A cozy clog-style shoe/slipper you can walk a mile in.
Urgently Apres
It’s officially cold now, which means my open water swimming gear needs to change. With air temperatures around 36 degrees F and the lake temperature right around 50 degrees F, getting out of the water after a swim is brutal (and it’s only going to get worse this winter). Transitioning into warm clothes needs to happen fast. There is no time to use a towel.
My Deckers X Lab KO-Z EZ SCUFF shoes, which only had a couple of weeks to relax as my main house slippers, have become a vital part of my post-swim routine. When I get out of the water the first thing I do is pull off my swimming cap and put on a warm hat. Then I remove my FiveFingers shoes and my wetsuit before quickly slipping my feet into the cozy, fluffy warmth of my Deckers X Lab KO-Z EZ SCUFF shoes.
The shoe’s upper envelopes almost my entire foot, except the back of my heel, in a thick layer of premium shearling. The shoe has a wool-covered removable insole that provides instant warmth and repels water. Together, the two materials help regulate the temperature of my feet.
I haven’t found another post-swim footwear solution that helps my feet feel warm fast. I used to put on thick wool socks and wear clunky Crocs-style plastic clogs, but that method is too time-consuming, especially when it’s dark and windy, and I don’t have time to dry off my feet. The Deckers X Lab KO-Z EZ SCUFF is the most effective product I’ve tried for warming my feet and keeping them warm for the 40-minute drive home.
Walk Like You Mean It
When I return from a swim the first thing I do is rinse all of my gear, then I get in the shower. I dry off quickly and slip my feet back into my Deckers X Lab KO-Z EZ SCUFF shoes, which now become my slippers…except for their incredible “Meta-Rocker” rocker sole that actually makes me want to walk. It’s hard to describe the feeling, but it seems like the slippers give my feet and legs more energy.
Rocker soles help feet roll heel to toe more naturally. It took me a couple of wears to get used to it the first time I tested a Deckers X Lab shoe. I was wary of the thick sole, worried I would fall off the shoes and twist my ankle. Having fallen a few years ago and broken my tibia and fibula all the way apart, I am pretty paranoid about what I put on my feet. Miraculously, the thick sole didn’t make my feet feel sloppy or unstable.
The rocker sole gives my gait a natural momentum of forward movement, and my feet stay in the shoes. I have tested several Deckers X Lab styles at this point, so I shouldn’t be surprised by how much I enjoy the rocker sole and how stable my feet feel in the shoes. The uppers hug my feet but aren’t tight at all. In fact I first thought the uppers had a loose fit, but my feet don’t slide around inside at all when I walk.
The outer sole provides adequate traction for my needs as a beach-to-car and around-the-house shoe and slipper, even on wet grass.
Details
Many Deckers X Lab shoes have a signature wide tail shape on the back of the sole which they have modified in the KO-Z EZ SCUFF. I can’t say that I noticed the difference until I read about this particular style. These shoes also have both a stable and seriously cushioned midsole. My feet feel supported, and I get some cushy energy return with each step. Kind of perfect for a recovery shoe.
The KO-Z EZ SCUFF has unisex sizing, and fits men’s sizes 4-13 and women’s sizes 5-14. It’s available in a variety of rich colors, including: Blanc/Light Grey, Aqua/White, Brown, Grey, Mid-Grey, and Black/Dark Grey.
I typically wear a men’s 9D, and found the fit to be true to size.
An added bonus about Deckers X Lab shoes: the company participates in HERproject, a global collaborative initiative that empowers women in the workplace.
$135.00 on DeckersXLab website
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