Iceland wants to convert your lockdown sweatpants into hiking boots

What better way to get back to life by taking that symbol of the lockdown — your trusty sweatpants — and upcycling them into hiking boots?

That’s precisely what Visit Iceland is offering tourists. Iceland’s Sweatpant Boots pop-up is now open in downtown Reykjavik, and if you book a slot at the pop-up and show a valid plane ticket to prove you’ve recently arrived in the country, you can have your ratty old lockdown wear “magically transformed” by Icelandic designer Ýr Þrastardóttir [yeer rastadaughter].

The organizers note the stylishly transformed boots boast “sweatpant cuffs [to] keep your ankles warm and emotionally supported as you explore the north,” while a “trail tread ensures you can handle tougher hikes than the path between your couch and fridge.” 

While “water resistant uppers are perfect for finally getting out of the house and up close to waterfalls,” and “easy-off laces mean you can quickly jump into a geothermal lagoon at a moment’s notice,” there’s a warning for the vegan materials-made boots regarding the volcanic island: “Sweatpant boots will not protect you from molten lava. Nothing will. Please adventure safely.”

If you haven’t booked your Icelandic visit yet, or need more convincing to do so, you can virtually try on a pair of Sweatpant Boots at a special website

And if photos and videos of the picturesque country isn’t enough to convince you, Icelandic rapper Cell7 has recorded the catchy “Sweatpant Boot Song,” which you can groove to on YouTube.