Here’s the thing about boat shoes. Wear them with socks and you’ll wind up looking, well, less than fashionable, and eventually you’ll get wet socks. Wear them without, as most of us are wont to do, and you’ll end up cultivating a serious funk that wafts from the sole whenever you remove them. The new Lems Mariner boat shoes might just be the answer.
I’ve been wearing a pair sans socks for a few weeks with no noticeable funk so far. Independent third parties have corroborated this by not running from the room when I take them off. The Lems Mariners are actually foot-shaped, so they enhance comfort while plodding around on deck. The siped soles are made of air-infused rubber and contribute to the pair’s light 7.4-ounce weight. The shoes are made of leather combined with breathable mesh to air out the soles. The insoles are moisture-wicking foam.
Like traditional boat shoes, they provide plenty of traction on deck and, while not waterproof, stand up to onboard abuse. If they continue to keep the funk at bay, I’ll continue to wear them. $105; lemsshoes.com
