The Best Slippers: Tested

Sliding your tootsies into a pair of slippers after a day's work—on the trail, the slopes or even the office—holds a special place. It's the exclamation point on any adventure, a triumphant return to the creature comforts. Slippers cushion your feet, provide critical support and, in some cases, even help aid in recovery. But with a variety of styles and features, it can be tricky to find the best shoes to complement your lifestyle.Not to worry: Our members put the best slippers sold at the co-op to the test all over the country this year. So, whether you're looking for a comfy camp shoe, a warm après-ski slide, a grippy loafer for walking the dog or a daily driver for the home office, we've got your feet covered. These are our favorite slippers of the year.Test ResultsFor quick recommendations, check out the winners of our round-robin here, or scroll down for in-depth reviews.Best All-Around Slippers & REI Co-op Editors' Choice Award Winner: Teva ReEmber Slip-OnsBest Camp Shoes: REI Co-op Camp Dreamer Slip-OnsBest Mountaineering Booties: Outdoor Research Tundra Aerogel Booties (Women's and Men's)Best Après-Ski Shoes: The North Face ThermoBall Traction Mules V (Women's and Men's)Other Top PerformersBest Travel Shoes: OluKai Nohea Slippers (Women's) and Kipuka Hulu Slippers (Men's)Best House Shoes: glerups Model A Shoe Slippers (Women's and Men's)Best Slippers for Kids: Chaco Ramble Puff SlippersOther Top PerformersShop All SlippersBuying AdviceWhen choosing slippers, the first factor to consider is where you intend to wear them. Do you plan on leaving your house or even your sleeping bag? Pinning down your end use will ultimately affect whether or not your new kicks should have an outsole or midsole and, if so, how rugged.Next, consider the weather, conditions and seasonality. This will help you determine if your slippers should have insulation and, again, how much. Finally, ask yourself how much weight and packability matter.OutsoleThe outsole is what many of us think of when we hear the word, "sole." It's the outermost sole on footwear—that layer of rubber or tread that protects the shoe and your foot from the ground. The outsole is also responsible for providing you with traction.If you intend to wear your slippers outside, as a substitute for other footwear, you'll need an outsole. If, however, you're looking for a pair of tent or cabin booties, an outsole is likely unnecessary. (In fact, you may not even want one at all if your slippers are going inside your sleeping bag with you.)The Teva ReEmber Slip-Ons, REI Co-op Camp Dreamer Slip-Ons and The North Face ThermoBall Traction Mules have the most robust outsoles in our round-up. Each has varying lug patterns—the spray of ridges, bumps and other patterning on the outsole—that deliver extra grip. You can wear these slippers outside, on the move and on snow or ice. The OluKai Nohea and Kipuka Hulu Slippers also have outsoles suitable for outdoor wear, as do the kid-friendly Chaco Ramble Puff Slippers.The Outdoor Research Tundra Aerogel Booties and glerups Model A Slippers do not have traditional outsoles. The Tundras have a slight PU coating and the glerups a leather covering to protect them from tears and snags, but consider these booties "inside slippers," ideal for keeping feet cozy inside a hut or cabin or even your sleeping bag. You can walk to the mailbox or on snow or ice, say from your tent to the cook tent or outhouse, but that's about it. And, remember, no outsole = no lugs, which = no traction.MidsoleIf you've determined that your slippers should have outsoles because you're planning on wearing them outside, the next question is how much support you need. Your shoe's support comes from its midsole, which is a layer of soft EVA (or ethylene vinyl acetate) foam or harder PU (or polyurethane) rubber that hides between its insole and outsole. Read more about midsoles in our Best Hiking Boots gear guide.In this lineup, the REI Co-op Camp Dreamer Slip-Ons have the most supportive midsoles. They're constructed of PU, which means they're durable and a bit stiff—a lot like what you'll find in most hiking shoes. You likely won't feel pokey rocks and sticks underfoot, and the shoe won't fold over on itself if you're ascending or sidehilling. If you wanted, you could probably get away with light hiking while wearing the Camp Dreamer. Similarly, the OluKai Nohea Slippers and Kipuka Hulu Slippers feature hard-working PU midsoles. Both shoes are more durable than others on this list.The Teva ReEmber Slip-Ons and The North Face ThermoBall Traction Mules have slighter midsoles made from EVA foam. They can handle everyday outdoor activities like commuting to the ski resort or running errands without issue.InsulationAnother factor to consider is insulation or warmth beyond what you'd get from a regular shoe and sock. If you plan to wear your slippers year-round, then eye something like the Teva ReEmber Slip-Ons, which don't have additional insulation. They won't be too hot for summer use, and come winter, you can wear thicker socks to bolster warmth.If, however, you know that your slippers are destined for winter use or snowy campouts or long nights outside, you may want kicks with added warmth. That boost typically comes from synthetic filling stitched between the upper and lining that's meant to mimic down.The most insulating (read: warmest) slippers in our roundup are the Outdoor Research Tundra Aerogel Booties and The North Face ThermoBall Traction Mules, which each take design cues from a sleeping bag or puffy jacket.Weight and PackabilityA final consideration is whether you plan to travel with your slippers and to what extent. None of the products in this roundup are really heavy or bulky, but it's all relative. A mountaineer may want something that weighs next to nothing like the Outdoor Research Tundra Aerogel Booties, but paying for such premium, highly packable materials may not be worth it for someone who just wants a pair of cozy slides for walking the dog.MethodologyWe asked REI Co-op staff and members for their favorite slippers for everything from camping to working from home. Then we sent the most popular selections available at REI into the field for a year-long test.We asked our member-testers to evaluate each slipper on its durability, traction, support, warmth and comfiness, relative to its intended use, on a 100-point scale. We also took each slipper's sustainability attributes and price into account, then averaged the scores. The tallies here are the cumulative averages.The Teva ReEmber Slip-On was the top overall performer and our selection for Best All-Around. The REI Co-op Camp Dreamer Slip-On, Outdoor Research Tundra Aerogel Bootie and The North Face ThermoBall Traction Mule scored high in most areas, earning superlatives for their respective activities: camping, mountaineering and skiing. The OluKai Nohea Slipper and Kipuka Hulu Slipper, glerups Model A Shoe Slipper and Chaco Ramble Puff Slipper are great choices for very specific (more casual) use cases.Photography by Andrew Bydlon.