They look like reinforced socks. A new ‘shoe’ by startup brand Skinner is among the most minimal footwear we’ve seen.
Skinners ‘shoes’ offer little more than skin protection. Made with a sole of “dual-coated, anti-abrasive polymer,” they slip on like a sock and roll up small enough to fit in a pocket.
This in-between footwear was inspired when Czech inventor Petr Procházka was packing for an ultralight backpacking trip in Norway.
“Like most people, I struggled with deciding what to pack while traveling. Armed with ultralight jackets, lightweight towels, and dehydrated food, I sadly looked on as my [second pair of] shoes took up half of my backpack.”
Ultralight Footwear
Driven to design lightweight and packable footwear, Procházka took his sewing kit and some leftover materials from a nearby construction site and got to work.
The result was Skinners, which the company touts as the “most ultra-portable footwear in the world.” They use no glue during construction, and the sole has a polymer treatment for waterproofness and grip.
The sock-shoes weigh about 2.8 ounces each. A silver-laced yarn on the upper gives antimicrobial properties.
Made in Europe, Skinners are machine-washable. They will cost $35 once on the market.
Shoe For Backpacking, Sports
These look like a great product to carry as a second pair of shoes for hiking or travel, as they will take up virtually no room in a pack.
For backpacking, if you want to carry something for the campsite to wear while letting hiking shoes air dry, these would do the trick.
See Skinners site or the brand’s fundraising campaign to learn more or order a pair of sock-shoes of your own.
