The best men’s slip-on shoes are like dudes who meditate: they’re calm, chill, at ease, enlightened. The world is complicated enough, they seem to suggest—why muddle it further with laces? Rid your daily routine of the extraneous steps separating you from making the train (and the IRL meeting you’re hightailing it to), and you’ll gain more than a crucial few minutes. Free your hands and your mind will follow, they gently assure us.

Slip-on shoes, we’ll grant you, tend to skew a bit more casual than their lace-up counterparts. But for every chilled-out Vans sneaker, there’s an equal and opposite Bass penny loafer. So GQ Recommends slipped on ‘em all to ID the crême de la créme of each category, from the sporty to the dressy to the outdoorsy and every superlative version between. Below are the men’s slip-on shoes our feet appreciated most.


The Best Slip-On Shoes for Men, According to GQ


Best Slip-On Sneakers: Vans Classic Slip-On

Vans

Classic Slip-On

Pros

  • The slip-on you picture when you picture a slip-on
  • Good enough for your skate rat cousin, good enough for you
  • Regularly available in a wide array of colors

Cons

  • Minimal arch support
  • Skews a lot more casual than, say, a loafer

If we’re talking the best men’s slip-on sneaker, would you expect anything other than the Vans classic? The SoCal stompers are archetypal to an entire genre of footwear and have become a staple in every wardrobe from skaters to the nurses that treat their broken ankles. Since their introduction in 1977, the Vans Slip-On has only grown more popular thanks to its super simple design. They may be better for skating than they are for walking, but if you know anything about the sport, it’s all about style. So, even if you can’t push a board down the street without falling, your slip-ons will at least make you look good on your way to the ground.

Best Slip-On Shoes for the Gym: Nike Metcon 9 EasyOn

Nike

Metcon 9 EasyOn

Pros

  • Suitable for any workout in your regimen
  • Breathable, comfortable, and supportive
  • Pretty handsome, as far as gym shoes go

Cons

  • Best worn to the gym, and the gym only
  • Colors are limited

The Metcons won our editors over and earned them the spot as the best cross-training shoe, so it’s only natural that their slip-on brethren would earn bragging rights here. If you’re confused, don’t worry. Yes, they do have laces, but they’re not exactly lace-ups. See, the magic comes with Nike’s EasyOn design which makes the heel collapsible and even hands-free. You’ll only have to adjust the laces once and you’ll be set forever—kinda like a car with memory seats. The breathable mesh uppers keep your feet dry and the supportive midsole and arch support ensure each stride and squat are stable. If you need a pair of lightweight shoes to rock as your running shoes as well as throwing iron around but can’t bring yourself to tie a couple laces, then these are for you.

Best Slip-On Loafers: G.H. Bass & Co. Weejuns Heritage Larson Leather Penny Loafers

G.H. Bass & Co.

Weejuns Heritage Larson Leather Penny Loafers

Pros

  • Unimpeachable pedigree
  • As classic as loafers get
  • Easily repairable soles

Cons

  • Leather can be tough before breaking in
  • Vamp is a bit wider than we’d like

Most menswear roads lead back to the loafer. And not just any loafer, but the ubiquitous Bass Weejuns. They made waves in the United States after WWII to become a staple of preppy dressing. Nowadays, they’re everywhere from finance bros to fashion obsessives and everyone in-between. That’s because they manage to balance casual and dressy like no other shoe, so you can really wear them for almost any situation. Job interview? Yes. Quick corner store run? Yep. Fancy date? You bet. Skateboarding? Probably not, but it would look sick. The loafer’s versatility is unmatched and whether you need a pair of dress shoes to match your suit or just some casual slip ons to pair with your vintage jeans, you’d killing more than two birds with one shoe.

Best Slip-On Hiking Shoes: Merrell 1TRL Winter Moc

Merrell

Winter Moc 3

Pros

  • Unimpeachable pedigree
  • Comfortable, grippy, and supportive
  • Budget-friendly

Cons

  • Colors are limited
  • Great for the trails; not so great for the office

The laziness ease of a slip-on shoe sounds counter to the essence of hiking. And yet, we find ourselves drawn to the trails just as much as we’re drawn to the idea of not having to untangle a bowl of spaghetti. In reality, a laceless closure is just one less barrier between you and Mother Nature. The trick is…most slip-on hiking shoes look like ass. We understand that there’s a sort of ugly duckling charm that comes with the gorp-y gear, but there’s a limit. Thankfully, Merrell’s 1TRL sub-label has been cooking up some tasty kicks with all the trail qualifications of their main line and these Winter Mocs are a prime example. The hairy suede and the sleek silhouette make ‘em easy on the eyes and the gravel-gripping rubber outsole and arch support make most treacherous terrain feel like a walk in the park.

Best Slip-On Walking Shoes: Hoka Restore TC

Hoka

Restore TC

Pros

  • Unimpeachable pedigree
  • Cushier than a memory-foam mattress
  • High stability and traction

Cons

  • Not for the faint of heart (or dainty of feet)
  • Colors are limited

Hoka has consistently been one of our favorite brands for getting your steps in (just peep our best walking shoes article) and the Restore TC brings all of the brand’s stellar comfort and support to a laceless design. These recovery shoes come with heaps of cushioning in a breathable sock-knit upper for one of the most comfortable slip-ons, if not most comfortable shoes you’ll ever feel. Are they more for recovering after a brutal run? Sure. Does that mean you can’t wear them on your daily walks? Surely not.

Best Slip-On Shoes for Menswear Guys: Plasticana Gardana Clog

Plasticana

Gardana Clog

Pros

  • Recyclable and waterproof
  • Snug fit; rarely slips off
  • Bragging rights

Cons

  • Inventory can be limited
  • Wearing can increase risk of being memed

There’s no dearth of trendy shoes right now. But perhaps the most pervasive—and yet indie—shoe spreading across fashion circles is one that costs just about sixty bucks: the Plasticana Gardana clog. The little-known French shoemaker crafts these funky gardening shoes out of rubberized hemp which gives them not only a jelly-like quality and waterproofness, but a unique look speckled look. Because of their natural materials, no two pairs look alike, but every pair carries that same handsome shape that’s part loafer and ballet shoe. Pro tip: err on the side of slightly large and add your own insole.

Best Slip-On Shoes for Summer: Nisolo Huarache Sandal

Nisolo

Huarache Sandals

Pros

  • Ethically-sourced and made
  • Cushy, comfortable, and unbelievably breathable
  • Peak rich-guy-on-vacation vibes

Cons

  • Won’t play nice with water
  • Perfect for sandy boardwalks, but best left off the trails

If you want to feel the breeze between your toes without treating strangers to a free show, we suggest some kind of woven leather sandal. And it’s hard not to mention the Nisolo Huarache sandal. Beloved by style god Chris Pine, these traditional Mexican sandals feature a slim sole and handsome woven leather uppers, not a single shoelace in sight. Slip them on with a pair of short shorts and a camp shirt or rock them with some billowy pants and a rugged denim shirt. And don’t be afraid of the tan lines.


More Slip-On Shoes We Love

Sperry Authentic Original 2-Eye Boat Shoes

Sperry

Authentic Original 2-Eye Boat Shoe

The return of the boat shoe is undeniable and who better than to ride the wave than Sperry? The iconic deck-traipsing shoe is a stalwart in the preppy universe and the low-vamp uppers make them easy to slip into.

Salomon RX Moc 3.0 Loafers

Salomon

RX Moc 3.0 Loafers

Salomon’s reputation as a crag-grabbing, mountain-conquering outdoors brand doesn’t mean they don’t know how to chill.

Lemaire Flat Piped Slippers

Lemaire

Flat Piped Slippers

Consider these the rich guy’s Plasticanas. You can find these minimalistic shoes roving around fashion hot spots in every major city and they’ve fast become one of the must-have shoes for every budding fashion wonk.

Comme des Garçons Homme x New Balance ML610S Sneakers

Comme des Garçons Homme x New Balance

ML610S Black

If you told your grandpa that his slip on New Balances would be the stuff of menswear moodboards, well, he probably wouldn’t know what the hell you’re talking about. So just reassure him that this is a very, very good thing.

Mulo Collapsible-Heel Suede Loafers

Mulo

Collapsible-Heel Suede Loafers

Mulo’s high-quality footwear delves deep into slip-ons of all kinds. But perhaps their best silhouette is the collapsible-heel loafers which transform into a minimalistic mule in a split second.

Mephisto Cap Vert Penny Loafers

Mephisto

Cap Vert Penny Loafer

Mephisto has long been the secret sauce for stylish octogenarians and it’s not just because they’ve got that old man swagger. They’re not only high quality, but they’re some of the most comfortable shoes on the market.

Norda 003 Series Trail Sneakers

Norda

003 Series Trail Sneaker

Norda’s clean, futuristic trail runners make them a serious contender against the big dogs at Adidas and Nike. Not only do they look dope, they actually perform, too.

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