Giesswein, pronounced “geese-vine”, make some pretty neat house slippers that we fell in love with. These are not your typical slippers from the department store. No, these are slippers (or lodge shoes to be more accurate) are built to last a long time.

 

All the shoes are made of wool. Not the scratchy kind you might be thinking of, but softer, boiled wool. We love wool. Wool is a natural temperature regulator and we find it be more durable than man-made materials. We have reviewed many wool items, but this is one of the first wool based footwear we have tested.

The process that goes into making the shoes out of wool is pretty involved (fulling, washing, agitating, rinsing), but none of it uses chemicals – and they let the wool out to dry in the clean Austrian Alp air. The whole process is renewable and sustainable. Thumbs up!

With the change of seasons, we were looking for a Fall/Winter footwear that was functional, comfortable and stylish. We tested out 2 men’s shoes and 2 women’s shoes.

 

One of the most sticking features of all the shoes from Giesswein is the incredible arch support. What? Arch support in a slipper? Yep – legitimate arch support in a slipper. The insoles are latex-cork based insoles that contour to your feet. At first, it is a bit abrupt, but after a short while wearing them, they mold to your feet and become your slippers.  The slippers also feature a reinforced toe and heel caps made from recycled fiber for added durability.

A final note on the slippers – the soles are burly. Outsoles are made from waterproof, treaded rubber for traction even in slippery conditions.  We took dogs on walks, hung out in a snowstorm, crushed many beer cans and relaxed at the cabin in these lodge shoes. Check out our review on the following models:

Innsbruck

Classic slippers with a thick waterproof rubber sole for use inside and outside. Easy slip-on, thanks to the elastic gore. No laces or adjustments – just a simple slipper. They have the removable cork footbeds and reinforced heel cup and toe cap. Cozy for the home, cabin, campsite, and running errands. MSRP $158 (Buy Here)

Vent

Much like the Innsbruck slipper, but these feature a bit more of a mid-top height for more coverage. Making them better for campsite use and outdoor excursions in the winter. They also have an adjustable strap to dial in the fit better. We found ourselves using these more for leaving the house and after sports actives in the mountains. MSRP $134 (Buy Here)

Bigelow

Our female tester really liked versatility and breathability of these shoes. They can be worn either full height or rolled down to the ankle. They go great with leggings and an oversized sweater. MSRP $140 (Buy Here)

Baxter

These look more like house slippers with a very stylish design. They sip on easily and go well with jeans cuffed at the ankle to show off the intercept patterns. MSRP $138 (Buy Here)

All in all, both the male and female testers were really impressed with the Giesswein shoes. They take slippers to another level, fitting a nice niche of a slipper for inside yet burly enough to head outside in the winter. The shoes are perfect for keeping cozy at the cabin, relaxing at home and packing to the hut.