New Products By Elaine Lembo
The Imelda Effect Meets the Cruising Set
If being well-heeled is a goal for next year, here are some pointers to get you off on the right foot
Boat shoes have come a long way from the days of the arch-less moccasin. Whether you buy them to keep you comfortable, dry, stable, warm, in step with fashion, or—most important of all—on the boat, there are so many new brands on the market that you'd need the holds of a gigayacht to stow them.
Before you get in touch with your inner Imelda— at one count, the deposed first lady of the Philippines owned 1,220 pairs—let your personal needs and priorities find a meeting point with the innovative qualities of these purpose-driven products. As we pored over the offerings this holiday season, we oohed and we aahed. But we consulted with a couple of experts before we pulled out the plastic.
Among important qualities, look for such features as minimal water absorption, arch support and stability, the degree of traction, the ability to kill odor-causing bacteria, and resistance to deck marking. Breathability
and, of course, correct fit always matter, too.
"The key is to find a shoe that's going to support your foot," says gear outfitter and tester Carrie Fletcher, owner of Shegear, an online business offering women's watersports gear, active-wear clothing, k outdoor instruction, and / accessories. The technology that goes into making a cross-trainer court shoe is the same craftsmanship you want in a new boat shoe. "You're moving I! sideways, and you need stability," she says. A foot bed that includes a sturdy heel cup to keep the fatty tissue and
West Marine Norman Island Thong ler, who's sold footwear for years at JT's Chandlery in Newport, Rhode Island, sticks to tradition. "Crossover shoes aren't boat shoes," says Butler, who's helped sailors buy everything from Keds sneakers to boots that withstand the rigors of offshore voyaging. For those looking to fill the Christmas stockings of the sailors in their lives, he emphatically suggests "Sandals. Guys want sandals." 0 It can't hurt to keep these expert, yet divergent, observations in mind as you sort
Sperry Perforated Thong bones aligned is important.
Some shoes try to be all things to all wearers and, in that bout of overambition, seem doomed to falter. Ben But-
Lands' End deck shoes thong provides traction in wet and dry conditions and support through the compression-molded EVA midsole and foot bed, yet it lends that barefoot feel with its soft leather strap. The Norman Island Thong features a non-marking nonslip-rubber sole that keeps you steady on a wet deck, and its cushioned mid-
Sperry Hydrofoil through the new soles for sale in 2006.
Sperry Perforated Thong
Bare Essentials
If life aboard means you have room for only the bare but useful essentials, look beyond the basic flip-flop to Sperry Topsider's Perforated Thong for women ($60) and to the unisex Norman Island Thong by West Marine ($30).
Part of Sperry's new Edge-water Collection, the women's
Sebago Wave Extreme sole and leather strap form to your feet for a comfy fit. Despite inevitable exposure to salt air and sea, the durable heavy-duty nylon-thread bottom won't rot, says the maker.
If sandals are what matter to men, Butler suggests turning again to Sperry, which offers the Hydrofoil ($70), so named for a design that imitates the anti-drag qualities of ors, dare to go where jellies leave off. Fans swear by their comfort and versatility, in part thanks to a strap that lets you wear them either secured at the heel or as slip-ons.
a hydrofoil hull. Its dual-suspension system is designed to keep the foot stable yet allow it to move naturally over slippery surfaces, a big plus when going from dinghy to rocky shore.
Thick-Skinned
Now for something completely different: It looks like a clog, but it's named for a creature. Crocs, the pudgy, plastic-looking but resin-made shoes available in a rainbow of col-
Whether it's a shoe to stash in the dinghy for errands ashore or to wear all day to help keep your spine in line when you're standing for long periods, Crocs ($30 to $60) find favor because they're relatively inexpensive, comfortable yet supportive in the sole, lightweight, and full of good-sized ventilation holes (called portholes) that allow sand, stones, and water to drain out quickly. Maybe best of all, the PCCR formula, which is exclusive to the maker and doesn't mark decks, is also odor resistant. It might be stretching it a little to say your feet will smell like roses, but at least they won't stink.
Lands' End, the mail-order clothing company, answers with its own version of deck shoes in both fabric and leather. The women's and men's lace-up deck shoes ($30) feature cotton canvas uppers, padded collar and insole, and a razor-siped sole for traction. The three-eye boat mocs ($50), available in women's and men's sizes, have hand-sewn nubuck uppers, padded collars, and sock-liners as well as skid-resistant soles.
New to Rugged Shark's inventory of specialty marine footwear for men and women is the Men's Classic ($65). This version of the deck moccasin, which is offered in three colors, not only features water-resistant leather uppers and a foot bed lined with anti-microbial material but also includes corrosion-resistant eyelets.
The maker also equips its
wearers the best traction in even the wettest conditions.
High Test
Lest you think performance shoes are only for racing sailors, consider choosing among these new styles before signing on
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Classic
Sometimes only the traditional, which is also fully functional, will do.
To that end, Sebago offers the Spinnaker version of its Docksides deck shoes ($85), described as "the quintessen-tially preppy boat shoe" for men and women, in a variety of nautically-inspired i*. color and hue combinations.
Sperry Edgewater Sport Zip products with a trademarked outsole called the Shark Grip, which has a pattern of grooves and channels that aim to give
Rugged Shark Men's Classic with the next Atlantic Rally for Cruisers. The Wave Extreme ($90) by Sebago, available in men's and women's sizes, is a technical shoe featuring an adjustable shock cord-and-nylon strap and a lacing system encircling the ankle that keeps the shoe firm around the foot. The Edgewater Sport Zip for women ($70) by Sperry is a shoe similar to the popular Figawi style introduced in 2002, but it's sleeker and lighter while retaining all the traction, support, and breathability features of the Figawi design.
Elaine Lembo is Cruising Worlds managing editor.
- Sebago Spinnaker
Elaine Lembo is Cruising Worlds managing editor.
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