Vessi Women’s Weekend Classic (oak brown)
Vessi is one of those local brands that I feel I should love, but I’m still not quite sure if I like them or not. I’ve given them two chances now and I’m still undecided.
Cost: $140 + tax
My cost: $106.40
Date Ordered: November 28, 2025
Date Shipped: December 4, 2025
Date Received: December 5, 2025
Highlights:
- Waterproof
- No PFAS
Manufactured in: Taiwan, Cambodia, China, & Vietnam
Company Base: Vancouver, BC
Established in: 2018
My first interaction with Vessi was not positive. Much like this most recent purchase, I was sucked in by their Black Friday sale. On November 26, 2022 I ordered a pair of Men’s Lavender Everyday Move and socks as a Christmas gift for my partner, and then added a pair of Women’s Everyday Classic for myself, because why not. On November 29, 2022 I was informed that it would take 5-8 business days instead of the normal 1-3. On December 12, 2022 I received this message:
“We hope the puddles in your area have been treating you well! We know you’ve been eagerly waiting for your new Vessis to arrive, and so we wanted to reach out with an update on your order.
When our warehouse team was preparing to process and ship your order of Vessi sneakers, they realized that due to a system error our inventory count was incorrect. This, unfortunately, means that the shoes you requested, in this order, are not in stock.
We also don’t mean to add more bad news onto this message, but the items you selected were also a limited edition and were only produced in small quantities, and so they won’t be coming back into stock. We’re really, really sorry about this!
We have now canceled your order so you can have access to your funds right away (it can take your bank 3-7 business days to post that on your online statement, however). And, we’d like to offer you a discount to somewhat apologize for the hassle.”
I was quite upset for many reasons and let them know it on the same day. They reached out 8 days later and attempted to make it better by offering a discount on par with the sale, but I had already needed to buy a new gift, and I wasn’t in the mood to ever purchase from them again. To make matters worse, even though their e-mail made it sound like my entire order got cancelled, my shoes, and my partner’s socks arrived on December 14. So he had socks, but no shoes for Christmas and my shoes ended up not being waterproof.
Despite my first pair of Vessi shoes not being waterproof, they were really comfortable and easy to slip on and off, so I wore them a lot, especially during and after pregnancy because the toe box is wide and had room for the swelling. They eventually got so worn down I had to toss them out by the fall of 2025 (before I knew about their recycling program), and the shoes I replaced them with from another company weren’t as comfortable. This led me to purchasing again from Vessi during their 2025 Black Friday Sale with hope for a better experience.
Overall Impression
Well, unlike my first pair of Vessis these are actually waterproof, which is great. I was expecting them to be waterproof because I know quite a few people who have or have had Vessis, and I am the only person who has ever gotten a pair that wasn’t waterproof. However, once bitten, twice shy, so them being waterproof was a relief. These also have a better aesthetic design than my first pair, which I honestly thought were ugly as sin. See photo below:
My new pair of Vessis, though waterproof, and nicer looking than my first pair, are nowhere near as comfortable. I’ve been wearing them for three months now, and they should be well broken in, but if I wear a thicker pair of socks, or if I have swelling in my feet, they get uncomfortably tight, especially on the right foot. I also went for a 6.5 kilometer walk in these a week ago and I was in pain by the end of it. I had the beginnings of blisters on both feet, especially on the soles and heels, which I never had with my first pair, despite the multiple times I took them for 10+km walks. All that to say I still don’t know how I feel about the company or the shoes. There you have my unhelpful review.
The Goods:
- Designed in Vancouver
- Free from PFAS
- Lifelong waterproofing
- Partnered with Soles4Souls shoe recycling program
The Not-So-Goods:
- Not good for long walks
- The new pair is much less grippy than the old pair
- Easier to slip on smooth, wet surfaces
Good for People Who:
- Live somewhere wet
- Don’t need a lot out of a shoe
- Don’t go on long walks
Overall I don’t recommend nor not recommend these shoes as I still don’t know where I stand with them.
wanderingfawn 
Leave a comment