Boat / deck boots
 

I need to upgrade my crappy old white shrimp boots to something a little more comfortable. Any recommendations on what to buy? I keep looking around but I am hesitant to pull the trigger on anything without some sort of feedback.

i bought the rugged sharks from defender a few years back, Im a 9 1/2 - 10 and got size 10. These hurt my feet like hell, I cant explain why but they cause severe pain. Even when worn on land. Its like they squeeze the heel ro somethign. i got some inserts and still have the same problem. Maybe its my feet but I never had any other shoe or boot cause pain like this,

Crocs boating croc 90% of the time its all you need. Super comfortable with great cushioning. Easy on and off. Love them.
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I like my "shrimpers' I find a pair of Dr. sholls gel inserts go a long way to making them alot more comfortable...

me too love them

superfeet work great in em too.

Wool socks are an excellent upgrade also

almost mandatory early and late in the season

Keepereeper just gave me a pair of brand new Shimano Evair "low top" boots, I could wear those things around the house. Like a pair of slippers.
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XtraTuf.

Muck boots (I like the low cut) with a pair of $20 gel insoles and thick cushy sock goes a loooooog way to improving comfort. (also put a impact pad on the deck where you run the boat from. I get 1.5 seasons out of them. On my 3rd pair.

On a nice clam day in the summer I will wear crocks but as soon as it gets sloppy

Just the white shrimp type for me also, a insole and your good to go. Doctor orders for me is dry feet as much as possible!

I've got a few pairs of Rugged Shark.
You have to buy them 2 sizes bigger than what you usually wear.

I seem to always have issues with the instep being to tight, makes it a sob to put on and off. Them I usually cut the boot down a bit to fit around my athletic calf:)

Take a look at Guy Cotten boots, I have the blue ones and really like them

Sperry SeaRacer
 

Sperry SeaRacer are extremely comfortable for all day wear. I got some for sailing and love them. Very pricey though

I am kind of surprised others actually like the shrimp boots. This is what I currently have SERVUS 12" DAIRY / FISHING BOOT
I bought them in a pinch about 10 years ago and while they still work ok, they are on their last leg between getting a few spines through them over the years to just simply being old and beat up. I always add a pair of insoles, but even that doesn’t help enough to make them comfy. Lots of good suggestions, I’ll look into some of the boots suggested. Thanks!

I bought a tellers pad from Bankers supply and I'm on my 4th season. 36" x 18"

Northerner Max Men's Hi Boots, There a little heavier than shrimp boots but provide a lot more support imo. I'm a big guy 280 6'4 and I wear a sz 15 these were the only deck style boots my size I could find. I like them a lot. I wear them on the beach, the river, etc. etc. and my feet don't hurt and they haven't worn in the soles like a lot of my other boots have. They're USA made if that matters to you, and they're inxepensive I think around $25 for a pair. Here's the site: lfsmarineoutdoor.com

Chikana by Muck Boots. There is no comparison as far as comfort compared to pretty much any of the rubber boots that I have tried. It is a relatively low height. The muck scrub would be a good boat boot if you wanted a taller boot.

i can't belive nobody out there is using XtraTuf. no comparison.....

Bit pricey compared to Servus.

I've worn my retired Dubarrys fishing. :hidin:

I second the xtratuf's

xtratufs are kinda tuffs now, they switched production to china, and now they fall apart easily, if they don't say made in the usa on them, they are the Chinese ones, they just don't last. I was a huge believer in them, now I switched to a servus fire type boot.

RE: Boots/rain gear/etc:

I must now have 5 pair of different bibs and 10 pairs of various boots on the shelf. From the traditional to the fancy. I feel like an at sea version of Imelda Marcos with her shoes.

There is a place for knee high or tall boots but I find them very uncomfortable to walk around in esp in the summer in a center console. They are heavy and clumsy. (and the look with shorts is priceless:biglaugh:) I find for most sport fishing applications the lower cut models (shimano, muck, et al) are far more comfortable and keep you warm and dry . You can walk around your house with them (without your wife going nuts), drive and function like a normal human being. Paired with a pair of breathable bib's that have velcro leg cuffs that close up the leg, I have fished for 24 hours+ in total comfort. Warm and dry on cold days and comfortable on wet summer days. The old school knee high boot and giant opened legged grundens are heavy duty and macho and all...these are good if you want to look like some commercial goon from wicked tuna but they suck for comfort. Those giant baggy legs and heavy boots are stone age. Yes they work and last for years and are cheap, everyone should own a pair. But they are not comfortable, in the summer they are killer hot, in the winter they provide little insulation and they do not breath. Not to mention you walk around like a clown with those pants legs that have a diameter of a giant tunas girth.

From my experience, if you want comfort Recs should go low profile boots and stick with breathable rain gear. There are modestly priced items that work well last for a number of years. You don't need to break the bank and buy stuff used to cross the Atlantic in the winter via a sailboat. I normally get 3 seasons out of my gear before I replace it. Put about 600 hours on boats per season. (300 on mine 300 on others) Then I keep it as spares for guests. Most guests that wear them once...then they go out any buy them for themselves and have commented back to me they have never been so comfortable while fishing.


My most recent purchase was a pair of Gage (by Grundens) fishing bibs. After a great review by SWS and others I figured Grundens is finally making something breathable but also heavy duty. What a disappointment. The cut is bizarre, Giant legs, no chest pocket and incredibly hard to get in and out of without a zippered front. The fabric is really first class but the design sucks. I have worn them twice. Once on a warm day and once on a cold day. On the cold day I was freezing in them, the warm day was OK. Never trust those reviews in magazines, they are really ad's, they didn't really use the product.

If you are a comm fishermen and roll around in fishguts all day then go with the heavy rubber gear and tall heavy boots, but if you are sitting on a gunnel with rod in hand, go light weight and enjoy your day.

Can you please let me know if you ever have a yard sale??????

One of my favorite quotes is:

My biggest fear is that when I die my wife will sell my fishing gear for what I told her I paid for it.

Xtratuff in my opinion are the best. Very comfi., fold them them down if you want, could add the xtra sole, I spend many hours in them during the fishing season and my feet are stll kickin, P-U. Haha.

I am very disappointed. I haven't bought a pair in years - haven't needed too. Maybe time to look at some lacrosse

for warm weather, shorts, etc. I use old sneakers or this summer a pair of decent water shoes.

I currently use the standard white servus boots, and I throw a set of SuperFeet (green) insoles in them.