[trip style = any]
Fact: Everyone passing through security going in or out of the US must take off their shoes.
Notice how the carpet lining airport security checkpoints always smells like feet. GROSS. If it smells that bad, I can't even imagine what's lurking---maybe even festering---beneath. Time to save our soles...
The Problem: Bare feet through security The Opportunity: Protecting feet through security
Many of us wear flats on travel days. They look good and feel good when walking {what feels like} a half-marathon through the airport. When the 'shoes off' rule just started, I made the mistake of walking through security with bare feet. NEVER AGAIN. I died a little inside. I don't even want to know how many germs the soles of my feet came into contact with walking 10 steps through the metal detector/body scanner.
Now, when I wear flats without socks, I pack a pair of 'security sox' into my carry-on's top zip pocket. These would only be used twice on my trip, once through security there and once through security back.
On a recent trip style = spa stint in Vegas, I took things one step further {pun intended} and devised what I thought was an even better plan to save my soles. I wore slippers {the kind hotels give you that can be washed post-trip}. On the way there, I had no problem at security. On the way back, it DID NOT go over well. I got berated by a TSA agent who insisted I must take my slippers off {rendering my feet bare}.
Moral of the story: wear socks through security. They are our only hope of protection from airport carpet cooties.
- pack 'security sox' in the top of your carry-on for easy access
- put the socks on while taking off your shoes at the security scanner's belt
- walk through the metal detector/scanner
- take off your socks and put on your shoes
- throw the security sox in the wash as soon as you get home
- slippers don't count
[photo by @tripstyler]