For roughly 75 years, the Sperry Top-Sider has remained the quintessential deck shoe: simple, sturdy, seaworthy, even stylish. No frills, no fancy-schmancy, just a good solid boating shoe. But even the invention of this straightforward classic was not without a little old-school technology. A quick jog back to the 1930′s to explain:
As the story goes, Paul Sperry, an avid yachtsman, was walking his dog one squally day and made an interesting discovery: the dog had a natural ability to keep traction while on slippery, wet surfaces. Examining the pooch’s paws, he noticed the pads had a specific pattern of wavy-shaped grooves, enabling the dog to keep its grip. Eager for better traction himself on the decks of his own sailboat, Mr. Perry set to work carving a similar grooved design into a rubber sole with a razor blade – giving birth to the original Sperry Top-Sider.
While Mr. Sperry turned to ingenuity to improve his own boating experience, his successors (and competitors) have set out to do the same. The result: the performance boat shoe. Combining the hallmarks of traditional deck shoes with cutting-edge technology (and a mouthful of trademarked-terminology) this new breed of deck shoe is designed to take comfort and utility to the next level. A little 21st century paw-studying, if you will.
So we’ve rounded up a small sampling of this innovative footwear, starting first with Men’s Deck Shoes: (reverse chivalry, ladies to follow…)
1. Men’s Sperry SB-1070: serious athletic deck shoe, quick drying, shock absorption, AEGIS™ microbe shield, forefront cushioning, arch support, Hydro-Grip™ rubber traction, non marking sole. $89.95
2. Men’s Sperry ASV Athletic: proprietary Anti-Shock technology offers 40% reduction in vibration forces! Superior traction and agility, quick-drying, internal drainage. $139.95 Also offered in Gunmetal and Grey/Blue.
3. Men’s Sperry Amphibious: Made to get wet! Waterproof leather, mesh panels and drainage ports; patented Saucony GRID® technology cushioning, quadro-grip Wave-Siping™ for ultimate traction. $69.95
4. Men’s Sebago Wave Extreme: ventilator mesh uppers, Lycra stretch collars, compression molded footbed, Sticky rubber Sebago® OctoPod™ outsoles grip any terrain. $84.95
5. Men’s Dubarry Tornado: ventilated mesh panels, moisture-wicking lining, durable flexible mid-sole, removable footbed, award winning non-slip sole, rubber toe abrasion protection. $108.95
6. Men’s OTB Keeper: extremely advanced leather boat shoe – Tactical Rubber TechnologyTM silent traction, lugged and razor sipped outsole – same one used by Navy SEALs, recessed arch gives flexible climbing, full wrap lacing, breathable air mesh tongue and vamp, Seal footbedTM drainage system. $79.95
Next post: Ladies Deck Shoes.
