Dad shoes may be the ultimate cool-girl travel shoe, but dad boots—you know, those serious and heavy-looking, bordering on workman, boots—are yet to have their moment. In fact, practical walking boots as a whole are in desperate need of a modern makeover—the closest cool options that come to mind are the chunky Ganni Chelsea boots. That is until I recently discovered and tested some boots by French brand Palladium. What caught my eye were the chunky rubber soles teamed with a slick sneaker-like silhouette; like a Converse high-top but much more sturdier. Plus there’s even a dedicated travel collection designed to be ultra-lightweight—ideal for those carry-on-only trips.
With a couple of weekend breaks planned amongst our team, we each packed a pair of the classic Pampa Hi shoes with us and put them to the test.
Palladium boots reviews:
Wearing the Pampa Hi in Olive
Charley
My Palladiums saw me through a recent trip to Japan, where they saw heavy use during long days sightseeing. I was based in Osaka, so predominantly spent my time exploring the city on foot, and they were the perfect accompaniment. The chunky soles provided plenty of grip on both pavements and across more treacherous ground, and the cushioning was really impressive. They’re much more supportive than my beloved Converse and the raised heel prevents achy ankles after walking for long periods; something that my usual pair can’t claim. It was risky trialling new shoes on such active days with minimum other footwear to fall back on but, impressively, they didn’t rub at all. The stash of Band-Aids tucked into my backpack remained happily unused.
Closer to home, I’ve still been reaching for them as the weather turns more autumnal. They’re extra grippy, saving me from slipping on during walks over wet leafy paths in the park (a typically regular occurrence at this time of year), but I wouldn’t brave wearing them during proper downpours. I went for the Peru Archive color, a neutral warm brown that’s more forgiving on dirt and dust front than lighter shades. Saying that, as they’re not machine-washable, I’m going to invest in a waterproofing spray to prevent leakage in dreary weather and help fight against stains. —Charley Ward, commerce writer
Lauren
Wearing the Pampa Hi in Ecru
