I have worn these for some time, and love them. While I am historically a flip-flop kind of guy, these are my definite choice when around the house. I truly wish I could wear them when out and about. Some specifics, and lessons:

~ I wear size 9.5 EEE (i.e. WIDE feet). I purchased the 9, and they were the right size. The soles are not made for wide feet, but if your arch is standard, the width shouldn't overlap. I did NOT wear with socks, as I would have needed the next size up. So, indeed...they are narrow, but not un-wearable.
~ Smell of the shoe was not an issue.
~ I would not recommend wearing these outside for any length of time. The last pair I purchased was initially for home only, but once I began wearing out for errands, the soles wore-through within 2 weeks of daily use.
~ Since they were inexpensive, I decided to wash them to see if they would hold up. I laundered them on the delicate cycle of the washer, and the air dry of the dryer. Lesson learned. Won't do this again. They did not dry properly, nor did they hold up through the tumult.

So...well worth the money, and will be a regular wear for me. BUT...I won't wear them outside, nor will I wash them. I might try the rubber-soled pair for outdoor use.  Permalink

I love these shoes. The price is stunning, and they are very well made. I thought the cotton soles would be very soft, but it is about 1/4 inch thick, very tightly woven layers, and it harder than you might expect cotton to be, but very very comfortable. I've been using them to practice every night for a week, and they show no signs of wearing down. Even if they did wear out in a month, they're so cheap that replacing them would be a snap!

The only thing you should watch out for is practicing on a slick surface (linoleum, tiling, hard wood, etc) because they are slippery. For comparison, I'm sure everyone has slid across their kitchen in their socks. That's how it feels. Carpet, dojo padding, concrete, grass, dirt, everything else has wonderful grip. They also offer rubber soled shoes that I assume have better grip on slick surfaces, but I have not tried them. Just be careful on anything slick, don't hurt yourself.

The only thing I could suggest to improve this product is a small draw string to tighten the back of the shoe against your ankle and keep it from slipping off. It has flown off once or twice on very fast snapping front kicks.

All in all a great product.  Permalink

I purchased these for Qigong practice. Love the feel of them. However, I ordered my normal shoe size and wear socks with them. They do stretch considerably and the heel slips off at times. Next time I will order at least one size down.  Permalink

these are exellent shoes, if you know what you are getting.
I seriously regret the slim sole in the forefoot.
They would be so great otherwise.
For people with slim feet.  Permalink

I bought these to use as a pair of quiet house shoes. They work great for that purpose.

As others have noted, they are a little slippier than rubber or leather sole shoes, but better than socks. The sizes run a bit large. I should have gone down on more size, but wearing socks with them works well enough.

I wouldn't recommend wearing them on asphalt or pavement, and the soles were stained by going into the back yard.

Still, I'm very happy with them.  Permalink

These shoes were very good and comfortable for my intended use. I do have to say that they are not really made for wide feet. But after some inital wearing, then I was able to use them.   Permalink

These shoes were very good and comfortable for my intended use. I do have to say that they are not really made for wide feet. But after some inital wearing, then I was able to use them.   Permalink

These shoes are very comfortable and work well, however, for it just takes some getting use to as i was always barefoot in doing my tai chi. I wear them for a while then take them off for a while, etc. Would recommend these to anyone for use in tai chi.  Permalink

other than the fact that I ordered size 8 & they sent me size 10 ... they are VERY comfy!!!
my husband wears them now cause they fit him perfectly, and I'll be ordering my own again. hopefully this time I get the right size in the mail ;)  Permalink

Great shoes...especially for the price and the soles don't mark the tile!
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Great shoes...especially for the price and the soles don't mark the tile!
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Traditional, well made, and the right fit. Wasn't sure the size would "translate" right, but it does.

Don't wear them on pavement/cement or gravel or they will wear out faster than if you keep them on carpet or grass.

Comfortable Shoes or Slippers.


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I have worn these off and on since my teens. I'm 42 now. These are great shoes/slippers if you have never owned them. If you are shopping and have owned them before, these are "the ones" you remember.

If you realize that taking a sand-blaster to your cotton shirt would not have good results, than do not were these for extended times on cement/pavement. They will wear out your cotton soles 10 times faster. Keep em inside or in the gym and they will be with you a long time.
I love them.

This seller got them to me fast(2 days, maybe 3) and I will be back again.
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These slippers rock! I have been wearing them around the house and they are very comfortable. Unfortunately I should have taken the advice from other and got a size smaller. The first time I did a front kick the slipper went flying, I caught it on the way down though...

So my next pair will definately be a size smaller gotta keep them on my feel ;-)  Permalink

I have been wearing these shoes for quiet a while now. I think I purchased them for the first time(from KarateDepot) in either late 2005 or early 2006. To my memory, this is the 4th or 5th pair I have purchased. I wear them inside, outside, when/wherever moisture can be avoided.

They do wear out quickly if you wear them outside, but that is my favorite part! After you have worn the soles out a bit, you start to see the layers below. Many of the layers use different colored fabric and you can see the "wear history" as it progresses through the sole.

Don't wash in Washer/Dryer, maybe delicate with tumble dry, but I wouldn't recommend(they are cheap if you ruin them).

Size down, as they do stretch. Highly recommended!  Permalink

Never knew a shoe could be so comfy.Perfect for my Qigong practise, my work as a massage therapist and as a house or porch shoe. Note that they are very slippery on linoleum or tile floors. Women should buy the men's shoe one size below your normal shoe size. Finally, they have no ankle support for pronation prevention. Their comfort level and price leads me to buy a pair for every activity I listed above.  Permalink

I'm totally satisfied with the shoes. They were perfect for the QiGong workshop and I've been wearing them as house slippers and when I do my work..as a massage therapist and Jin Shin Jyutsu practitioner. I wear a women's size 10, so I ordered a man's 9..They're just right with socks, perhaps a little loose without socks. Perhaps I'll order a rubber-soled pair, so I can wear them outside some. I highly recommend these shoes.  Permalink

I normally wear a size 7 women's shoe, and ordered the size 6 in these. Way too big, even with thick socks. There is ~ 1 1/2 inches of extra space in the toe box with my thick socks, and the shoes come off during practice. Have to send back for a smaller size.  Permalink

When I bought these shoes a few weeks ago, I called to confirm that the size 6 would fit for a size 7 women's shoe. The fit is great and so are the shoes. They are comfortable and have just the right amount of traction. I recommend them highly and I have already recommended Karatedepot.com for their friendly customer support and quick shipping.  Permalink

these shoes are really comfortable. but the only downside to them is that they are slippery. other that that, these shoes are really really good for martial arts  Permalink

Exactly what I was looking for. Using them in a Tai Chi class.  Permalink

In the past I would use size 38, but these size 40 fit perfectly. I like a snug fit. The sole is a 1/4" thick and seems perfect for indoor exercise.

Be cautious of slipping.

Good product. I will likely order a couple of pairs each year or so....

Jim  Permalink

I purchased these shoes as a gift for someone who practices Kung Fu on a regular basis on a concrete surface. I got a size below his normal shoe fit and they work great for him.   Permalink

I've been wearing this type of shoe for tai chi teaching and practice since the mid-1970s, and for wearing around the house, though nowadays when teaching I often wear Discipline martial arts shoes. The good news about these slippers is that they're cheap enough to buy a few pairs at once, and they allow for being able to feel the floor beneath your feet. A pair generally lasts me a few months. As one reviewer noted, they're not optimal for outside wear because the soles will wear out quickly; also, you really don't want to get them wet. You absolutely cannot wash them. Another problem, as noted by a few reviewers, is that the soles are narrow. In the larger sizes, which I wear, or if you have wide feet, this means that the soft upper overlaps the edge of the sole. You want them to fit snugly, so don't order up. It's a pain if they slip off during practice. If you live near a Chinatown, you can buy them for about half the price charged here, though I will say that the quality of the pairs I've bought from Karate Depot is consistently pretty good; this isn't always true of the ones bought in Chinatown.   Permalink

I bought two pairs of these shoes for the second time from karatedepot.com, so last few years I wear them at home instead of slippers.
They are very comfortable, inexpensive, quiet, light, and I think it's healthier to wear them rather then some slippers made from plastic.
They are also the best choise for practicing tai-chi, etc..
The original order arrived in time.
One pair has some weird stain inside, and, after explaining to karatedepot representative, that nothing can be done to fix it, they agreed to send me another pair w/o making big deal of of it.
The new pair arrived pretty soon.
I'm very happy with their service!
I like karatedepot.com...
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Awesome shoes. I have 2 pairs with different sizes for wearing with socks and without. Behave nicely after washing in cold water as well.  Permalink

I bought these shoes kind of wondering what the meaning of a cotton sole was, but the price was so good, I just wanted to get a pair. I took the advice of other reviews and ordered a size smaller, I am a 9, so I ordered an 8. It fit very comfortably. Since the shoes do not give that much grip, they are ideal for working on footwork. These shoes are very nice.  Permalink

I got these shoes 4 my student and he likes them.They had a few loose threds but thats easy to fix.  Permalink

Good company to do business with. Perfect shoes for doing Qigong.  Permalink

Great shoes. FYI, in the online description it says:
"We hope your enjoying your items."

The first "your" should be "you're," short for "you are."  Permalink

One of the best products I have recently purchased. Worth the price, well constructed.

Thank you karate depot.  Permalink

Pretty nice shoes for practicing. I wear anywhere from a 10 to 11 (depends on the brand of shoe) so I went with the 11 and they fit just right. Word of caution on wood floors, they are just like wearing socks. I use them when practicing at home on berber carpet and they work really well. Also I noticed no odor with the shoes at all.

Delivery was excellent, much quicker than I anticipated!  Permalink

First I must say, I really don't understand why so many people have a problem with the slim build of these shoes. I have very wide feet, I order a pair 1 size under my normal size so they adjust to my feet, and they still work perfectly fine for me. My sole of my foot does shift slightly, but after a few days of wearing these shoes it further shifts to fit my feet perfectly in every aspect. All you have to do is wear them consistently.... just not in rain...

Either way, I love my pair, and in about a year I'll buy another pair to replace my old ones. Hurrah for karatedepot.com

Excellent buy and price.  Permalink

I love these shoes. I have bought a pair for my husband AND his brother, but I need a pair for me too. I stole them once to wear and I didn't want to give them back.
I did notice though that you want to make sure you're not wearing them on grass, because my husband did, and put them in the closet after, didn't tell me and they mildewed. Understandable because they're all cotton. Washing them ruined them. I'll be buying a couple more pairs, just in case.
Thanks for these wonderful shoes. We love them  Permalink

Awesome shoes for Wing Chung training!!!!  Permalink

These run very narrow! I can wear them but my foot lays beyond the sole. My husband cannot wear his at all.

I think the quality is good.  Permalink

I don't actually do any Kung Fu (I would love to if I had the money), but I still love these shoes. I wear them inside my house at all times, they are simply incredible. I buy a new pair every 6 months because I like collecting them, or giving them to people...they last much longer than that. It's basically like your foot with a cotton soul, you can't even tell it's there. Plus, you feel that much cooler when you are watching a Bruce Lee flick...  Permalink

The overall quality and comfort is spectacular! When you walk in the shoes it feels like walking on a pillow. The only draw back, thus, minus the one star is that dispite ordering a size smaller the back of the shoes still feel loose. It is only minor since they stay on my feet when performing my kata and or kicks. I purchased these shoes for my kata/forms and they play their part well!  Permalink

pros: pretty much what I expected. These are extremely comfortable. I would order a half size smaller than your normal size. The sole is thick enough and hard enough to wear outside but not so much that you wouldn't wear it inside.

this is a good shoe to wear as a minimalist shoe if you are a barefoot enthusiast. Although the sole is a bit thick for that i think it may work.

Cons: they stink. the shoes showed up clearly clean and unused but they already smelled like feet. Maybe they were just sewn in a funky factory.
since they're cotton i would wonder if washing them will shrink them. haven't tried yet but Be cautious about hot water or drying.
yes, they are slippery on hardwood etc, but it's not an issue if you're just walking around. I did do a few kicks and there is a danger if you are practicing martial arts, but that is not my intended use.

5 stars if they were not smelly and if the sole were thinner.  Permalink

Great shoes. Good quality, comfortable. Prompt shipping for a reasonable price.   Permalink

I wear these as street shoes and love being able to feel the ground. They do quite well for traction on hikes, though on very smooth floors, you will slip around a little. Can't use them for my Qi Gong practice on a wood floor, for that reason. It helps that I live in a dry climate: if you get them wet, they soak right through to your socks and take forever to dry. Sure, they wear out, but they last pretty long for the price, IMO. I buy several pairs at a time.  Permalink