Boat shoes with socks

[acesinkc]

I am looking for some summer shoes and I have never worn boat shoes before. The vast majority of pictures I see of these, they don't look like they are wearing socks. Is this comfortable? Do you guys like them if you will be walking a lot in 80 degree heat?


Thanks

 

[BSAGuy]

You can wear them with socks, but without is much cooler (comfort-wise). Depends on what "walking a lot" means. That is a pretty broad statement. They are OK to wear knocking around, but I wouldn't want to wear them for walking more than 1/2 mile.

 

[captp]

Boat shoes with socks just seems wrong.

 

[gwsmallwood]

I used to feel the same way. Now I prefer no socks. If you need something to ease the transition, try these.

Shop No Show Socks for Men, Dress Socks & More | Sperry

 

[shave/brush]

You can wear them with socks, but without is much cooler (comfort-wise). Depends on what "walking a lot" means. That is a pretty broad statement. They are OK to wear knocking around, but I wouldn't want to wear them for walking more than 1/2 mile.

I wore boat shoes when I first went to Las Vegas and I walked in them all day. My back was killing me that night. I agree that I wouldn't walk more than 1 mile in them.

 

[BSAGuy]

 

[BigJ]

Boat shoes with socks just seems wrong.

+1. My thoughts exactly!

 

[Merle]

boat shoes => boat
/bonks forehead with hand

 

[Alexgcohn]

I am looking for some summer shoes and I have never worn boat shoes before. The vast majority of pictures I see of these, they don't look like they are wearing socks. Is this comfortable? Do you guys like them if you will be walking a lot in 80 degree heat?


Thanks

You want no-show socks to avoid blisters and sticky feet. I tried it without socks awhile back and had blisters on the top of my heels by the afternoon.

 

[Badgerstate36]

From what I understand, boat shoes are intended to be worn without socks.

 

[BadgeToTheBone]

why dont you just wear sock and sandals with a fanny pack and get it over with

 

[D1dad]

Nice high white ones is what I wear especially when I take the kids to the mall.

 

[ponderosabob]

Boat shoes are meant to be worn with socks. Birkenstocks no.
Would hate to smell your shoes....

Must be part of the "flip-flop" crowd.

 

[Komboloi]

I'm wearing a pair of Sperry Topsiders right now. I love the things and have been wearing them for almost 40 years (not the same pair...). I wear them without socks and with shorts or jeans 95% of the time, but I wear them with khakis and brown socks when I want a casual shoe with long pants but am someplace where wearing no socks would be a little weird. They substitute well for very casual penny loafers. No support though, so walking long distances (like several miles) makes my feet tired.

 

[Merle]

now penny loafers + socks = world right as rain...
although, I never got the part some people said about a penny in the front strap, that seems really uncomfortable to me - maybe a 1/10th oz 4 9's gold piece...

 

[oc_in_fw]

I won't wear any shoe with socks- it feels bad (to me) and causes shoe stink.

 

[MursesAnonymous]

I have always wore them without socks. If you're concerned about blistering, you can put a little moleskin on the backs, and it will help. I've worn them for tailgating at LSU games, walking 10+ miles in the course of the day, and never had an issue. As far as support, Sperry Billfish or Bluefish (can't remember which one, sorry) has a really great soft cushiony sole. I've bought 8 or so pairs over the last ten plus years and I truly love them.

Last but not least, after a few weeks of summertime wear, Dr. Scholls OdorX foot spray will be your best friend. Spray them out once a week or more to keep others nearby from running away from you as you approach.

 

[The Knize]

Some would say that a traditional rule of dress--let's say preppie dress, anyway--is to never, ever wear Topsiders with socks. I suspect that that came from the idea that the reason one owned Topsiders was because one went sailing and the idea was your shoes were designed to get wet while sailing and you would not want wet socks. In other words, if one wore Topsiders with socks, one was a poser, who did not in fact go sailing. Something like that.

Topsider makes so many, shall we say, "flanker" styles to the original, I do not even know what a Topsider is these days, much less whether they were made to be worn with socks or, as a "rule," should be worn without socks. I ignore the rule from time to time, but I do that consciously.

I do not think most folks these days are going to care, but if I were going for a strictly "trad" look, I would not wear socks. I admit, though, that on some level I agree with <Boat shoes with socks just seems wrong.>

Penny loafers are different altogether. The truly traditional sock with penny loafers was probably white. (Look at photos of Harvard/Princeton undergrads walking around in the 1950s.) But that tradition in preppy dress, and high water khakis, did not seem to carry forward over the decades.

 

[Merle]

sad part about boat shoes is they became part and parcel of the "style" of boating, rather than the process of sailing. On a nice Chriscraft, high and dry, it's stylin'; working your footing on a hobbie cat, sloop, or ketch, it's about grip. Socks just get wet, gather, and slip. Since those early days though folk have designed grippy sole, open topped, lace up nearly climbing shoe gear that can sand your decks while you skip drag and drop reefing sails.

 

[gwsmallwood]

sad part about boat shoes is they became part and parcel of the "style" of boating, rather than the process of sailing. On a nice Chriscraft, high and dry, it's stylin'; working your footing on a hobbie cat, sloop, or ketch, it's about grip. Socks just get wet, gather, and slip. Since those early days though folk have designed grippy sole, open topped, lace up nearly climbing shoe gear that can sand your decks while you skip drag and drop reefing sails.