www.yoursole.com
When the Exhales arrived on our doorstep, we weren’t sure what to make of their puffy profile. The upper has ribbed baffles like a puffy down coat. Inside is a lamb-soft fleece. “Are they slippers or shoes?” we asked. The answer is both.  A soft ripstop-nylon encases mega-warm synthetic insulation; on the inside is a fluffy synthetic fleece.  After we got past the somewhat dorky appearance and convinced ourselves that we were space-aged trendsetters, these shoes became our go-to après ski and camp shoes.  Our testers wore them in sub-digit temps and reported warm toes every time. The rubber outsole is durable enough to hike and stroll the town in—but the best use for these shoes is hanging out in a hut, tent, or campside, resting your dogs after a long day in less-kind footwear. A suede rand protects the toes and forefoot in high-wear areas. The upper has a water-resistant DWR coating, so if you’re sipping morning Joe and feel compelled to fetch the paper, snow squalls and occasional puddle crossings won’t impede your progress. Sole makes some of the best after-market footbeds on the planet. They’ve used their proprietary footbed for the Exhales—plus added a Polygiene finish (which helps to combat foot odor). As you wear the shoes, the footbed molds to the peculiarities of your foot. Bonus feature: The heel is designed to fold down, so you can wear these kicks as backless slippers (think super-soft clogs), and the pack wonderfully well.