Feet are incredibly important. That seems obvious, but it’s something people don’t always consider-if your feet have taken a beating, it impacts your knees, hips, and back… Enter Telic Recovery Footwear, designed to keep your feet happy after a long day of activity. We tested the Apres-Ski Recovery Boot, even though it’s been too warm for skiing this winter!
All Telic footwear is designed to make your feet happy. The soles support your feet in three ways: cushioning, arch support, and energy return. The soles are very soft without feeling squishy or uncomfortable. Sometimes soft shoes can have too much give, causing a marshmallow-like feeling, but the Telics have a good bit of structural integrity. I’m not always a fan of arch support personally, but the Telic arch is pronounced but not aggressive. If for some reason the arch did cause an issue, it’s mostly in the insole so you could theoretically swap it out, though you’d be sacrificing some of the softness. And energy return is a really hard thing to measure in a review, so we’re going to take Telic’s word for it on that one. The end result of the whole package is that there’s no one area where your feet place excess pressure. By spreading it across your whole foot, you avoid hotspots and pressure points, making for happy feet and happy bodies.
The Apres-Ski Recovery Boot is designed for after winter activities. It’s got a faux-fur lining around the ankles, it’s waterproof, and it’s lined in soft, warm material. As I said, it’s been an unseasonably warm winter, but I’m sure these would feel amazing if you were sliding them on after a cold day wearing ski or snow boots. The soles have a traction pattern on the bottom, so while I wouldn’t hike up a mountain in these, they’d probably give you a little bit of skid protection on slippery pavement.
My only concern is that the material is a bit on the softer side, and I do wonder if these would wear out after a season or two of heavy use. Obviously, we haven’t had the review sample long enough to determine that, so I’m mostly guessing based on the feel of the material. It reminds me of the material the old Nike Free sneakers used, and those used to wear out after a few hundred miles of running, so I’d guess the specific life of the soles depends heavily on where and how you’re using them. The soles also include a message telling you to “Find your purpose,” so…you’ll leave weird inspirational messages (albeit in mirror-image) if you stomp hard enough in the snow with them!
Even though Telic calls this a “year-round” shoe, it’s got a distinctly wintry look and feel to it. The texture and pattern of the upper are grey and black and look like it would be equally at home as the pattern for a pair of Smart Wool socks. The fur trim is also pretty seasonal. The one thing that might make these a two- or three-season shoe is that the upper is fairly smooth inside, so you could conceivably wear these without socks. Telic says the fit runs true to size, and I think that’s accurate; they sent me a size 11, and it fits my foot comfortably with a little bit of room. There’s not a lot of room for adjustment because the shoes fit by zipping up one side, so you do want to make sure you get the right size.
Footwear is important. Happy feet means a happy body, and Telic’s Apres-Ski Recovery Boot will make your feet very, very happy. These aren’t the cheapest shoes around at $139, but that’s in line with most athletic footwear. They’re extremely well built, there’s a ton of science behind the design, and they feel good on your feet. If you spend a lot of time outdoors or on your feet in cooler weather, Telic should have a spot in your closet-your feet will thank you!
The Telic Aprs-Ski Recovery Boot sells for $139, and it is available directly from the manufacturer.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample.
What I Liked: Incredibly comfortable soles; Well-built uppers; Warm and soft inside; Very stylish for a recovery shoe
What Needs Improvement: More wintry than all-weather; Non-adjustable fit; Only comes in one color
