Contrary to what their name implies, boat shoes aren’t used exclusively for marine purposes. They’re an extremely popular shoe for warm climates, whether humid or dry. The easy putting on and off of mens boat shoes, combined with their attractiveness and comfort makes them a very functional work shoe, which makes perfect sense since they’re made of leather. However, unlike many leather dress shoes, mens boat shoes are very comfortable and can help keep your feet cool. And unlike loafers and other dress shoes, they provide great traction even when worn in wet conditions. With that said, you can probably use a pair of boat shoes if:
- You own a large fishing boat or yacht so that you can walk around without fear of slipping off and still looking good;
- You live in a warm climate and spend a lot of time around the pier since you can wear them both on a boat and then go have dinner in them after a long day in the water;
- You need a comfortable leather dress shoe that isn’t a loafer. Mens boat shoes are comfortable and more affordable.
Even though boat shoes have a wide range of uses, there are some cases when they’re simply unfit to be worn. For instance:
- You need to get in and out of water frequently. Although boat shoes drain water, they do so quite slowly. Further, they’re typically made of leather, meaning constant submersion can damage them and keep them waterlogged. So if you’re kayaking or rafting, just get another type of shoe.
- You plan on hiking. Boat shoes are comfortable and great for walking around town or piers, but you should avoid wearing them on rocky terrain. They lack ankle support, which is essential for hiking and walking around the backcountry, for example.
You can find a wide range of boat shoes online and pick from a variety of styles, colours and materials. If you want to wear them for semi-formal occasions, they work best with no-show socks that are made for lower vamp shoes. Further, get a pair of shorter length pants and a polo shirt. You don’t want to look like a frat dude, so avoid pastel colours, Croakies, and embroidered belts. Basically, you want to keep it as simple as possible. As long as you’re comfortable in the shoes, and follow these simple guidelines, you can pull off wearing them in a variety of situations!
