Padraig Cottage Crofter Slipper

Consider this article to be a short product review but generally more of a recommendation. I have been using the Padraig Cottage Crofter Slipper for months now. Bottom line: I love the slippers. They have been my favorite pair of house slippers from the moment I tried them on. Padraig Cottage is a company based out of North Vancouver, BC Canada. They create handcrafted slippers and children’s shoes. You can hear an audio recording that describes the history of the company. They remind me of the shoes your grandmother would hand knit or crochet for you as a gift. Find out why I love this slipper so much after the jump. It can get cold here in Pacific North West during the winter months. I often find that my feet can feel cold. I would sometimes wear socks, but they did not always provide enough warmth. I have looked for a comfortable pair of slippers for years. Surprisingly there are a fair number of slippers on the market that have a heel rise in them. Personally, heel rises cause me significant back pain. One day I was browsing the Soft Star Shoes website, and I came across a pair of slippers they offered from a company called Padraig Cottage. They claimed even though they did not make these shoes. They loved them so much they just had to offer them on their site. I figured that was a pretty ringing endorsement. I ordered myself a pair of the original slippers off of Soft Star shoes website. I fell in love with the slipper the instant I tried it on. They served me well, and I had very few complaints about it. My one wish is that there was a tie that would secure the slipper around your ankle. I felt like this would help keep the warmth trapped in the slipper. This leads me to today’s review — it is not about the original slipper. One day, I was checking out Padraig’s website to see if they had any new styles and was surprised to see they had released a new type of slipper. They called it the Padraig Cottage Crofter Slipper. I was very pleased to see that the slipper featured a single lace around the ankle—exactly what I was hoping for. I placed my order right away and anxiously awaited my new pair of house slippers. Padraig’s slippers are rather simple when it comes to their construction. They are made of hand-spun wool, sheepskin for the footbed, and leather for the sole. Three simple materials that make for an incredibly cozy slipper. The leather sole and the sheepskin footbed are glued together. Padraig then punctures holes along the edge of the leather sole through which they crochet the upper, securing the upper to the sole. The leather bottom is reminiscent of the SoftStar Roo. You could wear these slippers outside, if you don’t drag your feet when you walk. I would avoid wearing them on pavement surfaces if you drag you feet. Friction is what causes holes to be worn through the leather. Wearing these slippers feels like you wrapped your feet in a wool blanket. I found the wool does an excellent job of regulating your foot’s temperature. The ankle lace is the exact feature I was hoping for, too, as it helps keep everything in place. The lace also helps prevent excess warmth from escaping. I never suffer from cold feet when I am wearing these slippers. Even during the spring I find these slippers to be comfortable: I have yet to experience sweaty feet in them. I think this is mostly because of the temperature regulating properties of wool. Meanwhile, the upper is roomy. I find that I have plenty of room to splay my toes. The sole of the shoe is made from a very durable leather. I don’t have any problems with traction on my hardwoods or carpet. I also wear them out to take the puppy outside to potty. They do well on the asphalt driveway. There is plenty of ground feel since the footbed/sole are not extremely thick. The slipper also does decent during a drizzly day. They will stay dry if you spend a few moments in the rain. They are not puddle proof though so watch where you step. The men’s slippers come in several different sizes. They range from small to x-large. If you are in between sizes like me. I would suggest you size down. The first pair I ordered was a large and I found they were loose (I wear size 43 in Vibrams, for reference). When I ordered the Crofter Slipper I ordered a medium size, and I found it was a much better fit. You can find their size chart here. Padraig suggests you wash the slippers from time to time. Aside from making them clean it also helps to retain the original shape and tightness of your slippers. You can use a mild soap or some Woolite on a gentle cycle with warm water. I have never had an issue throwing these slippers in the wash. Let them air dry overnight. Read their care instructions here. I really love these slippers. I wear them almost every day at home. I can’t recommend them enough. If you like slippers or are in need of a good shoe to wear at home, then these might just be the solution for you. The slipper is priced at $84 you can order them off Soft Star’s website. I love that they are handmade, and their quality is really exceptional. What kind of slippers do you wear around the house? Leave a comment below and let us know.