Help me find touring or MTB shoes please!

[deskrider]

I just bought a pair of Pearl Izumi X-Alp Seek MTB shoes to wear for touring. They have the recessed cleat option (SPD) so you can walk in them easily and they look kind of like tennis shoes. These are great shoes, but the problem is that I'm allergic to the foam padding behind the lining of the shoe upper. This is a condition I've had for 30 years, but I noticed in recent years shoes have been made with materials other than "foam" and I haven't had problems. These shoes are made in China and I suspect the foam is cheap stuff that causes my allergy to resurface. Does anyone know of any MTB or touring shoe with recessed cleats that is leather or at least does not have a foam padding behind the lining of the shoe? When I rode 20 years ago I had an all-leather Diadora road shoe lined with real chamois, but I don't want a road shoe now. The bummer is I'm already out 90 bucks for these shoes and I had to wear them a couple of times before I got the rash and realized I was allergic.

[sundial]

I don't know if these use foam for padding.

Leather touring shoe:
http://www.ecyclingstore.com/shoes/e...ring-shoe.html

5.10's
http://fiveten.com/products/product-...ixed-gear_m23/

[bikerHen]

If you are going to be touring during the warmer months I highly recomend cycling sandals. I wore my Keen sandals for a two week tour in August and have actually not stop riding with them yet. They have become, IMO, the perfect cycling shoe. They were the only shoes I took on my tour which saved on weight and space. If the weather is less than perfect add a pair of wool socks. They are easy to walk around town in and if your feet get hot, right into a lake, stream or river. Plus you get very cool Tony the Tiger like tan lines on your feet!

[Tri Girl]

+1 on the Keens. Have been wearing mine for 3 years now and I just love them! I even wear them during triathlons (so they're heavy- so is my body). I have worn them on week-long tours. Can't say enough good things about them!!

[Catrin]

I love my Keen Commuters for my BMX pedals, but I hate to clip in with them. For me they just collapse around the cleat and just are just too....mushy. Great for not clipping in though, I have done most of my riding with them. I am assuming that others have different experiences with them with cleats.

[Crankin]

I only wear my Keens on my #2 bike, but I have never had them collapse or feel mushy around the cleat. In fact, they seem very stiff. My only complaint is that it feels a little harder to clip in with them, although that may be more to do with the fact I am used to Speedplays on my road bike, but this is also in comparison to my regular mtb shoes. They do feel very heavy to me and I don't think they would be comfortable for doing a long ride. I use them for around town errands, going to the pond, etc.

[soprano]

Another rec. for Keen Commuters here. I took mine on tour earlier this year and they were great. I loved having one shoe that was good for everything, including some nasty campground showers. They feel plenty stiff clipped to my M520s.

The one and only thing that I don't like about them is the styling; I never would have picked them out for a normal shoe. However, they look OK enough with jeans, shorts and casual skirts that I commute in them and usually wear them all day.