# Boat shoes



## Thefishingchef

So I’m not 21 anymore and standing barefooted all day on poling platform just isn’t working out. Looking for a good support/breathable shoe. Thanks


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## Smackdaddy53

Colombia Drainmaker2


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## kenb

Soft science.


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## Fishshoot

I haven’t found a brand that has high enough arches for me, olikai is closest. I use aftermarket insoles, there are plenty of companies that make them.


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## Thefishingchef

Thanks fellas. Interested in both haven’t heard much of the Soft Science brand. Do you use them ken??


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## kenb

I’m about to order a second pair. I wear the “Fin 3.0”. They are the lightest and most comfortable boat shoes I’ve ever worn. And, I’ve had several surgeries on both of my feet including skin grafts. They’re available online.


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## Thefishingchef

I’m gonna give them a shot, how’s the sizing? Run big or small?


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## crboggs

The Olukai Nohea slip ons are the best I've found...and I've tried a few while spending 6-8 hours on the poling platform or casting platform.

When they start smelling worse than the mangroves I just pull the insoles out and toss them all in the washing machine on a hand wash cycle. Let them air dry and good as new.


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## kenb

kenb said:


> I’m about to order a second pair. I wear the “Fin 3.0”. They are the lightest and most comfortable boat shoes I’ve ever worn. And, I’ve had several surgeries on both of my feet including skin grafts. They’re available online.





Thefishingchef said:


> I’m gonna give them a shot, how’s the sizing? Run big or small?


Run true to men’s sizes.


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## Thefishingchef

Crboggs 
I love olukai products and have multiple pairs of thier shoes. I’m gonna tr and find some at a local store to try on. Just sucks. I remember the days of poling the lagoon from sun up to sundown with no problems now after 5 hours I feel it the next day. Kinda like drinkin


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## krash

I would have to disagree about the Soft Science running true to size unless you have wide feet.
I wear a standard size 9 sneaker ,although for comparison I find that Nike and Puma are a little tight at first, but I find the relaxed fit of Sketchers to be a bit loose.
Read carefully the Soft Science says "generous fit" on the Fins. I have a pair specifically purchased to wear on the boat... and for sure they are very comfortable, drain good, don't mark up the fiberglass, and have a great grip on shinney wet surface's.
BUT I find the foot bed, especially the front half (toe end) to be wide, and when they are wet inside it's not a secure fit, that trielon removable inner liner is very slippery. If you are leaning on an off balanced surface your/my feet slip forward in the shoe jamming the toes forward in the tose box quickly loosing your balance point.


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## mmccull5

Thefishingchef said:


> So I’m not 21 anymore and standing barefooted all day on poling platform just isn’t working out. Looking for a good support/breathable shoe. Thanks


Feel your pain.. the days I can walk barefoot all day are long gone.. 

I was wearing drainmakers for the longest time until I picked up a pair of olukai's. I now have a pair of the alapa and alapa li. One pair for the boat and the other for everything else.


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## not2shabby

I was initially surprised about how heavy the Olukais are, but they are very comfortable. They're the only shoe I wear on the skiff.


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## crboggs

Thefishingchef said:


> I feel it the next day. Kinda like drinkin


Absolutely. I feel like an old man the next day between the heat and my feet. *lol*

Good shoes are almost as important as sun coverage IMHO.


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## crboggs

If you stand and drive a tiller around all day, you never really sit down at all.

I may actually add a helm pad to good shoes. *lol*


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## redfish5

Do the Olukai’s not retain water? I ordered a pair and was really impressed by how comfortable they are. However, I ultimately returned them because I read a lot of reviews that they got waterlogged and took forever to dry out. Inevitably, I manage to dunk my foot somehow during the day.


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## crboggs

redfish5 said:


> Do the Olukai’s not retain water?


The mesh ones don't IMHO. Depends on which shoe you are wearing.


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## Capt. Josh Gisclair

Thefishingchef said:


> So I’m not 21 anymore and standing barefooted all day on poling platform just isn’t working out. Looking for a good support/breathable shoe. Thanks


Simms currents boat shoes! It has a right angled foot bed. Cant beat it!


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## Net 30

Capt. Josh Gisclair said:


> Simms currents boat shoes! It has a right angled foot bed. Cant beat it!


X2^^^^^^^^^


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## topnative2

I just bought a pair of soft sci. lace ups because my back has been killing me.....the pain is going away.They are wide up front which is what I need from to many yrs in sandals.

Also, I like the shimano evairs.


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## No Bait / Lures Only

Hay guys, I had back n foot issues until I visited my chiropractor n she noticed one leg was 7mm shorter n other, added 7mm lift n all is well now.


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## jay.bush1434

Olukai Trainers. Mesh upper, high arch, sole drains easily, damn comfortable. The SeaDek on my platform helps too.


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## kbanashek

Soft science gets my vote, and I would say that they run large. I wear a 10.5, ordered a 11 and wound up returning for a 10.


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## Capnredfish

Sorry to break the news. But once you have plantar fasciitis and /or heel spurs standing on a platform all day won’t get better regardless of the shoes you wear. Help yes. I tell you one thing that helps. Your platform. Most are made to look level with deck. While in use, your body wants you standing upright because the boat squats in the back if even just slightly. Causing your feet to be in a constant position as if you were pulling your toes towards your face. Try a plastic spacer one day raising the back legs of tower as a test. If it helps then make nice ones or modify tower. By all means do go with some very good shoes others have recommended for the boat and land as it will make a huge difference. I know first hand.


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## WatermanGB

I tried asics gel running shoes and I still had lower back fatigue. Went to the soft science and they have been 10x better


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## Half Shell

WatermanGB said:


> I tried asics gel running shoes and I still had lower back fatigue. Went to the soft science and they have been 10x better


I know what size Asics running shoes I wear (size 10). Do the Soft Science fit the same or should I order 1/2 size smaller or larger?


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## Macho_Man_From_Taco_Land

Camo crocs


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## Smackdaddy53

Macho_Man_From_Taco_Land said:


> Camo crocs


Great way to bust your ass!


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## K3anderson

If its just for poling, I would get the soft science. There is another thread on this btw.


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## No Bait / Lures Only

Smackdaddy53 said:


> Great way to bust your ass!


Broken big toe with crocs


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## FSUDrew99

Idk about yall but if I wear any shoe with a sole that has any thickness to it even a Nike free, etc it almost makes my feet cramp worse than if I was barefoot.


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## Cam

I use Chaco Sandals most of the time and find them the most comfortable footwear for water based activities mostly because my feet can swell without any constriction, the sole has an aggressive tread that does well on slick surfaces, the design means draining is a non-issue and they do not float which is oddly preferable when standing in water.


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## fishnpreacher

I have a pair of Sketcher boat shoes. Actually 2 pair. The fit and support I got was top rate. I had major back surgery 8 years ago, so my posture is shot. Static standing kills me. If I can walk around a bit, I can stay on my feet for hours. If not, I've got to sit for a while.


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## KimmerIII

Olukia


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## Dustin1

I'll second Columbia Drainmakers. Compared to wearing flip-flops, they make a tremendous difference in my fatigue level at the end of a 10-12 hr day on the water.


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## Thefishingchef

Thanks fellas for the input. The wife found some Olukias for half off. Went with them. I have a lot of thier shoes and figured to give them a shot for the price.


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## permitchaser

I got some Olukia shoes from my grandsons last year. Their a little big cause i dont wear socks on the boat. I used to wear Walmart slip- ons, I cant tell the difference except the olukias may last longer


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## Smackdaddy53

No Bait / Lures Only said:


> Hay guys, I had back n foot issues until I visited my chiropractor n she noticed one leg was 7mm shorter n other, added 7mm lift n all is well now.


A good chiropractor would check that first and adjust accordingly. If your back is out of whack it will pull one leg up and make it appear shorter. I get adjusted about 3-4 times a year for this because I am in my work truck a lot and sit funny and it causes my right leg to pull up. This in turn causes more issues until I get adusted.


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## No Bait / Lures Only

My newest boat safety shoe, it's got enough treads the EPA n osha would sign off on them. Maybe no more broken toes. These are Sperry grip-x Son-r


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## J.Miller.IV

Check out the Adidas Terrex. Non-marking and good grip on wet surface. Also draining and breathable.


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## Steve Jenkins

Thefishingchef said:


> So I’m not 21 anymore and standing barefooted all day on poling platform just isn’t working out. Looking for a good support/breathable shoe. Thanks





Thefishingchef said:


> So I’m not 21 anymore and standing barefooted all day on poling platform just isn’t working out. Looking for a good support/breathable shoe. Thanks


i agree Olukai I have 5 pairs of them. Helps a lot with Planters Fasciitis .


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## FlatBroken

Simms Current boat shoes are the best I have found! I am a contractor 90% of the year and bought a 2nd pair last summer when I had to work on concrete for 3 months and they kept my feet and lower back in great shape, they may be narrower than some folks fit, I have skinny feet!


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## Maglemonice

topnative2 said:


> I just bought a pair of soft sci. lace ups because my back has been killing me.....the pain is going away.They are wide up front which is what I need from to many yrs in sandals.
> 
> Also, I like the shimano evairs.





Thefishingchef said:


> So I’m not 21 anymore and standing barefooted all day on poling platform just isn’t working out. Looking for a good support/breathable shoe. Thanks


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## Steve_Mevers

Just bought a pair of Soft Science Fin shoes and hate them for fly fishing. The fly line catches the laces and front of the shoe really bad. I tried on a pair of Olukai that have an elastic type lacing system and are mesh, I think I am going to give them a try.


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## obrientimm

https://www.crocs.com/p/mens-literide-pacer/204967.html?cgid=men-footwear-sneakers&cid=060#start=6


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## TexasSightcaster

obrientimm said:


> https://www.crocs.com/p/mens-literide-pacer/204967.html?cgid=men-footwear-sneakers&cid=060#start=6


I have these exact ones and they’re hella comfy, but the rubber gets HOT when temps hit mid 90’s. Hot enough that you either have to dip them in water or take them off.


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## fishnsurf

TexasSightcaster said:


> I have these exact ones and they’re hella comfy, but the rubber gets HOT when temps hit mid 90’s. Hot enough that you either have to dip them in water or take them off.


Just get light colored ones, I'm on my third pair and I've never felt them get warm. You'd be surprised how much a darker shade will attract heat. These crocs are by far the best warm-weather boat shoe ever made... You can even jump out of the boat and wade a flat with them. Their all-rubber construction makes them quick drying and comfy. Their perforated as well so they drain fast.


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## TexasSightcaster

fishnsurf said:


> Just get light colored ones, I'm on my third pair and I've never felt them get warm. You'd be surprised how much a darker shade will attract heat. These crocs are by far the best warm-weather boat shoe ever made... You can even jump out of the boat and wade a flat with them. Their all-rubber construction makes them quick drying and comfy. Their perforated as well so they drain fast.


I just got a 2nd pair for casual wear on weekends because of how comfortable they are. I will say they work ok for wading as long as it’s not in over crushed shell. I did that once and the shell got in between the foam sole and the side of the shoes. I kept kicking shell out of them for the rest of the week. I agree tho, by far the best boat shoes I’ve owned.


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## JRHorne

Altama Maritime Assault OTBs. I have the mid tops and they are great. I wore them in the keys to walk through the water as well as on the boat. Only problem is they trapped sand in them and I wore them without socks. I now have a couple of pairs of Swiftwick Aspires that I plan on wearing under them to help with that problem. They are based on the Chuck Taylors and issued to the Marines because they fit into standard SCUBA fins. I like my mids so much I wear them casually with the Swiftwicks too. Best part is on sale, they can be found for $70-80 and come in like 5 or 6 colors.


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## Snakesurf

The guys who started Crocks sold the company and started Soft Science. I have 3 different styles of the Fin. Their wader lace up (Tarrafin) is the fastest drying shoe on the market and also the lightest. It sticks to slimy rocks like a magnet. The sizes are inconsistent between the different models and I don't believe they have 1/2 sizes. Their shoes are definitely generous so if you have a narrow foot you probably won't like them. The other plus is whatever they are made of doesn't get as stinky as other shoes. I have tried just about all of them and these are the best wading, fishing or boating shoes I have found. If it don't fit when you order them they will take them back free postage. Great service. 
OK John, is this going to get me a free pair?


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## Capt. Moose

I’ve been wearing a pair of Helly Hansen 596 for a year and a half. From the cockpit of a sportfish, everyday on the yacht, and on the skiff. I’ll buy another pair.


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