It’s a little unusual to see a review of a product from Ugg on a website about menswear.

I get that.

Uggs, I used to think, were only for college girls. And the only ones I was familiar with were those shapeless tan boots.

I also was never really into slippers. I never liked the idea of wearing shoes while inside. I never really understood the point.

These two views collided a little over a decade ago when my wife gifted me a pair of Ugg slippers. The style of that original pair was the “Ascot”, which is also the style I am currently wearing as I write this and is the subject of today’s product review.

All my other product reviews can be found here. I don’t get any kickbacks or commissions from reviews. They are all honest.

As I said, I had never been into slippers, but that was because any slippers I experienced in the past were cheap and not very comfortable or warm.

My mind was permanently changed when I experienced how luxurious slippers could be!

Ever since my wife bought me that original pair, I have been a converted slipper-wearer. I now wear slippers ALL THE TIME. Even in the summer. I never walk around my house without my slippers on. In general, I wear through a pair of slippers every two years, so, at this point, I have gone through at least six pairs.

I have worn several different styles of slippers in the years since I received that first pair. The reason I wanted to review the Ascot today was that this pair is, in my opinion, the best men’s slipper style from the best men’s slipper brand out there.

Let’s get into it…

What differentiates the Ascot from some other styles is the long vamp (the top of the shoe) and, unlike a moccasin style, no lacing system.

There are two benefits here.

One is that the long vamp makes the slipper fit more snugly and provides more warmth, as there is more foot-coverage compared to a style with a shorter vamp (again, like a moccasin).

And the lack of lacing means there is nothing to re-tie. I always found that the thick leather laces of other slippers constantly came undone.

Ok, those are the main benefits of this particular style. But what makes Ugg slippers stand out in general?

It should be a shock to no one that the big differentiator between Ugg and everyone else is the plush lining they use, which is apparently a blend of wool and Lyocell. I have tried other slippers, namely L.L. Bean’s “Wicked Good” line, and no other slipper brand really holds a candle to the level of luxury and warmth that Ugg provides.

The lining is so thick that the slippers feel quite tight out of the box. So tight that you might think you ordered the wrong size. That’s what I thought at first when I received that first pair all those years ago.

But experience has shown that the lining flattens with only a few wears. I take a 10.5 in almost all shoes and boots, but the slippers only come in whole sizes, so I go with an 11. It’s perfect.

Another big upside to Ugg slippers is the outsole. Obviously, I wear my slippers inside 99% of the time, but there are times when I pop outside to grab some groceries from the truck or get my son buckled into his car seat. The outsole on the slippers is more than adequate for quick jaunts onto real ground, provided the ground isn’t icy (since they don’t provide enough traction to be safe on ice, although the sole is thick enough to keep your feet plenty warm).

Even for slippers, the outsole is thick enough where I don’t notice rocks underfoot when outside.

I also appreciate the outsole’s durability over time. What I’ve found is that over the years I don’t wear through the outsole… I wear through the plush insole until my foot is touching the rubber of the outsole. What that means is that the slippers still function perfectly well (to protect my feet) even at the point where I feel the need to replace them.

Come to think of it, it’s really only the inside of the slipper that deteriorates over time (which makes sense). The outer shell, made up of the leather and the rubber outsole, stay perfectly intact, as you can see from these comparisons of my most recently retired old pair (right) versus the new replacement pair (left) I got a couple months ago.

This comparison is great for seeing how these slippers hold up after more than two years of hard wear.

There are a few different leather iterations of the Ascot style, including a soft, fuzzy suede version. I prefer the version that is the plain leather all the way around. The leather is very thick and has a tumbled/pebbled appearance. I find the leather is very water-resistant and can be wiped clean easily if I happen to spill anything on it. Taken together, those two things equal longevity for the slippers.

Longevity was really the difference I discovered when I compared Uggs to the aforementioned “Wicked Good” slippers from L.L. Bean. I had a pair of the Wicked Goods for my usual two-year stretch a few years ago. Toward the end of their service, my toes were wearing through the leather (and the fur lining was long-gone at that point). I know I put my slippers through the ringer, but the Uggs definitely hold up better over time compared to the Wicked Goods.

As far as looks go, I also prefer the Ascot style to a moccasin style. To my eye, the Ascot has a bit more of a gentlemanly look to it. More of a “house-shoe” instead of a straight slipper. Maybe that’s the name of the style working its marketing magic on my brain.

Another thing I like about the look of the Ascot style, though, is the fact that it covers a great deal of the foot, which I think is a bit more flattering for a man. I mean, let’s be honest, no one wants to see our feet. Yes, I know that I am wearing these in the comfort of my own home, but I do also take them with me when we go visit my in-laws and stuff like that. I also wear them when we have company over at our house.

Basically, for slippers, they are as presentable as you can get.

Since I wear my slippers all the time, even in the summer, you might think that they get smelly over time. Honestly, they don’t really smell. And that’s due to the fact that the lining is wool and not cotton.

A lot of slippers out there have plaid cotton linings, which looks great, but doesn’t function all that well. Think about it… if you wear a t-shirt over and over again without washing it, it will start to smell. The same thing happens to the cotton lining in a slipper. The problem is that you can’t wash a slipper like you can a t-shirt, so that slipper will just continue to smell the more you use it.

A slipper lined with wool won’t smell nearly as much AND it won’t make your feet sweat as much either. That’s why I am perfectly comfortable wearing my slippers even when it’s hot out.

Ok, now let’s talk price. At the moment, the Ugg Ascots are selling for $125. Is that worth it? Well, that depends. If you wear slippers all day every day like I do (I work remotely so I am home a lot of the time), then yes, it’s more than worth it. It’s worth it to me to spend $125 every two years for the warmth and comfort these slippers provide me every day.

But, if you wear slippers once-in-a-while or just in the winter, maybe you’d be ok with a $50 pair from Walmart.

There’s no wrong answer, it’s just what makes the most sense for you.

For me, once I experienced how comfortable slippers could be, it became a no-brainer for me to spend the money to get the Uggs.

Interestingly, once I jumped on the Ugg Train all those years ago, I investigated other men’s footwear offerings from Ugg and ended up buying a pair of burgundy snow boots. I wear those much less frequently than I do my slippers (so they have lasted for more than a decade), but they are amazingly good boots for cold northern winters (and they thankfully look nothing like the tan sorority-girl style Ugg is known for).

Overall, Ugg does a fantastic job with their men’s slippers. I would hesitate to branch out into other brands because the Uggs are so good. There really wouldn’t be a point in doing so. I can’t see another brand doing slippers this well for this price.

So, even if you’ve never really been into wearing slippers, I recommend giving the Ugg Ascots (or any other style) a try. You might discover, like I did, that you’re a closeted “slipper guy” after all!