The Bottom Line
Pros
- Sturdy, nonmarking sole that grips the deck wet or dry
- Comfortable after hours of wear
- Design protects toes from objects on deck
- Waterproof
Cons
- More expensive than many sandals
- Not easily found in stores
Description
- Available in men’s and women’s designs and sizes
- A variety of colors
- Easy on and off
- Adjust with single draw-cord lace
- Antimicrobial smell-preventing technology
- Order online for best prices
Guide Review - Keen Newport Boating Sandals
There are other boating sandals out there, but Keen did the best job of including all the features sailors want—even those they may not know they want or need.
You can’t wear just any sandals on a boat, of course. They must have nonmarking soles to keep the deck looking good, and the soles must be designed specifically for a fiberglass deck, with those razor slits and other features for grip and water dispersal. They must fit your feet well so that you’re not slopping around loosely when you’re doing deck acrobatics with a flailing sail or kneeling at a winch on a wet deck. The Keen Newport sandal is strong in all these departments.
A key feature that separates Keen from most boat sandals is the enclosed toe. You may not realize the value of this until you’ve stubbed your toes on a winch, stanchion mount, deck fairlead, or the innumerable other objects that stick up from a sailboat’s deck, but once you have, you’ll never go back to an open-toe sandal.
Ultimately, it’s the comfort level that makes a sandal, however, and Keen excels here as well. You can cruise a week wearing only your Keens, wet and dry, salt spray and fresh rinses, and your feet still feel so good you might find yourself wearing no other shoes on land as well.
