Boat shoes have been around since 1935 and were created by Paul Sperry. Sperry first started making the shoes for sailors in order for them to have better grip when they are on the deck. He got the idea from his dog Prince when he realised that his paws were textured and allowed him to have better grip even on slippery surfaces. Now, over 80 years later since their creation, boat shoes are no longer only for boats and have made there way into the casual footwear light. So with a history going all the way back to the 30’s, investing in a pair is a great idea.
Finding the perfect pair of boat shoes can be a daunting task especially with all the options available. But when it comes down to it, you only need to consider these four main factors: style, fit, colour and material. Boat trainers have a casual look but there are variables to them as well as they can be are chunky or lighter; with grip soles or smooth rubber heel, so the choice is ultimately up to you and your style. As for the fit, you only need to make sure that there is one cm of space from your toe to the front of the shoe and that the ball of your foot fits neatly in the widest part of the shoe. And of course, colours and patterns are endless, with some of the more classic choices being navy, black, brown and nude. And finally the materials, you can chose between leather and canvas. The leather ones are chunkier whereas those made of canvas have a slimmer design.
Break Your Boat Shoes In
After choosing your boat shoes, it is crucial to break them in because you don’t want to find yourself with blisters every time you wear them. Once you brake them in they become much more comfortable to wear. To break them in means to start wearing them every day for a short period of time (just an hour or two), walk around your home or wear them when you need to run a short errand. After this, you will be able to start wearing them every day without any discomfort or blisters. The reason boat trainers can be a bit uncomfortable in the beginning is because they are to be worn without socks or sometimes very thin socks.
When Should You Wear Boat Shoes?
This is a fairly casual shoe so it can be worn on many different occasions. For example, when travelling, boat trainers are a good option to go for because they are very light and you can slip in and out of them with ease. They are also great to wear on the beach – they are not called boat shoes for nothing. They are very easy to clean as sand doesn’t stick to them so easily. All in all, they are great summer shoes.
