About the Author: Adam Terry is a thirtysomething salesman in the HVAC and hydronics industry. He enjoys bourbon, boots, sneakers, raw denim, and working on his dad bod father figure.
Huckberry is no stranger to this website. Their brands play in this wonderful niche of online retailers, somewhere above the bulk of mall brand shops and just slightly below most luxury retailers. Huckberry offers a wide assortment of items, from clothing and footwear to home goods. Their house brands are usually fantastic options that you can’t find elsewhere. When Joe suggested that we review their house brand Greys outdoor slipper boots, I was more than suspicious, especially at their $100+ price point. However, after a careful review and a few hours on foot while working from home, I’ve practically replaced my Rancourt mocs with these wooly booties. They’re fantastic!
Felted wool uppers for WFH comfort, but built to head outside if you need to.
The rubber outsole is stitched to the upper for durability.
My pair of slippers was ordered on a Wednesday evening and they arrived on my doorstep via UPS Ground on Friday, just two days later. Living close to both the main UPS and FedEx shipping hubs certainly has its perks from time to time. No complaints!
FYI: Huckberry has a pretty solid 60 day free returns policy with very few exceptions. Footwear in particular should of course be returned in new, unworn condition with no signs of wear.
Score: 5/5 Stars – Easy ordering, quick shipping, and an above average return policy.
Slippers, box, boom. No extras here.
This pair arrived in a plain brown shoe box with no visible branding or information aside from the small label on the front of the box with a barcode. Inside, there were two shoes. That’s it! I’m not really asking for any spare laces (duh) or shoe bags with these glorified house shoes, but at this price, I feel like they could have at least been carefully wrapped in tissue paper or something? Instead, both shoes were simply thrown in the box and maybe you’ll be fine with that.
Score: 3/5 Stars – Box is plain and there were no accessories to speak of. Meh.
Fresh out of the box, I was legitimately expecting some weird amalgam of cheap, synthetic fabric glued on top of a pre-formed rubber sole unit. You’ve seen that type of house slipper before; they are usually found in big box department stores around the Holidays in the “dad gifts” section. Yuck. Instead, these outdoor slipper boots have a generic sneaker silhouette and look like a hybrid of slip-on Vans and Chelsea boots. This style may be divisive, but I dig it and think it’s a big improvement over those “dad slippers” or those “elf shoes” from other places.
Things are getting cozy at Adam’s place.
The wool felt upper is an 80% wool, 20% polyester blend that is both soft to the touch and yet firm enough to have structure. These don’t feel like cheap, floppy booties at all. Wool is naturally odor resistant and moisture wicking; it’s also said to be temperature regulating, which can be a great bonus feature if you’re like me and hate having sweaty feet. The upper looks and feels to be a thick, whole-cut layer and not multiple thinner layers glued and stitched together. The two ends of the upper come together at the back of the boot and that vertical seam is covered up by a strip of whiskey tan leather running vertically up and terminating in some pull tab loops. The pull loop leather doesn’t look to be super duper durable, but they’re more fashion than function, in my opinion. You can easily slip your feet into the boots without them with the help of the contrasting black elastic gores at the sides of the boots.
Leather pull tabs may be more fashion than function, but they look good!
Looking inside, you’ll find a removable insole made with a thick, tapering bottom layer of dense rubber that’s topped with a layer of matching 80/20 wool felt. Unlike most cheap wool blends, this one doesn’t feel scratchy at all and your foot starts conforming to the insoles rather fast. While you have the insoles out, take a look at the stitching! The rubber outsole is side stitched to the upper, providing a bit more support, stability, and durability.
Rubber soles that are easy to clean and provide some traction and toe protection.
Flipping the boots over shows you why they’re called outdoor slipper boots. The grooved, grippy rubber sole should provide you with ample traction in most day to day situations. I especially like how it wraps up and over the toe for a little bit of extra protection in case you stumble into your toddler’s toy box in the middle of the night. Been there, done that! Obviously you shouldn’t wear these outside in any nasty weather conditions, but around the house and around your yard, you’ll be hard pressed to find something more comfortable. Fun fact, the rubber soles can easily be wiped down with a wet cloth to remove any dirt and debris!
Score: 4/5 Stars – Design and materials feel good, sole has plenty of grip. Nice!
In terms of fit and sizing, I recommend trying your true-to-size Brannock measurement. I tried this pair in my normal sneaker size (11 US) and they feel slightly too large and voluminous both with bare feet and with thin athletic socks. If you prefer looser fitting house slippers, or you plan to wear thicker “camp” style socks with these, then you should size up a half-size. Overall, the shape of the slipper boot is perfect for most feet with a wide toe box and a gently tapered heel cup. If you normally need a slightly wider size, try sizing up a half-size as well.
Soft and squishy wool-topped insoles.
Note: Some reviews on Huckberry’s site have mentioned that the wool tends to stretch out over time, so if you’re in between sizes, you should choose the smaller of the two sizes.
Comfort is always subjective, but these slipper boots are very comfortable right out of the box. While they don’t have the cushioning of athletic sneakers, the felted wool uppers and wool-topped foam insoles are very soft, squishy, and provide a lovely landing place for your feet. For around the house, I’m very satisfied with the overall comfort that these Greys provide.
Shape should suit most feet with a wide toe box and a gently tapered heel cup
For size reference, I am a 10.5 D/E on a Brannock device and usually take a 10 D in most roomy dress shoes, including Alden’s Barrie last and Grant Stone’s Leo last. I take a 10.5 E in Allen Edmonds 65 last, as that last runs too narrow for me. I also take a 10.5 in Converse/Vans and an 11 in most Adidas/Nike/Jordan/Yeezy sneakers. Have a size question? Email us!
Score: 4/5 Stars – Runs large, but these are surprisingly comfortable!
I’ll keep this short and simple. Huckberry has knocked this one out of the park. Their Grey’s outdoor slipper boots are fantastic. I honestly didn’t expect to like these as much as I do, but here I am, having a hard time taking them off because they feel so dang comfortable. If you work from home, or have a loved one that does, you need a pair of these spectacular slippers. They’re a huge upgrade from those cheap athletic slides; your feet will feel so much more comfortable over the course of the day. Mom.. Dad.. I guess you know what you’re getting for Christmas this year. Cheers, y’all!
Avg. Score: 4.75/5 Stars – I absolutely love these things! Get ‘em.
Looks like this pair of Grey’s found a new home.
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