Shoes (and socks?) for walking in London and Peru

Hi everyone,

My name is Dom and this is my first time in this kind of forum and hicking in general.
I don't know if this is the right place to write, if not sorry about that.

I am going to attend the Inca Trail in Peru, so I was wondering which kind of shoes should I buy to be as much comfortable as possible.
Besides, I also walk so much every day in London, so I would like to buy also a pair of shoes which would be good for walking through the City (one pair of shoes which would suite both these purposes would be ideal, maybe something water-proof as well).

Oh, I know that a good pair of socks can make the differenze too, so do you know any particular type of socks as the best choiche, not just for the incatrail, but for someone who walks A LOT in general?
Could you please suggest me a shop in London where I could by these shoes and socks?

Thank you very much for your time, have a lovely day!

anyone?

Fit is paramount, as well as highly individual, which might be why people are reluctant to make recommendations. I have never shopped for shoes in London, but I would be very surprised if you could not find a shop oriented towards trekking gear, particularly near the universities. An hour's train ride to Cambridge or Oxford would certainly find you 3 or 4 such.

For socks, wool and synthetics tend to be preferred over cotton for moisture management. In the US, where most of this site's members are based, some popular brands include Icebreaker (my personal favorite), Smartwool, and Darn Tough.

I've also had good luck with Smartwool and Icebreaker, both wool. For synthetics, I've had good luck with Thor-Lo socks.

thank you guys!

Although I am not familiar with most of the European brands, Asolo makes good hiking shoes and boots. I have had two pair of them. For Peru, unless you are carrying a heavy pack, a trail runner (a fortified running shoe or trainer) will work. Many companies make them, but as already said, fit is most important. Merrill and Vasque are two other well-known brands.

I don't think you need a heavy hiking boot. From what I know, the Inca Trail is not like some tracks you'd find in the mountains where you may find lots of loose rock. I friend of mine did the trek a while back and wore a light pair of boots, as I recall. If you have any issues with your ankles, get a taller boot than a trail runner, which as I said, looks like a pair of trainers.

Don't try to buy a pair over the internet, even if the price is appealing, you really need to try them on and walk around the store a bit. If you have a Cotswold or other store nearby, give them a go. Here are links to a couple of UK retailers with stores in London-
UK stores
Ellis-Brigham
Cotswold

Thank you very much TomD for the suggestions and the links! I will have a look as soon as I can!