How to Buy Boat Shoes
Boat shoes and top-siders are functional shoes with good traction, durability, quality weather-resistant fabric or leather uppers, and the potential to lace up or slip on. These shoes are great to have around not just for a trip out on the dock or the boat but also for walking in any wet conditions or as a relaxed coastal fashion statement. Does this Spark an idea?
Other People Are Reading
Instructions
-
-
1
Decide if you want your boat shoes to be waterproof. Boat shoes are typically weather resistant, which means that water won't damage the materials the shoe is made of but doesn't necessarily mean that your foot won't get wet. If you want waterproof shoes, check for this specific feature.
-
2
Think about if you want leather, fabric, or synthetic materials. Boat shoes are often made of a combination of weather-resistant leather and canvas. Depending on how you want your shoes to look or how much you want them to breathe, you might choose full-leather shoes or synthetic leather with mesh.
-
-
3
Determine if you want to slip your shoes on or lace them up. Slip-on shoes are a good choice if you want to be able to put them on quickly, but shoes with laces are often more secure for boating.
-
4
Remember the fashion factor. Boat shoes are a classic fashion statement. Even if you're using your boat shoes in a strictly functional context, buy a pair that looks good on you. Other people notice boat shoes.
-
5
Try on boat shoes with a thin sock if socks are required. You'll probably wear your boat shoes with no socks, and you may risk buying a size that is too large if you try them on with regular socks.
-
6
Consider top brands first such as Sperry, Timberland, Keds or Rockport. The well-known brands are slightly more expensive, but when buying boat shoes, quality is extremely important. Durability often depends on a trusted brand.
-
7
Look at lesser known quality brands like Crocs, which produces a hybrid boat shoe of synthetic material that's light, breathable and trendy.
-
8
Use a comparison website like Bizrate or Shopping Yahoo! if you're shopping online. These sites allow you to look at multiple web retailers at the same time and compare prices and features.
-
1
