exploring how intentional design, energy and environment can support greater harmony and connection.
Renee is the award-winning co-author of the bestselling Magdalene’s Journey and founder of the Magdalene Collection, inspired by women’s voices, stories and wisdom across cultures and generations.
A longtime photographer and storyteller, Renee has documented people, places and cultures around the world and produced photographic collections focused on destinations including the Galápagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome and Ecuador. She also co-founded Traveling Geeks, an international initiative that brought entrepreneurs, journalists, creators and technology leaders together with their counterparts in other countries to exchange ideas and explore innovation across cultures.
Renee’s work has been recognized by Forbes, the United Nations and others for her influence in media and social storytelling. Across her work in travel, media, consciousness and culture, a common thread remains: curiosity about the world, the stories that connect us and the ways meaningful experiences can change how we see ourselves and one another.
