Deck Shoes - Sperry Harbormaster - Product Defect?

[Brob2]

Originally Posted by redhead

I've always worn Sebagos. They last longer and stay pretty good looking. Nowadays I'm addicted to Keds.

I have both the American made hand-sewn and offshore produced varieties and still swear by the former. I have one pair more than a decade old still quite serviceable. I'm afraid I gave up on on Sperry quality quite some time ago.

[svGenesis]

Originally Posted by CaptTom

I'd like to know where you found them for $29. Amazon starts at $80 for men's, although they have some kid's sizes for $35.

West marine online had them on sale and since i was ordering other stuff the shipping was included.

[slowpoker]

Yes, this happens to many rubber sole shoes and sneakers.
When the soles get slippery and hard from little use, walk over to a concrete sidewalk or patio and scuff the soles a little on all gripping surfaces while on your feet. Must re-do this every few weeks after this sole slippage begins.
Most shoes are made in China or with their components and there is not much 'quality control' for things there.
Good you are sending them back, explaining the defect, so manufacturers realize what went wrong, get a chance to fix it and that we, their customers, expect better quality from them. This helps their brand name and helps us, their other customers, get what we pay for.

[RolfP]

StaTuff was good for awhile, though they moved to China, so not so sure now. Today Keens are my go-to shoe for on and off the boat, same pair for a few years, and last 7 months not a day without.


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[kelbylinn]

I second the Keen Newport H2 sandals. Wear them all the time on the street, in the water and on the boat. Actually have 3 pairs.

[LeeV]

I've never found a perfect boat shoe. Often go barefoot, but have also slipped and broken a toe :-(

Crocs or tennis shoes work best for me; barefoot if going slower than 8-10knots.

[Dave Lochner]

Back when Topsiders were made for boaters they were great. The sole was soft and sticky and wore out before getting hard. There was a small cottage industry of cobblers who would resole the shoes for much less than a new pair.

Once Topsiders became cool to wear ashore the soles would wear out too fast given the abrasiveness of concrete, asphalt and other hard services. Sperry started using a harder material on the sole which became harder as time went on. Probably sold more shoes that way.

I have a pair of Keene water shoes. Good traction, good support cool and comfortable.

I've also used New Balance cross trainers with a non-marking sole, work well too.

[a64pilot]

I'm a barefoot guy, but my feet suffer from the drain tubes in my port lights too, those things punch out neat little circles in my toes.
Sperry back when I was a kid were really good boat shoes, but as many have said are fashion statements now, not functional.
I wear Sebagos as my fashion statement, a cheaper statement than Sperry.

Step any kind of petroleum and they get slick as snot, gasoline is the worst.

[amytom]

Walmart has these cheap "water shoes" made to be in the water as much as out. We buy a couple of pair for each of us and don't worry if they fall apart or get lost as they were cheap. Great traction though.


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[bailsout]

I won't by Sperry again. Same problem as above. I roughed up the soles with a bench grinder, lots of criss-crossing. PITA.

[Dave22q]

I've been wearing Sperry for years with no problems. Never had a traction issue and I wear them until the soles wear through (couple of years). This is the first I've heard complaints about bad traction but with prices rising and quality falling as production shifts to Asia I am not surprised. I will not change until I experience problems.

[lsearite]

And I thought it was just the ladies'. I think the quality suffered when they became a very popular fashion statement.

[Valmika]

I'm so happy someone is addressing this. The sperrys I've bought were always terrible on a fiberglass nonskid deck. I have always wondered were the great reputation came from. Maybe they are good on teak or something. I now just were New Balance or street shoes (with black soles) never mark up my deck and feel much safer. Pay more attention to the uppers and how they breathe and dry. IMHO, almost anything is better than Sperries on deck

[TKDSailor]

I've always been partial to Merrells. I am wearing a pair now that I bought in 2011 to trek through France, Spain, Portugal, and a day trip to Tangiers. They are showing wear, but they have great traction and although the soles are brown, don't seem to mark up our Pettit Easypoxy white deck. This was my first pair; I have 4 or 5 others that range from walking shoes to sandals, and they all seem quite good. I wear them in my machine shop quite a bit (although I SHOULD be wearing steel toed boots...), and am hard on shoes. They get my vote...

[hsi88]

I buy my deck shoes from Walmart. The last pair (leather/canvas) have lasted me about 3 years and actually still have a lot of life left. The heals are showing some wear because I often wear these shoes while traveling so I have walked a ton of miles in them. Great traction on a wet, salty deck even without non-skid. I bought another pair about a month ago. All canvas without shoe strings (slip-on). They also have good traction on wet decks. They are a little heavy in the soles, and the leather pair get really heavy when water logged, but neither pair were over $20.