In this article, we’re going to be reviewing the popular Tropicfeel shoe.
Contrary to the belief that all women love shoes, I tend to stick to one pair and wear them out until the soles fall off.
This is great when it comes to waste (as no-one can say that my shoes aren’t well used) but there have been times when I have completely ruined a pair of shoes or ruined my feet with blisters because I haven’t been wearing shoes that are appropriate for that certain situation.
About 90% of the time, the situation is: I have walked a lot further than I thought I originally would and the trainers that I’m wearing aren’t made for that amount of walking so I end up in pain, miserable, and with shoes that have a heel that is half worn down.
This has happened more than I’d care to admit, so it was time for me to look for shoes that were comfortable and appropriate for any unexpected situation.
Tropicfeel Review
I had heard about Tropicfeel from a girl that I had met while traveling around the Czech Republic about a year ago so when I came across the name again while doing some research, I decided to take her advice and try them out.
Tropicfeel advertises its product as ‘the ultimate travel shoe,’ a shoe that can withstand the city, the mountains, the water and beyond.
Now, considering I prefer to have a pair of shoes that I love and use for everything, I was more than keen to put this to the test.
UPDATE: We’ve been rocking these shoes for almost 3+ years and now have their latest versions of the Canyon and Monsoon
TropicFeel now has multiple All-Terrain Shoes so keep reading to our detailed review on each one.
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Tropicfeel: The Ultimate Travel Shoe?
If you’re looking for an all-around shoe, Tropicfeel is an awesome contender mainly because it just works.
Easy to travel with, versatile, and pretty sturdy materials are just some of the reasons why we recommend this shoe for interepid adventurers like us.
At the moment, Tropicfeel have the following all-terrain sneakers in their collection:
- Monsoon
- Canyon
- Sunset
- Jungle
- Lava
- Dune (pre-order)
- Geyser (pre-order)
All shoes are extremely lightweight and work well as rugged/dressy casual trainers. The founders of this blog are now rocking the Monsoon and Canyon shoes and wear them on a daily basis. They have since also branched out into creating backpacks which I will talk about in detail later.
Tropicfeel Shoes Comparison Table
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We’ve scoured the internet for the best ALL-AROUND travel shoe and Tropicfeel wins by far. We’ve taken ours through rivers, jungles, and cities and they’re still alive and kickin’. Check them out below.
Colors Available: Chive Green, All Black, Fresh Black, Moroccan Blue, Almond White Asphalt Grey (this is the pair we’re rocking now!)
This is the pair that got us hooked on these shoes. According to the makers of Tropicfeel, this shoe has 4-in-1 versatility: providing the benefits of aqua shoes, the comfort of sport shoes, and the technical outsole materials of hiking shoes.
I personally use these trainers as my general walking and gym shoe and have been overall really happy with its performance. It is super lightweight and comfortable, plus breathable when wearing them in hot climates.
I wear mine with an additional insole for extra support but can see how it can transition between a water shoe to dry land!
Hiking up a volcano in Nicaragua with my Tropicfeel shoes
The Ultimate Travel Backpack!
If you’re looking for a SOLID backpack to travel and work with, we recommend the Nomatic Backpack. This baby has been around the world with us for the last three years and we couldn’t be more impressed. It’s sleek, stylish, and has awesome functionality! Check it out below or read the full review.
Colors Available: Sage Green, Asphalt Grey, Night Blue, Natural Oat, Fresh Black
Overall, the Canyon shoe from Tropicfeel is similar to the Monsoon but is slightly a little bit more dressed up. While the Monsoon shoe feels and looks like a sneaker, you can definitely get away with wearing the Canyon (especially the Fresh Black!)
The founder of this blog, Tom wore his Fresh Black Canyons all over Europe and had no problem dressing them up or down as they look pretty smart.
This is the 2nd version of the Canyon shoe that we have and overall, very pleased with them! The only thing we don’t like is the long laces which awkwardly hangs out sometimes! However, we’ve found that they are easy to tuck away.
Colors Available: Chip Grey, Night Blue, Chocolate Red, Hedge Green, Fresh Black
Light and comfortable, the Tropicfeel Sunset is an all around great option for those who want something that has a little bit more street style.
What I like about these is they give off a very rugged “vans” type of sneaker feel. Although it looks like this, it is still made of the same water friendly and quick dry material. They are being sold as urban to outdoor shoes and are one of the most reviewed pair in the Tropicfeel collection!
Colors Available: Jungle Sage, Coffee Sand, Night Blue, Chip Grey, All Black
The Jungle is Tropicfeel’s adventure shoe. Compared to the other lines which are marketed as an all-around shoe, this one in particular was made with rugged terrain in mind.
It is meant to have an all-terrain design which is water friendly, has dual density and a high grip.
Other Tropicfeel Shoes
Tropicfeel is one of those brands that are consistently putting out new lines. Here are their latest collections that the brand is working on. The Dune and the Geyser are both still in the pre-order/crowd funding phase so if you’re interested in getting involved, check out the links below.
So now that we’ve covered their popular products, let’s talk about the overall brand.
Why Tropicfeel?
With so many brands claiming to have created a shoe that does everything and with so many high-quality brands that make shoes that are considered top-of-the-market, why did I choose Tropicfeel?
The answer is actually three-fold:
Direct Recommendation
To me, recommendations are a major factor in deciding whether or not to buy a product. As I met someone who was wearing the shoes that she was recommending, I got to see the product and try it on and hear all her tales about how she’d worn them walking, hiking, cycling and more.
What more proof did I need than that?
Also, we’ve been wearing Tropicfeel shoes for over 3+ years now (have ordered multiple versions as they update through the years and always genuinely pleased at how comfortable they are!)
Supporting the Grassroots Projects
When I decided to go with Tropicfeel, they had a crowdfunding campaign set up to raise enough money to set up a proper website. The campaign was already a huge success and they had thousands of backers all asking for more products in different colors and asking if they could be delivered to their country of residence.
I didn’t see one bad review or comment which is pretty incredible, so I decided to jump on the bandwagon and help them with their journey.
Every shoe also makes use of recyclable plastic water bottle which I absolutely love!
Designed by Actual Travelers
Although big, international companies can use fancy machines and science to create the perfect shoe or trainer, that doesn’t always mean that they are the best.
I find more value in products that are actually designed by travelers as they have identified a problem or a need and then came up with the solution and tried and tested it themselves. A product like Tropicfeel.
Editor’s Note: Check Out Our Packing List Guide to Europe and Southeast Asia for tips on what to travel with.
What I love about Tropicfeel
Before I had even tried the product, I had a very positive first impression of Tropicfeel. Not only was it free shipping (hallelujah!) but when the products arrived, they came in unique almost dry-bag-like mesh bags.
I thought that this was a really nice touch as it immediately made me feel like these were high-quality products and it showed that they took great care and consideration about the customer’s experience with the brand.
Pulling out the shoes, I was immediately drawn to the two-tone colors; I had ordered them in black which had turquoise laces and in light grey which had coral laces.
I absolutely loved the look of these shoes, I thought it made them stand out but the overall block color meant that they weren’t too in your face.
If you’re wondering why I bought two trainers by the way (since I said before that I like to wear out one good pair of shoes), I chose to purchase two because compared to a lot of other trainers out there, these were very affordable and I wanted to help the brand out.
Since purchasing ‘the ultimate travel shoe,’ I have really put it to the test. Taking only the light grey trainers with me so that I would have no choice other than to just wear these, I used my Tropicfeel trainers throughout the entirety of my recent 10-day European road trip.
During this time, I drove a total of 40 hours, I walked many miles around cities, hiked many more miles through the mountains, and just for fun, I climbed 500 steps to the top of Bologna’s tallest tower and went for a long walk in the pouring rain.
Shoe Fit & Comfort
I have quite wide feet so I do tend to suffer from blisters when I walk a lot in shoes, but unlike other trainers that don’t reveal their flaws until you’re a few too many miles into your journey, Tropicfeel never made me regret my purchase.
This is huge for me as I don’t think that I’ve ever had trainers that satisfy both fit and comfort (usually I buy slightly bigger trainers to prevent blisters on my toes but then I usually get them on my heels because of the poor fit). Even with all the walking that I did, I never felt uncomfortable for a second and had no blisters at all!
Unique features for fit & comfort: elastic counter heel & a removable, cushioned footbed.
Versatility
Tropicfeel shoes are designed specifically for versatility and are advertised as a 4-in-one product: they provide the comfort of sneakers, the technical features of hiking and off-road adventure shoes, the quick-drying capability of aqua shoes, and the stylish aesthetics that make them appropriate to wear with anything.
After wearing only these for the past couple of weeks, I can safely say that they more than tick the box for versatility.
I was incredibly surprised by the comfort of these trainers, but I drove in them for hours and walked up 500 steps to the top of Bologna’s tower without a problem. As well as everyday use, they also faired incredibly well on a couple of 4-6 hour hikes and they are indeed quick-dry products.
I don’t know what they would feel like when fully submerged in water though!
After getting soaked in the rain, I just chucked them in the wash and they looked brand new.
The fact that the material on these trainers is anti-odor and anti-bacterial is an amazing addition too as this gives you peace of mind when you get them dirty and about having smelly feet!
Unique features for versatility: slip-resistant and flexible rubber sole & breathable 3D mesh technology.
Durable
I haven’t had these trainers for that long yet, but the fact that they survived my European trip and all the while looking brand new is a great sign. Even though the product is incredibly light, they are sturdy and the materials are high-quality, so I have no worries that they are going to give up on me any time soon.
Although with that being said, I don’t think they can fully replace my hiking boots which I usually take on longer hikes and treks.
Unique features for durability: high tech materials with 3D mesh technology.
What I Don’t Love
The only thing I would say that they are inappropriate for, however, is cold weather and snow-based adventures.
Due to the breathable material and the features that make this so good for water-based-activities are what make them inappropriate for the cold. Let’s just say you’d have very cold feet!
Apart from that, my other little niggle was the laces.
Apparently, user feedback from the first model led the design to change to elastic laces instead of normal ones.
Update: The second version, the Canyon comes with a pair of regular laces for those who want to change them!
This does allow quick on-and-off use of the trainers making them perfect on-the-go, but for me, I just prefer laces. While they do provide extra normal laces probably for this specific reason, the laces are in the same color as the shoe.
It’s an incredibly minor issue, but I would really love it if they provided the laces in the same color as the elastic laces as the two-tone color is my favorite aesthetic feature of these shoes.
Conclusion: Are Tropicfeel Shoes Worth it?
So, the only question left after testing this product out for myself was “Is Tropicfeel really the ultimate travel shoe?”
I don’t think any product can satisfy every type of adventure out there, but I do have to say that Tropicfeel comes pretty damn close.
It is ideal for travelers who want to lighten their load and only take one pair of trainers because these beauties were perfect for walking, hiking, and they can get wet.
I obviously loved this product and I can reinforce again how lightweight and comfortable they were and how well they performed but I think their story of success says much more.
Originally designed by travelers who destroyed all kinds of different shoes backpacking in Thailand, the idea of the ultimate travel shoe was born.
Soon after, they pitched local investors to source startup funds, secured nearly $47,000 in seed funding, and the first version of the trainer was born in July 2017 where they sold 1,500 pairs straight away.
Listening to user feedback and hiring a footwear designer, they have now come up with the second version of the trainer which is just as popular, if not more, than the first.
I haven’t tried the second shoe but would definitely be interested in doing so as I love the new colors that they came up with.
Overall, I’m really impressed with Tropicfeel’s product and I look forward to seeing the improvements that they continue to add to make this product even better in the future.
I’m a firm believer that shoes are one of the most important things that we can invest in for ourselves as they can make or break a trip, and for me, Tropicfeel made mine.
Colors Available: Black, Green, Red
To be perfectly honest, we were a little bit hesitant when we heard that Tropicfeel was branching out of shoes to produce backpacks. Click here to read our full Tropicfeel Backpacks Review.
Until recently, we held off ordering them but decided to test them out and we have to say we are pretty impressed. The bags are SUPER high quality and are very well made. It also comes with a built in closet system which is pretty revolutionary when it comes to backpacks.
For us, being able to transition between a normal 22L to a 40L bag is pretty cool. This means we can easily use it day to day as it has a padded laptop compartment and also use it on longer weekend trips!
The material feels very durable and has so many useful pockets and zippers which I absolutely love. When you’re ordering the bag, it also comes with various compression cubes which are great for packing organization.
Although it seems pricey, we are 100% behind investing in quality items as you know they will last long and this feels like one of them.
Our Tropicfeel Shell Backpack in the South of France
Disclaimer: These Tropicfeel shoes were sent to us to try out but as always, our opinion is solely ours. We will always be 100% honest with all our reviews.
