- Allbirds just dropped its most casual style yet — the Wool Piper ($95).
- The new sneaker is made with the brand’s signature merino wool and sugarcane-based SweetFoam soles.
- We tested the shoes ahead of the release and found that the Wool Piper delivers on the brand’s characteristic comfort and breathability, but in a silhouette that’s even more versatile.
- We think the Wool Piper may be the style to convert some yet-unconvinced shoppers, and possibly serve as a blueprint for the Allbirds x Adidas Stan Smith down the line.
- Read more: The best women’s athleisure brands for every type of activity, including some you can even wear to work
After years of perfecting unapologetically comfortable shoes that are now part of a Silicon Valley uniform, Allbirds has launched its most versatile and approachable style yet: the Wool Piper ($95).
As an adaptation of the classic cup sole sneaker, it’s designed to be as much of an everyday sneaker choice as it is to fit in with Allbirds’ reputation of being “the world’s most comfortable shoes.” The Wool Piper is made with the brand’s signature sustainable materials — breathable merino wool and SweetFoam soles made from sugarcane — and comes in sizes 5-11 for women and 7-14 for men.
Currently, you can pick it up in four core colors (Natural White, Dapple Grey, Natural Black, True Black) and one seasonal hue (Garden Blue).
Like any Allbirds wool shoe, you can also machine wash these. You’ll want to hand wash the insoles (which pop out easily), but you can throw the rest of the shoe inside the machine and then let them air dry.
We tested the shoes ahead of the launch and came away impressed. The Wool Pipers will cost you the same amount as other cult-favorites like the original Wool Runners and the Tree Runners, but we'd actually recommend the Wool Piper first for most people. It's just as comfortable and low-maintenance as the original wool pairs, but you'll be able to wear the Wool Pipers more often. You can read our full thoughts below.
Women's Allbirds Wool Piper
Mara Leighton/Business Insider
I've been wearing the Wool Runners, Tree Runners, Dashers, and Tree Breezer flats for the past few years, and while I hold the Dashers and Tree Runners in high esteem in the Allbirds canon, it's the Wool Pipers I'd now recommend for the average person.
They're just as comfortable as the brand's other wool pairs, but this style is much more versatile. While I have friends who have resisted joining the Allbirds camp out of an argument for aesthetics, I think few can object to the Wool Piper. They look, in person, very similar to any other cup sole shoe at a glance. The wool makes them slightly wider on the feet than other cup sole shoes I own, but it's a conspicuous difference that I'd gladly take for the outsized comfort.
In a weekend, I wore the Wool Pipers to run errands, enjoy brunch outside, and to take a walk in the park with friends. Whenever I didn't know what to slip on or how long I'd be away from home, I defaulted to these for their ease; the classic style works with most of my closet, and the SweetFoam sole and breathable wool deliver the kind of all-day comfort that won't send me home early just so I can take them off.
However, I did experience some (but not to the level of a blister) irritation on my heels after two days of consistent wear right out of the box. With a bit more wear, I think the wool will loosen slightly to a more customized fit. — Mara Leighton, senior reporter
Men's Allbirds Wool Piper
Amir Ismael/Business Insider
I got my first pair of Allbirds in 2017 and while I appreciated the sustainability of the brand and the quality of the Wool Runners, they ultimately weren't for me. As a sneaker collector and product reviewer, I already own and have access to a lot of shoes. While purging my shoe collection, I asked myself how often would I wear the Wool Runners and decided that they'd hardly ever be my first, second, or even third choice on a daily basis so I ended up donating them about a year later. It really came down to the aesthetic of the shoes and my personal preference.
I told myself that I would someday own another pair of Allbirds and, alas, the Wool Pipers were the first release to excite me since giving away my last pair. I gravitated towards the Wool Pipers because they're reminiscent of some of the most classic sneaker silhouettes, which is much more my style. The Wool Pipers still use the brand's signature merino wool on the upper and SweetFoam material on the midsole, so they're just as comfortable as other styles, but the silhouette itself is a lot different. It features a 6-eyelet lace-up upper and a flat cup sole, which gives it a much more casual look.
I always felt like the Wool Runners were hard for me to pull off, especially since I have a rack full of tried and true performance running sneakers, but I didn't feel that way at all about the Wool Pipers. They're just as easy to style as a pair of low-top Converse Chuck Taylors or Vans. I could definitely see the Wool Piper being used as the blueprint for something like an Allbirds x Adidas Stan Smith down the line (an announcement we still haven't forgotten about). — Amir Ismael, reporter
The bottom line
The Wool Pipers deliver the same characteristic comfort and sustainability as previous Allbirds shoes, but the casual silhouette means the average person will likely get more wear out of this style than the Wool Runners. These may be our favorite Allbirds yet.