3 Things to consider while buying sailing shoes

You've been invited on a sailing trip with friends at San Diego Sailing Club, but you're not sure what shoes to wear or what factors to consider while choosing one? Don't be concerned. Because this is a frequently asked subject, I thought addressing it in this blog would be appropriate.

You have to consider these three things from your shoes at their core:

Good grip

Sailboats can get a little rough at times. It is critical to have solid gripping soles. This will assist you in preventing falling overboard, especially if you are a newbie. When the deck is wet, it becomes extremely slick. So having some form of grip pattern on the soles is a requirement.

No marks, no dirt

What is the significance of leaving no marks on the board? Well, most decks are really difficult to clean. Grip paint is used on some fiberglass decks, giving them a rough grid that makes cleaning rubber skids particularly difficult.

A deck is similar to a living room in that it should be kept clean and attractive. It is a major sailing sin to leave marks.

Protection

On the sea, it can get extremely cold. In addition, if you're unlucky, the deck hardware, deck grip paint, and other pointed things on a sailboat can severely harm your foot.


What not to wear:

If possible, avoid shoes that have been known to cause problems. So, what should you definitely avoid?

• For longer trips, avoid zippers and other metals

• Avoid wearing canvas.

• Avoid wearing high heels.

• Avoid wearing flip-flops or barefoot with leather soles.

In Conclusion

Ideally, you should just have one pair of boat shoes while sailing. This ensures that your soles are always clean and do not leave marks on the deck. You don't need to buy new shoes as long as you remember the three essentials: clean, protection, and grip. Sneakers with white rubber soles will be sufficient for most first-timers or one-timers.