Shoes
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Shoes |
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Sailing Shoes, Boots, and Socks Once upon a time, we covered our feet in leather moccasins, canvas 'boat shoes', or some kind of heavy stiff waterproof boot. It took a while, but we have figured out that if we can get the 'shoe' part right for our boat - grip, flex, protection, drain fast, fit - we can use the same 'shoe' with a variety of liners depending upon conditions. So our modern shoes are good, really good, compared to the old stuff. The trick now is what you wear between the foot and the shoe. Wear the shoe barefoot in warm conditions. Wear a light liner in coolish conditions. Wool still works, one of the new synthetic liners is a good choice. Wear a heavy sock in cold water, warm air. It could be wool, or it could be a neoprene wetsuit sock. When it gets nasty, wear waterproof socks (Jim's favorites are Seal Skins.) And when its time to get out the ice chisel, then put heavy socks (wool!) under those waterproof socks. And about 'padding' that some dinghy sailors think they need on the top of the shoe; they might have missed an equipment change in the past couple decades, we now use padded hiking straps, putting the padding where needed instead of carrying it around on our feet - and straps are much cheaper to replace!
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Zhik ZKG
The retro look, like a pair of canvas-top boating shoes from the '60s, can be a turn-off. But hidden inside the retro look is an ultra-modern, very functional sailing shoe. And the retro look grows on you after a bit.... (they are available in a variety of colors, but you might not find all colors available everywhere). The upper is a perforated neoprene, the latest in stretchy, breathable, one-piece construction in the 'cuff' style that pulls on and fits snug, without a separate tongue. The lacing, normally associated with a tongue rather than a cuff, is there to firmly snug up the fit so the shoes don't get sucked off in violent high speed water incidents, something skiff and cat sailors know about. The upper is cool, breathes easily, also drains exceptionally fast, so they stay light on the feet. The rubber edging around the sole and over the toe is just thick enough to do the job without adding weight, and smoothly matches the flex of the soles, unlike some synthetics. And those soles.... an almost low tech solution that has been overthought elsewhere, gum rubber; I would not wear these walking around because durability was not the goal, these were made to stick to a smooth surface, like the side of a catamaran hull when trapezing. The soles are molded flat, to maximize contact area, with a very techy sole pattern - you can see the wave-cut in the photo, pretty much standard on boat shoes - what is not clear in the photo is the many small 'nubbins' that also promote contact through a film of water. These shoes stick to a flat glass surface. Really stick! The inner footbed is also soft, so that the feet feel everything that is going on outside the shoe. These shoes are not for walking around parking lots and gravel, they are for on the boat. Save them for what they do best, provide awesome grip when sailing in a trapeze. So in case I wasn't clear, these are absolutely the best trapeze shoes I have ever worn, the 'stick' to the side of the hull is wonderful. They are so light, without heavier sides and tops, that you feel almost barefoot when moving around the tramp, in light air or during tacks and jibes. I have managed - so far late 2011 - to test these on a cat during 3 days of typical seabreeze winds, light in the morning to trapeze later in the day, plus one day in a dinghy. I absolutely love them on the cat, but have mixed feeling in a dinghy cockpit. They have that nice barefoot feel, but I think they are a bit too sticky to pivot fast in a dinghy (Sunfish, Laser, Butterfly, 420, 470, etc.). As long as I was conscious of not letting my feet go flat on the cockpit floor, they were OK, but that is something new to think about that might get in the way of everything else that has to be considered while sailing a dinghy. And while the super-stick could be a wonderful asset on the deck of a keelboat or all the stand-up work in the cockpit of the larger scows, I would also worry a bit about the lack of firmer protection from the many evil things that can bang up feet on those boats. But I haven't yet sailed on a keelboat with these - and there is room for personal preference, I suspect that there are some E scow crews - especially the person trimming the spinnaker - who would love these on their feet. Sizing runs true - I wear an 11 in virtually everything, and the 11 ZKGs fit fine. The combination of the stretch of the upper, softer sole edge, and lacing make these easy to adjust to any fitting problem, or go from barefoot to heavy wetsuit booties. In the past decade I have worn a lot of different shoes of the new 'watersport' breed, searching for the right shoes for different uses - dinghies, keelboats, coaching, catamarans. Major brands include Bass, a previous favorite, Merrell, sole too sticky for a dinghy but OK on a deck, and Teva, one of which has become my preferred coaching (driving a motorboat) shoe. I have already gone through all the major 'sailing' shoes, the padded things ranging from stiff boots to simple padded wetsuit booties. These ZKGs are getting packed in the same bag that has my trapeze harness, and will be seen on my feet whenever I am around cats or skiffs - or dressing up for a retro dock party! UPDATE late 2012; the more I wear them, the more I like them. And Zhik has tweaked the sole, slightly thicker with a slighty different pattern for 2013. Its hard to complain about the fit, it almost feels barefoot. I still rank them as the ultimate catamaran shoe, nothing trapezes better. Because of the barefoot feel, and the super grip on a flat surface, these have become the hottest footwear in the Stand Up Paddleboard world. I've worn them in single-handed dinghies, I would rank them as not quite as good there as the Sperrys, but so comfortable that they are a great alternative. They are better in larger, double-handed or larger boats, where you actually have to stand up and move around. But beware of boats with nasty things bolted to the decks, these shoes are about ultimate feel and grip, not about protection. Suitability: Dinghies: 3 Stars Price range: $85 Zhik and ZKG are trademarks of Zhik Pty Ltd
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Zhik
is an Australian company best known for their high-tech sailing clothing,
worn by some of the very best sailors in the world. When I heard they were
going to do a shoe, I was excited by the idea of them applying their high-tech
skills to foot coverings. Then I saw a photo, and ignored them until this
summer, when I finally go to hold a pair in my hands. And I went 180-degrees,
from ignoring it to being in awe.