Allbirds Tree Pipers Review: Truly Comfortable, Casual and Versatile Shoes

The new Allbirds Tree Pipers shoes might induce a bit of deja vu. They look eerily familiar even if you can't put your finger on why. There are the Wool Pipers shoes that came right before them, yes, but in general, this new style from a company known for its reduced carbon footprint feels like it has been around forever. That's probably because Tree Pipers are Allbirds' take on the classic, unassuming, everyday tennis shoe design. This model is Allbirds' Vans Old Skool or Keds Champion. In some ways, that means the Tree Pipers design is a little boring, but mostly it's an unassuming casual shoe that just goes with whatever wardrobe style you need it to.

The Allbirds Tree Pipers are visually fine, good even. But it's their leisurely comfort and feel that make them an instant classic.

Allbirds, Still Comfortable as Always

Even though these shoes aren't flashy, they are extremely freeing. They don't tie you down. In fact, most of the time their comfort comes from the shoes' completely disappearing from thought. This first starts when you take the shoes out of the box and are surprised by how light and airy they feel. But, when you do notice them, the good feeling is usually from the wool-lined insoles. They're padded and just a tad squishy, just enough thickness to keep your feet from really sensing the ground. The silky wool insole feels a little like walking on a blanket.

If you aren't familiar with Allbirds, the company is all about wool. It uses wool material throughout different parts of its shoes as a way to be more environmentally friendly, but also because it's often a more comfortable option. While the Tree Pipers get their name from being made out of eucalyptus trees—largely its exterior upper—wool is still used inside to assist in a comfortable ride.

The upper is breathable to enable air to flow through it. This is probably most noticeable on a chilly night, but my feet remained sweat-free while wearing the shoes on warm days, too. The tongue is stitched in and has that socklike feel, even though it visually looks like a separate piece of material. This doesn't really play a role in the fit, other than it never shifts around to become annoying.

If there is anything annoying about the fit it's that these shoes mostly come in whole sizes. Some Allbirds shoes come in half sizes. These Tree Pipers do not. I typically wear a men's 10.5, and the size 11 that I wore here were a tad long. While they look longer than I'm used to and this could present a challenge for ordering, in reality, I've been happy with the fit and satisfied with the whole size I've been wearing. I didn't try the size 10, so I'm not sure if those would have been too cramped or not, but the bigger size has ensured that my toes never bumped up against the front inside.

Wearing Tree Pipers Shoes Everyday

I've tried Allbirds Wool Runners in the past, and they were comfortable. I've also tried the Tree Dashers, which are meant for running. They, too, proved to hit the spot overall. These Tree Pipers are just on a whole different level, however, and might be my favorite model from the shoemaker.

I wore the Tree Pipers for more than a week straight, and each time I mostly forgot I had them on. Their ability to disappear is a master trick for any shoes to pull off. The midsole foam is squishy and absorbent enough but visually remains minimal from front to back.

Some casual tennis shoes with thin midsoles, like classic Chuck Taylor All Star from Converse, don't always provide enough foot support to last an entire day. Tree Pipers wore just fine, even until the end of a long day. I was pleasantly surprised that was the case. Even better, there was no break-in period. Ten hours after unboxing and putting them on, I felt as if I had already worn them for six months.

The look of the half-circle on the top of the heel adds some visual variety, so I'm fine with it in that regard. In practice though, there were a couple of times that the rigid flap hit my ankle and became noticeable. It didn't hurt and isn't a deal breaker, simply a candidate for slight revision in a future version.

Should You Buy Allbirds Tree Piper Shoes?

While Allbirds Tree Pipers are rivals to plenty of classic, modern tennis shoes, I see these primarily countering Atoms shoes. Atoms is still a boutique brand with a single model of shoes, but they've made waves in certain markets with cushy, minimal everyday shoes. Here, Allbirds has been able to undercut the price of Atoms enough to be tempting, and has also seemingly upped its game around comfort to get closer to that brand's selling point.

Whether the Tree Pipers are actually a reaction to Atoms or not, Allbirds created itself a stellar addition to its own lineup. If the $95 price doesn't scare you away, then these are well worth the entry fee.

Buy at Allbirds.

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