Choosing the Right Boat Shoes for Women: Prologue

Photo: Morgan trying her hand at the climbing rock at REI.

Yesterday, we headed to the REI flagship store to pick up some good boat shoes for the family, and also some extra paddles for our new kayak.  Before heading in, I did a little research on what shoes might be best for the kids and me, including polling the fabulous ladies of Women Who Sail.  Based on that research and feedback, it was clear that the frontrunners, for all ages, were Chacos, Keens, and Tevas.  So, that’s what we focused on when we went in.  After trying on shoes for about two hours, here’s where we ended up and why.

Chacos.  These were at the top of my list.  Although they weren’t the most frequently recommended, they were the top choice of some of the most experienced full-time cruisers I know, and those who did recommend them did a good job of articulating why.  The Chacos were consistently hailed as durable, comfortable for long wear, great for use in water and on land, and non-stinky.

When I tried them on in-store, they definitely had the most comfortable, supportive sole.  However, one drawback was that the Chacos all had either an open toe, or a closed-but-soft tow.  So, there was no protection from those deck cleats that are constantly out to get me.  (Because cleats were a concern for me, I tried on the closed-toe Chacos first, and I ran out of time to try the sandal-style Chacos – so, those will have to wait for another day.)  Also, the Chacos were fairly narrow, and were very uncomfortable on my wide feet.  Chaos don’t come in wide sizes.  So, at least the women’s Chacos weren’t an option for me.

I also tried the men’s Chacos, because men’s shoes are typically wider.  However, the men’s shoes had a higher heel on them, which rubbed the back of my ankle and would have caused blisters given a few more minutes.  So, the men’s Chacos weren’t a fit, either.

Tevas.  I had a pair of Tevas for a while, but wanted to avoid them this time around.  The pair I had had a solid sole, but it wasn’t very supportive, particularly for my high arch.  Next, I broke my pinky toe years ago, and so it has a big knot in it, and my Tevas always rubbed me there uncomfortably.  Also, for such an open sandal, I was always surprised how stinky they got, and how quickly.  Finally, my last pair disintegrated at the bond between the upper and lower soles, and although it probably took about 10 years to delaminate, I was interested in looking at something else.  The Tevas were recommended by several people, but definitely weren’t the highest vote-getter in my surveying.

Keens.  (Note: This section contains Amazon affiliate links.  Feel free to click on through, and send a little beer money our way!)  By far, these were the most frequently recommended by others.  Many people cited their comfort, their versatility in water and on land, and their durability.  As to the last point, however, several others cited bad experiences with sole delamitation, and most people have noticed that they can get pretty stinky.  Some people weren’t bothered by the stinky foot issue, because the Keens are machine washable.  But, because some people had experiences with stinky shoes and delamination, I decided to focus my search elsewhere.

When I got to trying shoes on, however, the Keens were the best choice after the Chacos were too narrow.  Also, I really liked that the closed-toe Keens had a rigid toe, to protect against stray cleats.  So, I tried on a few of the women’s Keens.  My favorites were the Rose Sandals: The sole was solid and supportive, and it gave plenty of coverage to protect the foot, but also was more open than the sneaker-style shoes, which allowed plenty of circulation around my foot.  What’s more, these were the widest of all the women’s Keens I tried – everything else was far too narrow.  (Keens has some wide women’s shoes, but none of their sandals are available in wide sizes.)  Finally, I really liked the look of these; the other closed-toe Keens looked fairly clunky on, but these had a sleeker, more feminine look.  In the end, even this pair ended up too narrow, as my foot began to cramp after about 20 minutes of wear.  (I LOVE that REI allows – and encourages – wearing their shoes all around the store before purchasing.)

So, I gave the men’s Keens a try, and I found the perfect pair in the men’s Newport H2 sandal: 
They’re certainly not the sleekest or most feminine shoes I tried on; I was disappointed they didn’t come in fun colors like the women’s Keens; and they make my wide, big feet look even bigger and wider, but after wearing them for quite some time, both with socks and without, they were by far the most comfortable for me.  They were sturdy, provided strong support, and were breathable.

Conclusion.  If you have wide, manly feet like me, I suspect you’ll end up in the Keens as well.  For narrower feet, however, definitely check out the Chacos, as they were a notch up on the comfort scale – if the Keens are a BMW, then the Chacos are a Porsche.  I can’t say I’m disappointed to be driving a BMW.

Of course, trying shoes on and finding something that you *think* will work is the first step.  The real test won’t come until I get them out in the wild, which I’ll have some chance to do this spring, but they’ll get constant wear when we go on our boat trip in July.  So, expect to hear more then!