Do most men wear slippers? It’s a valid question. When transitioning from office to home attire, we’re prone to casualties. Shoes get tossed, bags get dropped and keys inevitably crawl down a frustratingly deep crevice. Basically, we’re all over the place; after nine hours of piecing together our intern’s shrapnel, we’re in full-on zombie mode. Nearsighted, with eyes only for chicken parmesan or Monday Night Football, forgetting to slip into something comfortable is a forgivable offense. But feet need coddling too. Shoes are stiff and naked feet get cold. So, once again: do most men wear slippers? If they don’t, they should. If they do, they should upgrade to these bad boys.
Mahabis has, for all intents and purposes, redefined the slipper. Previously limited to indoor life, slippers would deteriorate exponentially when worn around the block. Even taking out the trash in damp weather, you’d risk them becoming so grimy as to defeat their whole purpose. But Mahabis slippers shift the paradigm. With a detachable sole made of durable high-end thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), they’re primed for indoor life; but in a crisis situation, where lacing up your kicks is just too much to ask, they seamlessly snap into their soles. As long you’re not ankle deep in water, the soles add a legitimate alternative to shoes.
Despite their amphibious design, the Mahabis slippers’ first priority is comfort. A sheepskin in sock, modeled after a sports shoe design, provides a tight, cushioned fit. Its gray exterior is constructed from lightweight, breathable felt (100 percent polyester), so they’re at home on couch cushions and rugged floors. And they’re perfect for everyday excursions: each features a cushioned neoprene heel, so slipping in and out isn’t a problem. If you’re in a rush, you can step on their collapsible heel and wear it down like a mule, if you want.
Mahabis is a company of adventurers who know a mundane morning can quickly escalate into something entirely different. Based in London, with factories scattered across Europe, their “somewhere between hip-hop and folk” vibe feels suspiciously Brooklyn — but nonetheless, these slippers can deal. They’re available in only one color (gray), buts it’s the soles that allow for individuality: buyers have the choice of six sole colors — black, gray, red, green, light blue and yellow — which come packaged with each slipper purchase. And if you don’t want to be pinned down to one color, or you just take your slippers on too many wandering hikes, soles are also sold separately ($24).
So if you’re in the market for some slippers — which you damn well should be after reading this — do your feet a favor and snag yourself a pair.