I Walked 100,000+ Steps In These Sustainable Sandals & Didn't Get One Blister

The perfect vacation shoe is a bit of a unicorn: It needs to be comfortable enough for long days of exploring, compact enough to easily fit in a suitcase, and versatile enough to complete any number of looks.

Well, having just returned from a very active trip to northern Italy, my feet and I are confident we've found just the pair: the Pons Avarcas.

As someone who tries to travel light, packing footwear is always a challenge for me. Chunky heels may complete a nighttime look, but they're way too bulky to be carry-on-friendly. Slim sandals may have the smallest footprint, but they often lack the support needed for sightseeing (unless they're walking sandals).

So for this latest trip, I opted for my Pons Avarcas, which seemed like the ultimate solution to my footwear struggle, as they were compact and comfortable.

I was pleased to find the shoes took up minimal space. The malleable leather tops folded into the soles of the shoes, so they easily squeezed in between my clothes.

When I arrived at my destination and took the sandals out of my suitcase, the uppers bounced back to perfect form and were ready to go with pretty much every outfit I'd brought with me.

And boy, did they hold up well in each place I wore them.

Between the 25,000 steps navigating the crowded streets of Milan on a stifling hot day, the 17,000 steps ambling to dinner in Lake Como, and the 14,000 steps weaving through the side streets of Cinque Terre, these babies stayed supremely comfortable.

When some of my travel companions bemoaned foot pain, I was ready to keep going. All in all, I logged around 116,000 steps in these sandals over the course of two weeks and did not get even the faintest hint of a blister.

They may help you cover a lot of ground, but these sandals leave behind a light footprint. Avarcas are the traditional shoe of Menorca, Spain, and Pons are handmade by local artisans on the Mediterranean island.

The company is run by a family that hails from the region and wanted to bring the functional leather design—originally created as a shoe that farmers could wear on their fields and around town—to the masses.

The leather is sourced from ethically raised livestock and treated without the use of dangerous chemicals, in accordance with EU REACH standards. The company also offers a vegan leather shoe for those looking to avoid animal byproducts.

Between their compact design, durable and supportive build, and sustainable sourcing, the Pons Avarcas are my go-to sandals for summer travels near and far.