When comfort is the priority, ASICS' Life Walker sneaker feels almost as good as a house slipper, and partly looks like one. Produced by ASICS Walking, a brand of ASICS Japan, these curious sneaker-slipper hybrids, originally designed for elderly citizens, have begun to shift towards a younger clientele.

Indeed, ASICS is embracing the unexpected appeal of its quasi-orthopedic walking shoes byt launching a collaboration with Shibuya-based sneaker boutique BILLY’S ENT for a sleeker reboot of its cushy laceless sneaker.

At its core, this is mostly a textural upgrade to the original Life Walkers. Shaggy suede extending from the flap to the signature side stripes and wrinkled matte nylon in tonal black or khaki colorways make a more sophisticated slipper sturdy enough for the outside world. 

According to BILLY’S itself, ASICS' sneaker-slipper is particularly popular in South Korea, aligning with growing trends for low-rise silhouettes originally designed for other venues, like car-racing and taekwondo. 

The suede upgrade raises the price on these by nearly a third compared to the OGs, but the ASICS Life Walker Heritage still remains a relatively affordable shoe at ￥14,300 (around $93) on the BILLY’S ENT website. 

As with the base model, this is an Asia-exclusive sneaker so purchasing it requires a mastery of Japanese proxy services. 

But clearly, the Life Walker is a popular export so there's a chance it sees international release in due time. People here also like those slow, comfortable strolls.

Highsnobiety has affiliate marketing partnerships, which means we may receive a commission from your purchase. Want to shop the products our editors actually love? Visit the HS Style Guide for recs on all things fashion, footwear, and beauty.