Sailing Shoes

[Mark Matthews]

What type of shoes should a beginner wear for sailing?

Mark Matthews responds:
Good question. Shoes on board are a good idea because they eliminate the number of stubbed toes and other bruises one would otherwise encounter during a season of sailing. The first thing you want to look for is non-marking soles. Black sole shoes usually leave ugly black marks that are time and energy consuming to remove. White sole shoes are usually a safe bet.

The next thing you'll want to examine is the tread on the sole of the shoe. Sailing-specific shoes and boots have a tread that is designed to hold on the slippery surface of a wet deck. Sailing shoes with leather uppers like Rockports, Sebago, and Topsiders are popular, and there are also other sailing sneaker-type shoes on the market like the Harkens . Take a look at some of our shoes and you're likely to find what you are looking for.