Traveling In My Kuru Shoes

by Donna Hull on 2009/11/05

Hiking on Kodiak Island, Alaska

Baby boomer travelers, are you looking for a pair of comfortable shoes that are suitable for hiking, yet easy to pack? Well, look no more. I have just the shoe for you.

When the folks at Kuru asked me to try out a pair of their Kuru Womens Shoes, I knew I’d found my lightweight hiking shoes to bring along on our Vancouver to Singapore cruise. I chose the “Chicane” style in a brown color (Java) with turquoise lacing. The look of the asymmetrical lacing system, meant to follow the top line of my foot, took some getting used to; but I appreciated the secure fit it provided. The collapsible uppers made the shoes especially easy to pack.

Although my Kuru shoes felt light as a feather on my feet, they provided the sturdiness that I needed when I hiked on Kodiak Island in Alaska. I liked the way the soles gripped the slippery surface at Nalychevo Nature Park on Russia’s Kamchatka Peninsula. And in rainy Juneau, the water beaded up on the surface of my Kurus, proving their water resistance.

No wet feet for me on a rainy day in Juneau, Alaska

What makes Kuru shoes different from their competitors? According to the Kuru website, Kuru shoes are designed with an ergonomic and anatomically correct active midsole. The patent-pending technology custom molds to your feet providing orthotic quality support. “The thermoplastic HeelKradl™ orthotic keeps the fat pad where nature intended, under the heel bone and reinforced to support the arch.”

What do other hikers and travelers think about Kuru shoes? Check out these reviews:
SectionHiker.com
The Adventure Blog
Mom Most Traveled
Gear Diary

Resting with my Kurus near a smoking volcano in Russia

If you think Kuru might be the shoe for you, be sure to use this coupon code: ITCHYFEET10 for 10% off your order at the Kuru site. Along with your purchase, Kuru donates a portion of profits to a charity that you choose. Don’t be jealous, boomer guys. Kuru produces shoes for men too.

Would you like to win a pair of Kurus? Post a comment after this post telling me where you would hike in your Kurus for a chance to win a pair of Slipstream, Draft or Rapid models of Kuru shoes. Please include your email for contact purposes. Contest ends on Thursday, November 12, 2009 at 11:00 p.m. Arizona Mountain Standard Time. Winner will be announced as soon as possible after Monday, November 16, 2009. Remember, according to my general contest rules, the winner must be a U.S. resident and respond within 48 hours of receiving the notification email, or I chose another winner.

Disclosure: Kuru Footwear provided a pair of shoes for me to try; however, they did not pay me to write this post.

UPDATE: November 13, 2009. This contest has expired. As soon as the winner acknowledges receipt of my email, I’ll make the announcement.

Share and Enjoy:

Tagged as: Baby boomer travel, baby boomers, comfortable shoes, easy to pack, footwear, hiking shoes, kuru, lightweight, shoes, travel

Sheila @GoVisitHawaii

Oh, I'd wear them hiking in Hawaii for sure!

Sounds like a great traveling shoe -- collapses for packing, ergonomic, keeps you dry in wet weather. Me likey!

Rachel Dickinson

I'd wear them in Iceland.

Beth

Hi Donna, The Kuru sounds like a great shoe. I'm not into hiking much, but I'm into comfortable shoes. Thx!!

Jill L

I would wear them hiking the Appalachian Trail.

CanCan

I like that style! They look good on you, too.

kerrydexter

interesting thet they're so lightweight and also sturdy. as you wore thne in Alaska, sounds as though they stand up to winter too. I'd wear them to hike in the Caringorms in highland Scotland.

Kate

I would wear them up in NY's Adirondack Mountains! Thank you.

Roxanne @ Champion of My Heart

Well, considering I live in the Rocky Mtns. I would wear my Kuru to hike all the amazing places right outside my front door. Of course, I could bring the canine protagonist of my blog (my border collie Lilly) along for the adventure.

mickeyfan

We love to go to Rocky Mtn Natl Park in Colorado. That would be one place I'd love to try these shoes!

lkbside

Those look comfy, Donna! I would wear them hiking out my door and also during our upcoming trip to Miraval in Tucson.

Stephanie - Wasabimon

Oh, these look great! I'd love to take them hiking through Thailand when I'm there in March. :)

My email is steph at wasabimon.

mverno

i would wear them ourdoor mverno@roadrunner.com

traveltoday

Those look comfy! I'd wear them to hike through the pyramids in Mexico. It would be much easier to make it up Teotihuacan in a pair of those.

Michele

I don't get to travel very often due to the economy but, we do go to a local lake which has many hills and rocky areas. I would definately wear these hiking boots there so that I have the opportunity to climb the hills and rocks without slipping and falling into the lake or sharp rocks below.

Thank you for the giveaway

agordon10

I'd be hiking right here in the metroparks of Ohio.

Shelly

in the Australian outback in December

jshove1

I would hike to "soldiers Delight" it's a state park close to my work that has tons of trails.

Cee

The Walls of Jericho ~ http://www.tennessee.gov/environment/na/natarea...

Jennifer Margulis

Man, do I EVER want to win a pair. I would take the boat to Wizard Island, in the middle of Crater Lake, and hike up the caldera with these gorgeous shoes on my hikerly feet!

traymona

I'd wear them when my family goes hiking in our local State Parks.

margaretsmith

We go hiking locally often with my whole family. I'd mostly use these in our neighborhood. Thanks so much.

joe hansen

I'd hike the sawtooth range in Idaho

deborahstinson

I would most likely do some hiking locally either at one of the state parks or at Magee Marsh, which is close to where I live. If I did get to travel somewhere else to hike though, I would like to hike some of the Appalachian Trail.

Mom2anutball

Rocky Mountain National park! Thanks!

Leslie

I'll be tracking gorillas in East Africa in a few months and I need some new hiking shoes before I go. These would be perfect!

SoCalBebe

I'd like to hike around the trails of Balboa Park here in San Diego.

jenhaupt

Oh, there is nothing better than comfy shoes when traveling! And one must be able to take them off and put them on quickly.

Stephanie V.

Would love to hike Sequoia but more likely our local mountain
tvollowitz at aol dot com

Elkaye

I'd like to wear them while traveling in South America!

elkaye[at]gmail[dot]com

JeanOurexplorerTourGuide

A good pair of shoes matters a lot. Traveler longer and more comfortable.

http://www.OurExplorer.com
local guides, local wisdom

hawkshoe

If I could choose anywhere to hike, I would choose the Inca trail to go see Machu Pichu.

kristico

I would wear them hiking in the Smoky Mountains.

Lina C

Urban hiking! I'd wear them on my trip to Amsterdam next year!

Elena

I'm planning to visit Italy next year--I'd use my shoes all over Rome and Naples!

Deci

I would summit Mt. whitney. I was at the portal last week, but my feet hurt.

Lisa

Got a trip to Vietnam planned, these sound great for Sapa ( and everywhere else, I love to hike).

stevegibbs

I think If I won this giveaway, I would give the shoe choice to the wife, she has trouble finding footwear that is comfortable.
We both spend a lot of time on our feet, and just finding footwear that is a good fit, and reasonable cost is a daunting task.
Thanks for giving us all a shot at a nice pair of these!!!

Mark H

Wow, doesn't a contest attract lots of commentary. I wonder if Kuru shoes have meandered their way down to Australia yet?

sweetsue

I would wear them hiking through Arches National Park. I was there once, but didn't have time to explore properly and plan on going back soon.
smchester at gmail dot com

mogrill

I would wear em hiking at Mt. rainier park. Thanks for the chance. mogrill@comcast.net

johnrasmussen

we are not too far from the appalachian trail, and I go there frequently

Ra1n2beau

Kuru shoes sound like I could hike all over Michigan with them but I think I would like to hike Sedona, AZ again with them.

cynthiac

I'd like to hike in my grandfather's village in Italy. Thank you!

Ann H.

Hiking up and down the Spanish Steps, for sure :-)

Priscilla

I like taking my dog and Grandkids hiking in the State parks, here in Alabama.

Shilo Beedy

I would wear them at Disney World since we always spend all day walking each day were there.

samsakara@twcny.rr.com

carogonza

We are planning a trip to Costa Rica and I would so use these on the hiking trails of the rainforests and cloud forests we plan to visit.

Randy Bailey

I would wear them 2 hike around our local lakes

LittleEagle

I would love to have these shoes to hike on Maui.

metalmomma

I'd wear them while hiking in the Big South Fork. I live right in the middle of it and hike weekly.

jillmyrick

I would wear these shows while we are geocaching. We do a lot of hiking and these shoes look so comfortable.
Thank you so much for the chance to win.

jweezie43[at]aol[dot]com

ferriz

I would take them hiking in yosemite. I hope to go sometime this year with friends and i want to beat them up the trails instead of whining and lagging behind.

ferriza2(at)yahoo(dot)com

Katy Kelley

I'm looking forward to hiking the beautiful green trails and parks in Washington state, where water-resistance would be a great plus! Since I'll be flying back and forth until I move up there next summer, the light weight and packability (is that a word?) would mean I could upgrade from sneakers. My ancient hiking boots weigh a TON, so they don't fly with me.

caroldz

I would hike in the Red Rock State Park in Sedona, Az. I'd do a lot of hiking in Sedona.

idahodad7

An 8 mile drive to beautiful hikes in Idaho mountains.

MrsWW

I've always secretly wished I could hike across Great Britain. But in reality I would just hike in some of the state & county parks nearby. They are really beautiful.

djsp

they look really comfortable...like maybe slippers

idahomom

We love to hike to the moutain lakes in Idaho.

Tammy

Is the image with the caption "No wet feet for me on a rainy day in Juneau, Alaska" edited in any way? I really like the look of burnt sienna around the base of the foot, but the people at Kuru told me that the Chicane comes with a black base, as it is shown on their website.

I guess if I'm commenting, I should contest too: If I win a pair of Kurus, I'll take them on my 3-month traipse through Europe: Spain, Iceland, Finland, Germany, Turkey.

nanjhall

I have never heard of these before but since all five blog reviews are great, I am going to have to check them out. They don't sound like they will replace by hiking boots, but would be excellent for day hiking and wandering around Shenandoah National Park where I spend a considerable amount of time.

aekz2

I would love to go somewhere exotic, but it's not going to happen any time soon. I'd like to wear these when I go hiking with my family on a trail that's not too far from my house.

Sylvie W.

I'd hope into my Slipstreams and head for the hills. My first hill, Ringing Rocks Park in Upper Black Eddy Pennsylvania.

Mimi

I would hike in beautiful New Jersey!

melissaroberts

We are taking the family to Yellowstone next year. I will be puttimg many miles on these middle age feet.
I could these great shoes to help offset my age against my teenagers. Ha Ha

sarah

i'd hike in raven rock Maryland!

jennem

I'd hike in the Adirondacks.

wwe11

I'd like to hike in Hawaii.

smc380

In the canyon near our home.

sottovoce

I would wear my new Kuru shoes when I go hiking.

Thank you. :-)

Christina Sparks

Yosemite park where my husband and I went for our Honeymoon.

christa1956

i would wear them in the black hills next trip to s.d.

ksh123

I would wear them to hike next time we visit the Smokey Mountains.

lance pearson

i would hike in the adirondak mountains
dreamcleavers@yahoo.com

danielbates

My parents have some land out in the country and i would love to have them to hike there

egare

I'd wear these when hubby and I hike the local area, and they'd be essential when we go hike the Grand Canyon!

Pamela Scott

I would hike to Bagby Hotsprings, out past Estacada, Oregon. It is a beautiful drive getting there, and then a great hike up to the rustic log-hewn hot tubs.

Angela Gaffke

I would hike at Mount Rainier! It is so beautiful.

jazzbrk

I'd love to take my Kuru's hiking in the Rockies in Wyoming, but right now I'd use them for hiking around the neighborhood with my 2 year old grandson.

Storm

I'd love to wear them when we go hiking in the Olympics!

Carolsue

All kinds of places! Here in the Sierras; when we go to Hawaii. Anywhere, really.

jengersch

In the PA mountains

JMARIE

We're tring to plan a trip to the Pacific Northwest for next year & plan to do lots of hiking..I'd love to wear these there...Thanks for the giveaway!

Fionen

I would wear my Kurus to hike in Yellowstone Park. They have great wild life and natural springs, geysers, and mud pots. I love Yellowstone.

Rosey

We are going on a hiking trip in northern Ohio just before the cold weather makes it difficult, and I would wear them there. Thank you.

pamelas

Well I'd love to be hiking somewhere exotic like you hiked, but realistically I'd probably only be hiking in the Smokey Mountains. Thanks so much! pamelashockley(AT)netscape(DOT)net

joannaonthelake

Oh my goodness, I would wear these Kurus Shoes everywhere?! I don't need to travel to a rugged terrain in order to be able to reap the benefits of wearing these amazing shoes, my life as a busy mommy of 3 young kids warrants me the need to wear them all the time, don't cha think? We are a very active outdoor enthusiast type family. We hike not only along our lake shoreline, but also at several of our local parks that offers some very challenging and picturesque trails. We also downhill ski, snowboard in the winter and waterski in the summer. I am constantly on the go with the family, our 3 kids and our 2 dogs. Just wearing these Kurus when I walk our dogs Lucy & Max would be a dream, let alone all the running around town I do with the kids, so thank you so much for the wonderful chance to enter!

Carrie M

Those shoes look so comfortable. I would love to wear them in Jamaica. They have soe fun places to hike and do zip lines.

tesashel

I would hike in them in Hawaii.

Kimberly

I would wear these hiking at the local parks. We don't have a vacation planned until next summer. I would break them in walking downtown during our snowy winter. They look like they'd keep me dry. :)

Christina

I'd wear these Kuru shoes all along the lakefront and into the parks and forests in my area!

Arla

I guess out in the back woods behind our property!

susansmoaks

i would hike the Appalachian trail in my Kuru shoes if I won!
susansmoaks at gmail dot come

happishopr

perfect for hiking our acreage, the local parks and zoos.

carol ~

If I had my choice I would hike around the towns in Europe-small and large-up and down the hills. But I don't know if I will get to do that so I would say I would wear them walking with my hubby where we live. We walk every morning for health reasons and we live in a hilly area so it is a good workout. These shoes sure would help! I have tried running shoes and they give me shin splints so I need a good walking shoe and right now I just use some old walking shoes but they are nearing their end. Great giveaway!

Aisling

We're hoping for a trip to Germany next year and I'd have plenty of opportunity to really test these shoes out. In the meantime, however, I'd probably wear them whenever I was going to be doing some walking (like the shopping mall at this time of year).

reallycool31

I'm considering a trip to Colorado or Wyoming and would love to wear them while hiking through the mountains.

KEVEN

THERE IS NOTHING BETTER THAN A GREAT PAIR OF WALKING SHOES AND THAK YOU kuru FOR THE EXTRA EFFORT...

devnzac

We live in the foothills of the Sierras. We are blessed with many wonderful places to hike.. all year round. what is even more weird is that kuru is the name of our almost 4 year old black lab and my boyfriends old band. ;-)

redfantum

Hubby wants to hit the Grand Canyon again. These look like just the ticket.

DanV

I'd like to hike in Yosemite

lilshuga2001

I would take them to the Trails in Seattle!!

nesta67

I would hike in Itasca State Park.

lilyk

I would like to hike in Kurus in Europe.

lilyk@mail2world.com

Swtlilchick

I would go hiking with my Kuru's in the Blue Ridge Mountains.There are beautiful trails there and the scenery is breathtaking.It is a serene place to go and find peace