While often dismissed as a luxury, a simple pair of lightweight slippers or flip-flops (or ‘sliders’) is arguably one of the most useful items you can pack, and ignoring them is a mistake you will quickly regret. The necessity begins the moment you check in to your accommodation. Even the cleanest hotel room carpets and bathroom floors can be unhygienic, and slipping into your own familiar, clean footwear provides immediate comfort and peace of mind. They are also perfect for quick trips to the corridor ice machine, the hotel pool or the shared facilities in hostels, preventing you from having to lace up your outdoor shoes simply to nip to the loo or step onto a questionable surface. Given their minimal weight and size, they are a piece of kit that yields disproportionately high value.
The true moment of regret, however, comes when your primary footwear fails you. Whether you’ve been caught in an unexpected downpour, your walking boots are soaking wet after a hike, or you’ve simply had to wash your main pair, having a backup pair of slip-ons becomes a necessity, not a comfort. A wet shoe often requires a full day to dry properly, and without an alternative, you are forced to wear damp footwear – a recipe for blisters, foot odour and general misery. Packing a spare pair of waterproof flip-flops ensures that if your main shoes are compromised, you have a clean, dry and immediately usable alternative that allows your main pair the time they need to air out and dry completely.
