Kyrgies Bishkek Kicks: Who This Slipper Is (and Isn’t) For
Price: $99
Why Buy?
The Kyrgies Bishkek Kicks offer an incredibly warm and durable slipper that works inside or out.
Why Avoid?
The Kyrgies Bishkek Kicks are much more substantial than a traditional slipper, potentially too substantial for some.
Specs
| Model | Bishkek Kicks |
| Height | Mule |
| Material | Wool / Cotton |
| Size | 13 – 13.5 / 46 |
| Weight | 228 g / 8.04 oz |
| Construction | Sewn |
| Country of Origin | Kyrgyzstan |
History
A few months back, 100wears took a look at the Kyrgies Outdoor. A slipper designed to be a win-win. It was a beefy slipper that created jobs in one of the most impoverished parts of the globe. The slippers were great – and are actually on sale at time of writing – but they were clearly designed with a minimalist look and feel in mind.
In 2026, Kyrgies wanted to try something different. What if they built a more substantial option? Enter the Bishkek Kicks. A slipper Kyrgies is so excited about that they even named it after the town where their factory is located.
Pitched as their “wear it everywhere” slipper, the Bishkek Kicks features a number of new features compared to their older models. However, I think that raises a question – are the updates they made going to increase comfort? Or are they just ruining a good thing?
Let’s dive in and find out.
Disclaimer: Kyrgies provided this pair for the purpose of review. However, this is not a sponsored post. Kyrgies was not able to review any of the information here before the review went live. Everything said is the true opinion of the pair I received.
Looks
Upper
The upper of the Kyrgies Bishkek Kicks, from a design perspective, is about as minimalist as it gets. Seams? None. Decorative stitching? None. Cut edges? None.
Without any of that, what do you have?
A single piece of incredibly thick felted wool. And I do mean thick. My pair came in at a full 8mm thick. For comparison, that’s around 50% more than the Kyrgies Outdoors. That thickness creates a lot of structure in this pair. These are not going to be flopping around.
Kyrgies makes a point of calling these “shoes” as opposed to slippers. You can really see that in the last pattern they use. The Bishkek Kicks have a much higher toe box and sneaker-like silhouette.
It’s also worth talking about the wool itself. Kyrgies seems to offer two types of wool. Ones that are dyed bright colors, magentas and greens, but offer little variation. And ones like this – more muted colors with a ton of different color fibers. Either way, there is a visual interest without going over the top.
Mid- and Outsole
The lower half of the Kyrgies Bishkek Kicks are where things get much more interesting. At least if you’re a shoe nerd.
We’ll get into the construction later, but visually, a tan cotton band about 1-inch-tall runs along the entire length of the shoe. Woven in a thick weave, it fits in with the cozy nature of the design. Attached to this strip you’ll find the white and green Kyrgies label.
On the very bottom of the shoe is another feature you don’t typically find on slippers: a separate outsole. Colored in black, it is designed to offer a bit more protection for every day wear.
Summary
The Kyrgies Bishkek Kicks doesn’t stray too far from the core of the Kyrgies brand. It’s still a hyper minimalist shoe from a design perspective. Still, in an effort to transition from slipper to shoe, there are several changes that bulk up the design.
The highly visually textured grey color of this pair definitely skews them towards the comfy/cozy vibe over the skandi look you might get from the green- or charcoal-colored pairs. Much more waffle knit sweat pant than slim jogger.
That being said, these are still a more up-scale design than the slippers you’ll find on Amazon. If you’re leaving the house, I’d try to find something with some texture.
Fit & Comfort
Fit
The Kyrgies Bishkek Kicks comes in a pretty generous fit. The shoe last Kyrgies used for this pair features a toe box that is both wide and high. I went with my standard sneaker size (13-13.5 / EU 46) so I could comfortably wear these with socks. They work, but I easily could have gone with a 45 and worn normal socks.
For comparison, I’m between a 12E and 12.5D on the brannock. I typically take stitched shoes in a 12, and sneakers in a 13. On other Kyrgies models I wear a size 45 without socks and find them tight but comfortable.
If you get your sizing wrong, the brand does offer exchanges.
Comfort
When it comes to comfort, the Kyrgies Bishkek Kicks are not what you might be expecting.
As mentioned above, the materials in these are extremely thick. I never thought I’d be saying this about a nearly 100% wool shoe, but these actually need hours of break in. Out of the box, they basically don’t bend at all. Of course, they do eventually break in, while keeping all the warmth and durability of the thick upper.
Underfoot, these things have a lot of wool and you can feel it when you walk. Initially, it’s actually a bit unstable, but with wear the midsole (yeah, these are slippers designed with a midsole) will pretty quickly compress to the shape of your foot.
To recap, these won’t wow you immediately. They take some time to get where you want them, but when you do you’ll appreciate the built up design.
Materials & Construction
Materials
If you’ve ever watched a breakdown of a pacific northwest boot and it seems like they keep trying to find new places to add leather? Well, the Kyrgies Bishkek Kicks is like that but wool.
The upper is made of a single piece of felted wool. Felting wool develops the natural fibers into a dense, thick fabric. There is no beating around the bush here, this is the thickest felted wool I’ve ever held in my hand. This single piece of wool also runs under your foot.
Under that felted wool? Another full-length layer of felted wool. Under that layer? Another layer under your heel. Breaking out the calipers on the heel shows more than a half an inch of felted wool. Though, the majority of the Bishkek Kicks is a bit thinner.
There are a few select non-wool sections. The strap that runs the length of the shoe is made of cotton. The outsole is also cotton, though with a bit of rubber added to provide more durability long term.
Kyrgies will be quick to share that all of these materials are biodegradable, and that their wool comes from sheep that are mulesing-free. If you don’t know what that is, you might not want to check, but it’s a good thing.
Construction
The way these shoes are made is actually not all that different in design than shoes made using goodyear welting. First, the outsole is sewn to the cotton strip that runs along the edge of the shoe (the welt, in this case). That strip is then sewn into the upper. This design means that the part that wears out – the outsole – is completely different than the most important component of the upper.
Are you going to be replacing the sole on your Kyrgies Bishkek Kicks? Almost certainly not. Is it still cool anyway? Absolutely.
Beyond that, Kyrgies works to ensure their shoes are made in the most ethical way possible. For example, the wool that they use is certified to verify the supply chain, protecting from child and slave labor.
Pricing
The Kyrgies Bishkek Kicks will set you back $99 dollars. A slight premium over other options from the brand, but still lower than other name brand wool slippers.
If price is your sole factor, you can find pairs for a little bit less than these. It is worth flagging that there are some really bad practices when it comes to wool in the part of the world these shoes are made in. I’m not here to tell you what you should consider morally right or wrong, but personally I’d be happy to pay 10-20 dollars more to have third parties review the supply lines like Kyrgies offers.
Are the Kyrgies Bishkek Kicks worth it?
With all that being said, are the Kyrgies Bishkek Kicks worth it?
Yes, if you want what Kyrgies is trying to build with these.
The Bishkek Kicks live in a middle ground between traditional slipper and casual shoe. If you’re interested in a soft, immediately comfortable house shoe these might not work as well as their more traditional offerings. The stiffness out of the box and dense underfoot feel are very real.
That being said, if what you want is a durable, structured, and extremely warm indoor shoe that you can also wear for trips to the coffee shop, the Bishkek Kicks should be on your radar. The amount of wool in these is borderline excessive – in a good way – and the construction is far more thoughtful than a slipper has any right to be. And, if it matters to you, ethical sourcing is the icing on the cake.
Ultimately, the Kyrgies Bishkek Kicks are worth it for someone who needs a little bit more than a traditional slipper. If you’ve found previous Kyrgies perfect, this might feel like too much. But if your ideal slipper is closer to a durable felted wool boot than a sock with a sole, these are easy to recommend.