A good shoe is hard to find. Timeslippers make a casual shoe that breaks all my own rules, and I like it.
A casual shoe should be easy to put on and take off. It should feel comfortable, soft.
Normally, that means trainers, or occasionally, something like a Cole Haan Zerøgrand. The idea being, a soft sole, a comfortable upper, and and the possibility of leaving them tied and wearing them as slip-ons.
Duncan Jones, movie maker behind Moon, World of Warcraft, and Mute, took a different approach: He smashed down the heel and steps into them. This strikes me as kind of uncomfortable, because you end up with the flattened heel as a raised surface underfoot.
GOOOOOOOOOOOOAL! pic.twitter.com/eN2pCrTF4m
— Duncan Jones (@ManMadeMoon) June 10, 2019
Timeslippers are a simple formula: either suede, leather or wool upper, lined with wool, an insole made of a yoga mat, topped with wool, and a soft sole.
There are shoes made for this, you know. @Timeslippers. Elastic at heel, folds down for slipper use. pic.twitter.com/gxb7BFKpwM
— victor marks (@vmarks) June 10, 2019
They come in high top or low top. The heel is pretty uniformly elastic, which you can step into and it doesn’t feel disruptive or uncomfortable underfoot.
Is this like a NASA thing? Seems kind of over engineered.
— Duncan Jones (@ManMadeMoon) June 10, 2019
I just stomp the back down.
They run pretty true to what I think my sizing is: I ordered a size 10 and the elastic is comfortable when used as a heel for the shoe: not loose, not too tight. Timeslippers are sold in whole sizes, with the advice that if you’re a small 10.5, round down, a big 10.5, round up. I would have found that frustrating to figure out, but fortunately for me, 10 was a good fit.
I can leave the house just stepping in to them, and then put the heels up with just one finger. It’s very convenient.
The laces are elastic, and permanently fixed. They make it a little hard for cleaning the leather tongue of the shoe, but they’re absolutely good for slipping in and having them fit snugly.
The summary of my experience is, they’re a simple, casual shoe, comfortable to slide on and not think about. The leather upper is soft, and creases, but keep in mind that this is a casual sport shoe, and not a pristine dress shoe that must never crease.
Personally, the shoes are comfortable for most uses. For extended time on my feet, the yoga mat insole doesn’t stay comfortable. If you aren’t on your feet all day, and have periods of sitting, they’re just what the name suggests: slippers.
Shoe Overview
- Brand & Model: Timeslippers Men’s low-top Slippers
- Price: $130 as reviewed
- Who we think it might be for: You want a simple shoe with good materials that looks better than a trainer.
- Would I buy one for myself based on what I’ve seen?: As a casual shoe that doesn’t look like a black leather runner, they’re great.
- If I could make one design suggestion, it would be: Figure out how to make the insole and sole work for all-day on-your-feet use.
- What spoke to me the most about this shoe: I generally think of black leather shoes as tacky. These are the opposite of that. The leather shell is designed in such a way that it’s the exact opposite of an ugly sneaker, and I like it.
Tech Specs from Timeslippers
- shoe material: brown suede, blue wool, or luxurious Italian black leather upper, rubber sole
- insole: 6mm of red yoga mat topped with wool
- laces: 10mm stretch laces
