Deck Shoe Treatment

[jneely]

I have a pair of deck shoes that have become dangerously slippery. Does anyone know of any treatment other than sanding the soles that will make them grip thr deck again? Or can anyone recommend a deck shoe that does not become slippery over time?

[John Stone]

I have a pair of deck shoes that have become dangerously slippery. Does anyone know of any treatment other than sanding the soles that will make them grip thr deck again? Or can anyone recommend a deck shoe that does not become slippery over time?

I have experienced the same problem. The Sperry Topsiders I wore as a youngster never seemed to go bad. Maybe it’s because I outgrew them first.

I gave up on “boat” shoes a while back because as you have experienced the soles got hard and slippery (which made them a liability on a moving deck) but also because they came apart due to cheap manufacturing. They did not last. Some stylish boat shoes cost over $100.

I now wear Chuck Taylor’s on the boat. They are inexpensive, they don’t mark the deck, they don’t carry debris onto the boat due to an open tread design, they have drain holes, and they dry reasonably quickly. Oh and they are comfortable.

My preferred foot wear on the boat though is bare feet.

[wikakaru]

I don't remember boat shoes doing this "way back when", but these days they all seem to get slippery after a few years. It must be planned obsolescence. Sanding the soles works for a day or two, but doesn't last long. I have had pretty good luck with Sperry Harbormasters, getting 2-3 years of use before they go slippery.

[radsailor]

The soles of my boat shoes wear down after about a year, but I sail ~100x a year.
The best thing I did for the winter was buy "Shrimper's Boots" for $20 and used a bread knife to cut slices through through the treads. Grips very well.

[gonesail]

i had something like this happen to my old shoes. i figured i would take some sandpaper to them and expose a new surface. it did not work .. only exposing a new slippery surface. i tossed them in the trash.

[Jim Walsh]

Hard slippery soles after a year is my experience also. I “ride um hard and put um away wet” and replace the following season.

[Dick Kobayashi]

I believe Sperry changed the formula for its soles when it went from selling boat shoes to boat fashion shoes. I once got WM to give me a new pair, but the second time I asked I got a “you must be kidding” response. Get rid of slippery boat shoes. Get CTs or similar as recommended on this board. Not having secure traction leads to injury.

[Dick Kobayashi]

A further comment. John Stone has it right. From time to time it was even possible to have one Sperry,s resoled. I did it a couple of times. But no more. Btw the soles of that era were replaced by a cobbler because the tread was worn off NOT because the sole material had become like a hard slippery plastic.

[Craig Curtis]

Upon regularly experiencing the same thing with my "Authentic Original" Sperry's last year I upgraded to the "Gold Cup" upon catching them on sale for less than the regular ones and trying to only use them on the boat. Alas, partially into season 2 they too might as well be ice skates. Very disappointing. And there's not a chance I would ever pay $375 for the "Handcrafted in Maine" ones even if the rubber is sourced differently than what they're using in Indonesia.

[Ron Kompi]

I use a razor blade to cut fine treads in my shoes as they wear out