Favorite boat shoes?

[Kent Wang]

I just bought a pair of Sperry Top-Siders and I really like them. They're more formal than sneakers and more casual than loafers. What are your favorite boat shoes?

 

[jester]

I wear Sperry Top-siders pretty much any time I'm not in a suit or in workout clothes. I wear through them pretty quickly (I walk a lot), and then get a new pair.

On several occasions I've tried other brands of boat shoes, but I always come back to Sperry. It's the Standard, and when I want to wear boat shoes they're what I wear, the same way I wear BB oxfords any time I wear buttondown oxfords, and would continue to do so even if [some purportedly better manufacturer] started to make buttowndown oxfords.

 

[StevenRocks]

I'm a fan of L.L. Bean Blucher Mocs, which technically aren't boat shoes but certainly are considered when a discussion about boat shoes appears. Â I like them because they're not quite as common, but still familiar. I even wrote a story about my pair on my weblog: the joy of blucher mocs (part one) the joy of blucher mocs (part two)

 

[kabert]

I always have preferred the sneaker-style boat shoes over mocassin ones because they fit tighter and more securely. Gives you more secure footing and you're less likely to lose a shoe on a slippery, heeled-over deck. Another bonus is they don't slip off if you go in the drink.

 

[zjpj83]

Sperry and Cole Haan (without Nike Air)

 

[Drinkwaters]

Paraboot, they make one of the best I've ever worn. www.paraboot.com

 

[Kent Wang]

Looks like I'm off to Nordstrom's to buy another pair of Top-siders.

 

[Stu]

I have a pair of Ferragamos that I bought a few years ago at Maus & Hoffman and they have held up really well. Very comfortable, but I have never seen them again, so don't know if MH has quit making them or what.

Altho at their price point, you can't go wrong with Sperrys.

 

[Concordia]

Sneakers are better for higher-activity sailing. But the risk is that when they get wet, they are really uncomfortable. With original Sperrys, you just pour out the water, change your socks (if it's cold) and go right back at it. And when it's hot enough that you really appreciate ventilation, the loose cut is hard to beat.

 

[rayk]

I've been a dedicated fan of boat shoes for 25 years, and have worn many brands.  While I've strayed from Sperry, I've always returned.  IMHO, Sperry is the real deal.  At $75 they are a great bargain, and nearly indestructible.

 

[guitone]

I wore sperrys for years as they fit my narrow foot to some degree. The last pair I bought were actually Rockport which fit better and seem to my eye to be made better....I don't wear these on a boat, they are just casual summer shoes for me.

 

[NewYorkBuck]

The last pair I bought were actually Rockport which fit better and seem to my eye to be made better

One of the very few articles of clothing that I have paid retail for was a pair of Rockport topsiders that I bought back in college - 14 years ago. I still wear them to this day.

 

[AlanC]

As an overal endorsement of Sperry's, I wore Sperry canvas shoes (see the member photos thread) all through college and loved them. I have a pair of Sperry penny loafers that I've worn for several years, and they still look great. I think they make an excellent shoe for the money.

 

[jamesbond]

http://www.eluxury.com/browse....ID=6000 i like these. but would never drop that kinda cash for a shoe that takes so much abuse. unless i was a millionaire.

 

[Kent Wang]

Wow, those LV boat shoes are beautiful; I dig the color scheme. One of the reasons why I like Sperry's is that they are available in a lot of fresh colors.