Best sneakers for carryon
 

I travel weekly to various cities and would like to begin utilizing the gyms at the hotels I stay at. One problem is the lack of space for shoes. I like to travel with only a backpack and my sneakers take up too much room. Does anyone have a recommendation for a pair of men's gym shoes that fit nicely in a backpack?

My husband takes his Converse. He wouldn't run a marathon in them but they serve his purpose.

If I pack sneakers, I bring a pair of Merrells. They are the kind that are very low profile (thinner sole) and then can pack down - the structure is soft so you can smash it flat without worrying about permanently creasing some inner material.

Nike Frees have a very soft, unstructured upper and relatively thin sole. Also quite light.

Most "barefoot" or minimal shoes are great for gym due to being completely flat and great for travel due to very thin soles and unstructured uppers which I can stack at less than 2" thick. Also very light. My Merrell Trail Gloves weight about 7oz each / 14oz a pair. Vapor Gloves are 5.5 oz each. Would take some getting used to for running and don't want to do too much too fast. Other options are Vivobarefoot, Altra (cushioned soles, but zero drop - heel thickness same as forefoot, unlike most shoes with thicker heels), New Balance Minimus.

To go whole hog on minimal, Vibram Five Fingers. Also good for gym, imo.

The Nike Free's, or whatever the current iteration are called, are among the best as they often don't have a heel counter, which allows them to be stored flat. Option B is to fill them with socks and underwear and workout clothes.

After spending a bunch of time hunting for exactly the same thing I ended up getting a pair of the Nike Free Run 2018 last week. As has been said they are light and pack super small because you can squash them down completely flat.

Nike Frees and New Balance Minimus are shoes you could look into.

The latter is more of a barefoot style running shoe that does require some adaptation to use for actual running if that's your game.

The 'sneakers' I pack are the same shoes I wear for running and fast, long distance walking. Currently Brooks Glycerin 15's. They compress when packed and expand when I get to my destination.

whole thing crushes down as the heel does not have a stiff backing. I save many cubic inches in my bag with this.

Unlike some minimal shoes, this one has plenty of cushioning and arch support. Not my running shoes at home but great for traveling and protecting my feet from hurting.