Kanye West’s life is a tragic experiment in what happens when immense wealth and talent is combined with deep mental illness and a social circle of exploitative yes-men. This heartbreak is particularly immense as he is not just another rapper; Mr. West is one of the most influential artists and designers in a generation. Or at least he was.

Though one can attempt to separate art from the artist, the quality of his work has followed the trajectory of his mental health. His footwear and music were among the best on the market through the 2010s; but the 2020s have seen a dramatic decline, even before Adidas canceled its relationship with him after a series of antisemitic comments and incidents of bizarre behavior.

So it is not surprising that his YZY Pods, sold through his newly independent Yeezy brand, are probably the worst thing he’s ever made. As with everything else on his site, they only cost $20, and he won’t make much money on them at that price, and they are awful.

In concept, they could work. Sock shoes are not a novel invention but rather go back to the origins of footwear, notably with Japan’s tabis. Instead of walking on a thick rubber slab, sock shoes keep the natural, flowing foot movement of socks with thin protective rubber cup soles on the heel and forefoot, letting you wear them outdoors.

In theory — and in better versions — this makes sock-shoes very comfortable as they are light, breathable, compact, foldable, and can be worn for many occasions.

The acclaimed sneaker designer Steven Smith, who works as Kanye’s lead creative, tried to sell the sock shoes for women going out clubbing. You could wear your heels for the photos and night out but keep a pair of Pods folded up in your handbag, ready for whenever you want something easier and more comfortable to walk in. He also said you could run in them.

The reality, however, is that you would probably be better sticking with the heels — for the night out, or the run.

The cups on the Pods have a foam layer within, but they may as well not, as they are stiff and uncomfortable underfoot with side flanges that hit the side of your foot as you move. Those flanges are intended to hold the cups in place under your foot, but with no structural piece holding the cups in place and apart, they constantly move around underfoot, and the back end of the front cup would dig into the arch of my foot.

Using two separate cups instead of a single piece makes the Pods foldable and highly flexible, but it also leaves your arch unprotected, putting your foot in direct contact with any rough spots or water on the ground, never mind dog refuse.

The Pods don’t feel like walking in fluid shoes. They’re closer to clumsy socks made from scuba suit material, and that goes for the sizing too.

Rather than being sold in US shoe sizes, they only come in “Small,” “Medium,” or “Large,” and no size is likely to fit your foot. I bought a medium, which was almost an inch too long, yet still too narrow and so tight on the top of my forefoot that I was sore after wearing them for less than five minutes.

And whereas previous Yeezys were bold to look at, these just look like diving socks with some plastic stuck to the bottom. So why bother?

They may be only $20, but I won’t wear them for free. And given the issues with the Yeezy site, even if you wanted to, you probably couldn’t buy them. My shoes took months to arrive, and the Yeezy site currently says it isn’t accepting new orders, and it’s unsure whether you ever will be able to order again.