Thom McCann slip ons, bought at Sears. Wear every day. abut 18 months old now, can't tell to look at them.
Good boat shoes for the "elderly"
- Thread starter odaydokay
- Start date
While wearing my 3-year old Topsiders and slipping and falling overboard from my dock... while wearing my iPhone, I renamed my Sperry boat shoes to TOPSLIDERS! As others have said, the soles get slippery in just a season or two. They have serious aging problems to be seriously called "boat shoes"!
I have foot AND balance issues. I love Teva shoes. They grip really well. Sandal-ish but great support and closed toes.
They were on "sail" (haha) at bass pro last week for $65. Watch for them and you'll catch them on sail again.
They were on "sail" (haha) at bass pro last week for $65. Watch for them and you'll catch them on sail again.
I have gone from boat shoes to Keen sandals. Easy on, easy off. Designed by a sailor with toe protection, so preferable to a regular sandal. I wear them mostly without socks; sometimes with socks. We're in fresh water during the summer (North Channel of Lake Huron) and they are great when they get wet (e.g., raining, water in the bottom of the dingy, around the shore)--no big deal. Target (or one of the big box stores) has a knock-off that reduces the price from $99 to ~$20. I've had two of the knock-offs and they have had good traction.
I've been very happy with Harbor Masters. I'm also smart enough to wear them on concrete often enough to keep the soles fresh. And I don't expect them to have good grip for more than 3-4 years. That's just a silly expectation. How long do you keep shoes that you actually wear? Use them around town until they are done in, it won't take long.
First off I'll make a personal statement, Cricks are not allowed on my boat. Since I can't go fast, the boat must look good and I personally can't stand the look of crocks. Despite the many claims of comfort and reliability I simply can't stand the look and so have outlawed them from my boats. For those who love them and can get past the ugliness more power to you, I just have not been able to do it.
Now that being as it is, Sperry used to make a nice sandal, very simple, very cool to wear and made a great deck shoe. when on the boat. I went through about 4 pair before they quit making them and so, I spent this winter looking for a replacement. I'm now back to a pair of teva's. I need a shoe that works on the boat, and can get wet at the drop of a hat. These should work great.
Now all of the above is a personal opinion. Shoes are a personal item that everyone has to choose their own fit, form and function. My boat shoes are the same, grey or white bottom, as little topside material as possible. with the ability to get wet and still function while staying comfortable the whole time.
Good to see the discussion.
Have fun
Now that being as it is, Sperry used to make a nice sandal, very simple, very cool to wear and made a great deck shoe. when on the boat. I went through about 4 pair before they quit making them and so, I spent this winter looking for a replacement. I'm now back to a pair of teva's. I need a shoe that works on the boat, and can get wet at the drop of a hat. These should work great.
Now all of the above is a personal opinion. Shoes are a personal item that everyone has to choose their own fit, form and function. My boat shoes are the same, grey or white bottom, as little topside material as possible. with the ability to get wet and still function while staying comfortable the whole time.
Good to see the discussion.
Have fun
Bare feet. Also handy if you need to tie a knot and both hands are full.
"Back in the day", Nike made the blue shoes with white swoosh and with blue soles. I started doing the boat shows, and somewhere found the same shoes with white soles. I used them for boat shows, as back then you did not have to be shoeless to go on boats. Two, three decades later I still have the white ones. They probably belong in a museum alongside Elvis' "Blue Suede Shoes".
As far as shoes go, I generally buy a pair of Sebago Clovehitch II every season. It's one of the few boat shoes available in a wide width to accommodate the bunion I inherited from my mother. Thanks, Mom. But, yeah, they wear. And then the foam squishes, and the laces stretch, and they come untied all the time. So now I just wear them with khakis to the office. Bah.
Someone once recommended Crocs Ace Boating Clog. It has a lighter colored sole with S shaped grooves in the sole, but not razor cut siping. With an adjustable velcro heel strap, they fit ok and make room for the bunion. But they look ugly, get slippery inside due to sweat, and they don't show them on their site anymore. Got my last pair from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/crocs-Mens-10376-Boating-White/dp/B00428HTEQ
This Beach Line shoe from Crocs doesn't have the horrible looks of a Crocs clog, but only has the S shaped molded in grooves in 2 patches on the bottom, as opposed to all over. Maybe they are ok, and for $50 on sale might be worth a try: http://www.crocs.com/p/mens-beach-line-lace-up-boat-shoe/200247.html
Given the bunion, if I wear flip flops with a strap that comes behind the bunion area, instant pain. But I found Chaco makes sandles with a strap that goes in front of the bunion area. Years ago, they made a boat shoe version with a gum colored razor cut siping sole. It got hard, so I sent them back for resole, and they had a different, non-marking grey sole, that didn't have much channeling for water. This is the current version of that shoe and sole, designed for river guide type people. http://www.chacos.com/US/en/z-1-pro/21804M.html I also have a regular pair of Chacos for everyday wear. Some people hate clumpy man-sandle type footwear, but I can't stand wearing shoes without socks, and the only shoes you can wear in summer with shorts with socks on is sneaker types. So, I pretty much live in Chacos outside of work.
Someone once recommended Crocs Ace Boating Clog. It has a lighter colored sole with S shaped grooves in the sole, but not razor cut siping. With an adjustable velcro heel strap, they fit ok and make room for the bunion. But they look ugly, get slippery inside due to sweat, and they don't show them on their site anymore. Got my last pair from Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/crocs-Mens-10376-Boating-White/dp/B00428HTEQ
This Beach Line shoe from Crocs doesn't have the horrible looks of a Crocs clog, but only has the S shaped molded in grooves in 2 patches on the bottom, as opposed to all over. Maybe they are ok, and for $50 on sale might be worth a try: http://www.crocs.com/p/mens-beach-line-lace-up-boat-shoe/200247.html
Given the bunion, if I wear flip flops with a strap that comes behind the bunion area, instant pain. But I found Chaco makes sandles with a strap that goes in front of the bunion area. Years ago, they made a boat shoe version with a gum colored razor cut siping sole. It got hard, so I sent them back for resole, and they had a different, non-marking grey sole, that didn't have much channeling for water. This is the current version of that shoe and sole, designed for river guide type people. http://www.chacos.com/US/en/z-1-pro/21804M.html I also have a regular pair of Chacos for everyday wear. Some people hate clumpy man-sandle type footwear, but I can't stand wearing shoes without socks, and the only shoes you can wear in summer with shorts with socks on is sneaker types. So, I pretty much live in Chacos outside of work.
Does anyone bother with 'guest' shoes? Something clean, safe and non-marring while on board? How do you avoid guests marring your boat and still be safe? Is it "wear what you brung" and accept it? Some boat owners ask guest to remove shoes but that isn't safe really.
For the admiral and I, we avoid dark colored soles that leave marks on my nicely cleaned and waxed cockpit. Wine drips are more or less tolerated. I use Woody Wax on my non-skid deck and it seems to work.
For the admiral and I, we avoid dark colored soles that leave marks on my nicely cleaned and waxed cockpit. Wine drips are more or less tolerated. I use Woody Wax on my non-skid deck and it seems to work.
Gene,
I thought I was the only one who still wore those 5 Fingers LOL! I love them, even have a rear pair of leather ones that are my "dress" shoes!
Sam