Deckers X Lab X-Scape Knit Low Shoes

An ultra lightweight and surprisingly stable slip-on shoe for any time you need that footloose feeling.

I’m not usually a lightweight shoe person, much less a snug no-sock type of shoe person, because I have way too much foot baggage (as in, orthotics and an ankle brace), but I have learned to never doubt Deckers X Lab. They are shoe magicians who design fun, fashionable, function footwear. I always find something that fits!

Light and Stable

The Deckers X Lab X-Scape Knit Low Shoes are the lightest shoes I think I’ve ever tested. What makes them ideal for me is their stability. They have a nice thick rocker sole (“Meta-Rocker”) that provides a stable platform for my foot and allows my foot to roll forward naturally. That means I use less effort to move and the sole isn’t excessively flexing in the forefoot (which is what most lightweight shoes with flimsy soles do), which means my delicate metatarsal area doesn’t get overused. This is everything, and I wish more people understood!

You can try on some lightweight shoes in the store, and they feel fine, but try to walk in those shoes and your feet will get sore and tired. Feet need support. Deckers X Lab understands this and designs support and motion into their soles. There’s even padding in the heel of the shoe for added stability. Flared “swallow’s tails” on the sole also provide stability.

Committed to Sustainability

Another brilliant thing Deckers X Lab does is use sustainable materials in their products. The X-Scape Knit Low Shoes contain foam derived from sugar cane. So sweet. The knit upper, which is designed to fit snugly, is made out of Sorona®, a partially plant based fabric created by DuPont. So far it has proven to be durable, flexible (without losing its firmness), and comfortable against the skin of my bare feet.

Deckers X Lab’s sustainable goals motto is “7 by 27.” They want to make an impact in seven categories: “Waste, Water, Materials, Chemicals, Climate & Clean Energy, Human Rights, and Gender Equality & Quality Education.” Check out their blog to learn more about the people behind the footwear.

A Slipper and a Shoe

I didn’t read the Deckers X Lab website until I’d been wearing the X-Scape Knit Low Shoes for a couple of weeks, so I didn’t know they call it “Slipper x Sneaker.” I figured it out anyway. I already have a Deckers X Lab house slipper, the Men’s KO-Z SLIDE, which I hate taking off. In an attempt to keep my house cleaner, I designated them as “indoor-only” slippers. More than a year later the soles are still rolling, thick, bouncy-but-stable. The X-Scape Knit Low Shoes has become my “I’ll just pop over to the store,” “I need to put on shoes quickly after swimming in the 48 degree lake,” and “I’m going to go outside and do my pushups on the lawn” footwear. They’re ideal for when I want my slippers on but need shoes ’cause I’m leaving my house.

The X-Scape Knit Low Shoes are designed to be worn sockless (or with socks); they’re quite snug. They come with two insoles, one thin and the other thicker, for people with low volume feet. I tried to fit my full-length orthotics into them, but the insoles took up too much space. I could get a thinner orthotic made to use in this shoe, but I don’t feel like I need it because I tend to wear the shoe as my outside slippers. I love being able to pull them on after swimming in the lake, and then I have “real shoes” on if I need to stop at the store on the way home. The inverted waffle-like soles provide decent traction on cement, grass, and dirt trails.

People who don’t need as much support as I do will probably put them on and never take them off. They’ll do everything in them. Confession: I slept in mine the day I got them because I didn’t want to take them off. DECKERSXLAB talks about “flow” on their site, and it’s embodied in their footwear. Somehow I get the support and stability I need in lightweight slippers and shoes that keep my feet happy and make me feel totally free to move, fly, float through my days and activities.

Details

Available in men’s sizes 4-13 (including 1/2 sizes) and women’s sizes 5-14 (including 1/2 sizes) in black, blue/yellow, grey/lichen, lavender/white, beige, and grey. Unisex sizing. American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) Seal of Acceptance.

$100

Manufacturer’s Site: https://deckersxlab.com/