Sunday, May 7, 2017

Sperry classic A/O boat shoes | Review



I have always wanted a pair of boat shoes. Why? My family does not own a boat, and even in my college summer days of lazy kayaking on Lake Merritt, I would not think to wear these shoes. I bought these shoes after I knew I would be going to medical school in Massachusetts, so perhaps I was a copycat, WASPy prepster wannabe this entire time.

Anyhow, on with the review.

Since buying these shoes in March 2016, I have worn them almost every non-rainy day between 65 and 80F; 40 - 65F is shared between these shoes and my long-suffering Dr. Martens Chelsea boots. Cost per wear is without a doubt under $1, perhaps even $0.50. I like them a lot, but would like them better if the leather were darker and the sole were not white -- my mistake, but I wear them to death nonetheless. They are effortless to slip on, comfortable, and practical. They are casual without being too sloppy, and are consistent with my standard level of formality.

I am a US women's 6.5 and am happy with the 7, even if I'm wearing thicker socks. They have almost no arch support to speak of, but I have worn them on heavy walking days (and even hiking in Germany) with no issue. That depends on you, though. The insole detached within the first summer. They smell if you wear them for too long without socks on a hot summer day. Or even a warm summer day.



The leather has been scuffed, stepped on, bathed in rainwater, splashed with scalding hot coffee, dipped in lakes and oceans and rivers, covered in dust and sand, and also plaster in the emergency department as I helped the ortho residents reduce two fractured and dislocated joints on the same patient. I normally don't wear these when I shadow in the hospital, but I had forgotten to bring my sneakers. I scrubbed off the plaster before I realized it gave the shoes character.

The soles are specifically designed for good grip on a slippery deck -- they do this job well, but have insufficient tread for muddy stone staircases in German forests, or dry Californian hillsides covered with leaf debris. They have been wearing down quite quickly, but that may just be because I wore them so much. The leather laces seem like they too are wearing down.

Overall, I love these shoes, but obviously don't care for them well and wear them fairly recklessly. They were the next in line from casual beater shoes of my youth -- black Converse, and sometimes blue Converse -- and I wear them with the same irreverence and joy as I did those that came before.

P.S. -- I plan on properly conditioning the leather this summer. They...basically look like hell right now, but hopefully some maintenance will improve that.

10 comments:

  1. I've always wanted to own a pair of Sperry boat shoes! They look so comfortable and I've always been in love with the style. Glad to hear you love them!

    cabin twenty-four

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    1. They are comfortable indeed, and I think they look better a little beaten up.

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  2. They looks super comfortable! I like wearing those no-show socks/foot liners with my loafers, so I still get the bare ankle look without stinky feet haha.

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    1. Yeah...no excuses. I need no-show socks. I also enjoyed the cozy wool socks + boat shoes combo in the early spring (and still today, since it's 40-50F).

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  3. I have friends who don't like Sperrys because of the stereotype of people who wear them, but I've always wanted to have Sperrys because they seem to match with everything, seem easy to wear, and seem practical! -Audrey | Brunch at Audrey's

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    1. Exactly! They are versatile and reliable, and fly pretty under the radar in New England.

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  4. I love the styling of boat shoes! They look nice and comfortable. It's great that you got to wear these pair of shoes as much sa you could and it didn't give you any issues with heavy walking. It's cool how the wear and tear kind of give the shoes some character.

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    1. That's one thing I really look for in shoes: if they get better with age. Obviously, I should take better care of them, but I like that they look better worn in. I think that once I condition the leather, it may show some nice patina.

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  5. I find these very nice and they look very comfy. They are not exactly my style but lately I prefer comfy over style.

    I see that you are a medical student. I think you are the first medical student I see online and I am so happy about it <3. I am a 4th year med student in Romania. It's nice to meet you <3.

    Cristina from http://lovemore.xyz

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    1. Wow! What is medical school like in Romania? I follow a few blogs written by medical students or physicians (Jane who commented above from Australia, a few other Americans, and one in England).

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