About Boat Shoes

Boat shoes, also known as deck shoes or topsiders, are typically canvas or leather with rubber soles designed for use on a boat. A siping pattern is cut into the soles to provide grip on a wet deck; the leather construction, along with application of oil, is designed to repel water.

Modern boat shoes were invented in 1935 by Paul Sperry after noticing his dog's ability to run easily over ice or snow. Using a knife, he cut siping into his shoes' soles, inspiring a shoe perfect for boating. Sebago and Sperry are notable modern manufacturers of boat shoes.

Boat shoes are used by sailors, as the name suggests; however, since the '80s they have become fashionable footwear in America and the UK. Some Sperry Top-Siders shoes today have Sperry's traditional white, non-marking soles, though many others today have dark non-marking soles.

Top Rated Online Boat Shoe Retailers

Zappos offers FREE SHIPPING on all orders, and on all returns! Their return policy is an unbelievable 365 days. Their customer service is second to none, and is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. In addition to shoes, they also sell clothing, handbags, housewares, and beauty products. They offer a rewards program with Zappos Visa, Zappos gift cards, and Zappos e-Gift-Certificates.

ShoeBuy offers $5 off any order of $50 or more plus Free Shipping anywhere in the U.S.! Simply enter 'BUY5' at checkout to redeem. Enjoy no sales tax on every order*. Shoebuy pays all applicable sales tax for orders shipped in the United States. International orders are not charged sales tax at the time of purchase, but may incur taxes and duties in the customs process of the destination country. If you are not happy with your order, they are happy to accept a return or an exchange at no cost to you. If you find a product for a lower price on another website, they will refund you 100% of the difference between the lower price and Shoebuy's price. They'll even refund the difference if we lower the price at Shoebuy!

Zappos has the best selection of Boat Shoes. Zappos was founded in 1999 with the goal of becoming the premiere destination for online shoes. Since then, they've become much more than just an online shoe store. Their unwavering focus on superior customer service has allowed them to expand our online offerings to include handbags, clothing and so much more! If you're looking for shoes, clothing and handbags online, compare them to other online shoe and online clothing stores, as well as online handbag stores. You'll find the absolute best service and the best selection of Boat Shoes at Zappos!