Camp slippers. They’re something of a luxury, at least until you buy them and realize you can’t live without them. Camp slippers were a recent discovery for me, when I purchased and used REI’s unisex Camp Dreamer slippers during a 10-day trip to Vermont.
REI Camp Dreamer Slippers Overview
I bought a pair of Camp Dreamers in the Granite Black colorway, size 12. I used them roughly 4 hours per day, for ten days, at a campground in Vermont. Temperatures got down into the low 30s at night, and daily highs were usually in the mid-50s.
Type of shoe: Camp booties
Materials: Polyester upper, polyurethane midsole, rubber outsole (some recycled)
Good for all-day use: No
Price: $60
What I like: Comfortable, super warm, easy to slip on and off
What I don’t like: A bit loose, easy to get dirty
REI Camp Dreamers Image Gallery
Are these good slippers for camping?
These are slippers; there’s no need for me to invent 5 different scoring categories when there is really only one question that matters:
If you bring these slippers on a camping trip, are they going to keep my feet warm and comfortable and allow me to take off my hiking boots?
The answer is yes. These slippers are going to keep your feet warm and comfortable for hours on end. After a long day of hiking, the best feeling is taking off your boots/trail shoes. The second best feeling, for me these days, is putting on my camp slippers. I have a hunch you’ll feel the exact same.
I really underestimated how big a difference these slippers could make, but they proved themselves worth every penny I spent and then some. When the temperatures got cold enough for me to see my breath, my feet were still warm to the point that they were almost hot.
These are, as one might hope, very comfortable slippers as well. I’ve been through my fair share of uncomfortable slippers though, so it still deserves mentioning. For the first few days, I wasn’t exactly thrilled about the level of comfort; the padding felt a bit lumpy and left my feet feeling awkward.
Fast forward a few hours of wearing them, though, and the Camp Dreamers molded perfectly to my feet. Way more comfortable now. This is something you’d expect from most shoes, but from unisex slippers that aren’t really designed to fit perfectly, it’s a nice touch and definitely worth mentioning.
As far as value and pricing, these shoes are pretty fairly priced. Solid construction means they’re probably going to last me 3-5 years with normal use, which is definitely a good use of $60 in my book. These aren’t the slippers you wear on Christmas morning with your pajamas; those wouldn’t be worth $20. These are, in my opinion, the real deal.
So: should you buy Camp Dreamers for yourself, or not? You know how i feel about them (they’re 100% worth it to me), but if you’re still on the fence, ask yourself these questions:
- Do your feet get cold when camping, even though you’re wearing multiple pairs of socks?
- Does that post-hike foot aching just drive you nuts?
- Are you the type of person who scoffs at the extras, or do you find value in “smart splurging”?
Knowing the answers to those questions will let you know if these slippers are worth it for you or not. There’s no question about their quality or effectiveness; rather, are they right for you?
Next Review: Coleman Skylodge Camping Tent Review