Three Grundéns Shoes Made for Boating
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Grundéns has been making clothing for professional boaters and anglers for more than 100 years. In recent years, the company has applied its “sea creds” to rugged, handsome sportswear including shirts, pants and footwear. The full range of products spans from waterfront eateries to yacht parties to working boats to fish-fighting cockpits. Here’s how our fave three we worked out in our tests.
Grundéns Seaknit Boat Shoe
Cool comfort, stability and quick-drying attributes make this a great deck shoe. The Seaknit might be our favorite thanks to its stretchy nylon upper and shock- absorbing sole that flares from the foot to the floor, adding as much as an inch more surface contact of the razor-siped, shallow-lugged soles. Like the Chukka model, this shoe won’t pick up rocks and mar the deck. It slipped on without unlacing and stayed snug for stability and traction.
Pros: These shoes aren’t water-resistant, but they do shed some amount of water thanks to the tongueless design. With short socks, they provide a desert-dry experience; without socks, they manage to breathe nearly as well for all-day comfort.
Cons: We found the sides of the gray soles would mark the inwales of our boat, so we switched to models with white soles.
Best On: Ideal for the beach and wade-fishing, and summer days when foot protection, traction, cool comfort and fast-drying attributes are essential.
Price: $119.99; grundens.com
Grundéns Deviation 6-inch Ankle Boot
Waterproof foot protection and traction make these boots work from deck to farm to beach to deck again. These half-boots slip on easily and fit snugly for optimal traction and stability. Nylon-lined with a contoured foot bed, the boots are comfortable with heavy socks or no socks. Tread blocks are aggressive enough to be useful on wet grass but also kind to decks without carrying pebbles aboard. After a year’s frequent wear, the anti-odor liner still harbors no offensive aromas, and the boots are surprisingly cool, even in summer.
Pros: Provided a dry ride with enough breathability to avoid moisture buildup. The foot bed is contoured, and the upper provides good protection. It didn’t track in rocks and left no marks.
Cons: They are heavier than the Seaknit model and slower to dry if they flood.
Best On: They can’t be beat on a working deck, double for winter wear, and are great on cold or rainy days when worn with rain gear.
Price: $134.99 to $139.99; grundens.com
Read Next: How to Pick the Right Boat Shoes
Grundéns Freeboard Wool Chukka
These shoes offer ankle support, traction, warmth and deck-safe treads. The Marino wool in the uppers is warm, naturally antimicrobial and odor-resistant. The soles were nonmarking in our tests, and comfort was top-shelf. They slipped on easily when unlaced. They also breathed well, eliminating moisture buildup, and offered the lateral support that can only be appreciated on a moving, rolling and rocking deck. They are available in light- or dark-gray colors called Metal and Anchor.
Pros: Wool insulates even when wet. The razor sipes on the sole grip smooth surfaces, squeegeeing water aside for a firm grip. Larger tread blocks separated by shallow channels funnel away water without picking up rocks. The soles did not mark or scuff our deck.
Cons: The shoes will keep your feet warm, but when your feet are wet, they are still wet. We found the shoes did dry quickly in the sun.
Best On: Cold but dry decks when circumstances call for sporty fashion.
Price: $134.99; grundens.com
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