The 7 Best Travel Shoe Bags Keep Your Kicks Fresh and Clean
Separating your running shoes from your clothes protects everything from dirt, grime and cross-contaminating odors.
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How many times have you packed your running shoes for a race, then opened your bag to find your clothes and anything else in there is now dirty and smells distinctly of feet? If you go on running trips, for competition or just for fun, using a lightweight, packable travel shoe bag can help you organize your packing, and more importantly, prevent the grime and foot funk coming off your sweaty kicks from contaminating everything else in your gym bag, duffle, or suitcase. Unlike throwing your shoes in a plastic bag, these breathable bags will let them air out and dry out while you’re on the road.
The Best Travel Shoe Bags
- Best Lightweight Shoe Bag: Eagle Creek Pack-It Reveal Shoe Sack
- Best Semi-Transparent Shoe Bag: pack all Water-Resistant Travel Shoe Bag
- Best for Cleats: Tracksmith Shoe Bag
- Best For The Gym: Case4Life Shoe Duffle Bag
- Ultralight and Sustainable: Peak Design Shoe Pouch
What to Consider in a Travel Shoe Bag
Shoe bags aren’t one-size fits all… literally. There are small bags that may not be able to hold a pair of size Men’s size 16 shoes. There are a few things to keep in mind as you pick one out. After spending years getting creative with our shoe-packing, we’ve discovered which factors really make for a great travel shoe bag, and which ones aren’t so important.
Size
Since shoe bags are designed to be packed within your luggage, it pays to look for the most compact bag possible that can actually accommodate your shoes. If you only want to carry one pair of Men’s size 10s, a big, bulky shoe bag will just take up extra space that you could use for other things. On the other hand, you want to make sure the bag is big enough to hold your shoes, especially if you wear a size 13 or higher.
Last, but not least: While most shoe bags are designed to hold a single pair, there are large models for people who want to bring a few–we’ve seen bags that carry four, or even six pairs.
Breathability and Waterproofing
If you’re packing your shoes on a camping trip or outdoor adventure, you may want to consider looking for a waterproof shoe bag. A waterproof bag has benefits and drawbacks: It’s helpful if you’re worried about your whole bag getting wet, or if you’re worried about excess water from wet shoes soaking through your bag and onto your clothes. On the other hand, waterproof bags are, by their nature, less breathable. That means more of the water and sweat from your shoes will stay trapped in the bag, which could make a smelly shoe stink more.
Given all that, we generally recommend looking for shoe bags with some light water resistance provided by a water-repellent coating, rather than a truly waterproof bag. That way, you won’t have to worry about soaked shoes getting your clothes wet, but can also pack lightly damp, sweaty shoes and let them dry inside.
Dealing with Odors
Some shoe bags are either made or treated with materials that absorb odors. That’s a luxury, but not essential: long-term, good odor-blocking technology can hold up the lingering odor of a well-worn shoe. Knowing that, we think it’s far more important to check your bag’s care instructions so you know how to clean it. A good shoe bag needs to be either hand- or machine-washable, because even good odor resistance can’t always beat the lingering odor of a well-worn shoe.
Casual or Formal?
At Runner’s World, we think of travel shoe bags as vessels for our trainer and race-day running shoes, but they are equally useful for formal footwear. For athletic shoes, a shoe bag just needs to be light and breathable, but you should look for a bag with more structure and padding if you plan to use it for more delicate shoes.
How We Selected The Best Travel Shoe Bags
We picked the best travel shoe bags for runners based on our testing experience and expertise, as well as user reviews and recommendations from experts at a number of publications, including The Wall Street Journal, CNN, and Travel & Leisure.
Our selections represent a wide range of sizes and styles to accommodate the needs of every type of runner. No matter where you’re going or what shoes you’re bringing, we expect there’s a bag on this list for you.
Chris Meehan is an internationally published writer, author, and editor with more than two decades of professional experience. He has authored multiple adventure guidebooks with Falcon Guides and his work focusses primarily on the nexus between sustainability and outdoor adventure. He is an experienced gear reviewer, tester, and travel writer who has explored multiple continents.
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