Yachts & Yachting – April 2018

hasameshconstructioncombined

with through-sole drainage that

prevents water pooling inside the

shoe. The combined effect is quick

drying times that ensure day-

long comfort and freshness.

Dubarry’s new Racer is a lightweight,

high performance waterproof and

breathable shoe, with ripstop fabrics, a

chassis system that offers extra support

and a non-slip, non-marking outsole.

Last year Chatham introduced ladies’

versions of its high performance Aqua

Goshoerange.TheReefmodelis

lightweight, with a three-ply mesh upper

with a woven lining for comfort. It has

open cell mid layer, drainage holes and is

designed for high grip in wet conditions.

The Tide version has a leather upper

with shock-absorbing, non-slip, non-

marking sole, again with water drainage.

DINGHY BOOTS AND SHOES

These have a different set of criteria

to those of yachting shoes and boots.

Forastarttheywillgetwetand

therefore need to give insulation from

cold water – hence the popularity of

neoprene,whichalsogivesadegree

of impact protection. There’s also a

difference in requirements between

hiking boats, where footwear must be

comfortable under the toe straps, and

trapeze boats, where flexibility and

grip on the gunwhale are important.

Zhik’s Boot 560 goes one stage further

in having a complementary toe strap

to which the shoe can be ‘locked’.

“The main consideration with a hiking

bootishowmuchsupportitoffersto

thefootandanklewhilsttheweareris

exerting power through a toe strap,” says

George Kingsnorth of Magic Marine.

FOOTWEAR TECH F CUS

bootwitha4mmneopreneliningthat

willbeavailablefromthisspring.

Henri Lloyd has long been one of the

leaders in this part of the market and

has just launched an updated version

of its Shadow boot. This has larger

and better defined water drainage

channelsinthesole,whichcontinues

to incorporate razor cut non-slip and

stickyrubber.Italsohasastretch

panelatthebackinthetopsectionto

make it easier to put on, and a taped

sockforwarmthandinsulation.

Zhik’s Boot 800 is the Australian

company’s take on a high-end yachting

boot. It has a welded construction,

grip around the sides of the upper,

plusathickinsulatingsoleanda

neoprene sock lined with Merino

wool for comfort and odour control.

SHOES FOR KEELBOATS

Shoes for keelboats and yachts, in effect,

fallinto a number of sub categories. On

a big boat racing in UK waters they tend

to be worn in warmer weather, often

when you’re not expecting to get wet feet.

However, they are also the footwear of

choice for high-performance sportsboats

andmultihullsliketheDiam24,where

gettingproperlywetisagiven.Equally,

when racing in warm waters – Caribbean

regattas or the RORC Caribbean 600, for

instance–youwillwantshoesthathave

greatventilationtokeepyourfeetcool

butthatwillwithstandgettingrepeatedly

drenched and that will dry quickly.

Helly Hansen’s Skagen F-1 Offshore

shoe, for instance, has an open-mesh

construction for breathability and

flexibility,plusstructuraloverlaysthat

protect the feet from deck hardware.

Similarly, Musto’s Dynamic Pro II

“There are other important factors to

take into account such as protection

againstknobblybitsonboatsandrough

surfaces ashore, as well as durability.”

Rooster’s new Pro Lace Boot has

undergone a complete redesign and

now has wrap-around ribbed soles,

a wider neoprene gusset with longer

laces to fit a greater range of foot

sizes and shapes, plus additional

grip and support for hiking.

Gill’s Edge boots have wrap-around

soles that still allow you to feel the

boat. A side-lacing system and blind-

stitchedseams,giveasmoothtop

profile for comfortable hiking – 4mm

neoprene helps warmth and comfort.

Magic Marine’s new Horizon Boot

uses supple 4mm neoprene and offers a

high level of ankle support. The rubber

sole gives good grip and flexibility, while

there’s a double protective layer for the

topofthefoot,anklefrontandheel.

Crewsaver has updated its watersports

clothing for 2018; included is the Zip

Boot,moresubstantialthanmany,made

from 5mm neoprene, with a moulded

high grip sole and reinforcement around

the toes, heel and hiking area. Meanwhile,

Gul’s newest boot, the Viper, is made of

textured stretch neoprene that’s 20 per

cent lighter and has 30 per cent less water

absorption than the previous material.

Helly Hansen

agen F1 Offshore

„Henri Lloyd's new

DeckGrip Profile

„Lizard Crew

Seglarsko Svart

„Crewsaver

Three-Quarter Boot

„Magic Marine

Horizon Boot

„Rooster Pro

Lace Boot

„Gul

Viper Boot

„Gul Aquagrip

Hydro Shoe

80 Yachts & Yachting April 2018 yachtsandyachting.co.uk