« Geared Up Baby Needs Some New Shoes

| Jim Galante/AC Studios Keen Newports  Resources » • Geared Up Index By Dave Kelley — Spring 2005 Every so often, a rhyme from an old Joni Mitchell song pops into my head. “Don’t it always seem to go, that you don’t know what you’ve got ’til it’s gone?” I usually answer with a little Lynyrd Skynyrd: “You sho’ got that right.” This normally happens, reasonably enough, when I lose or break something, an all-too-common occurrence. And it always happens when it’s time for a new pair of boat shoes. To be honest, until just recently, I hardly gave boat shoes a second thought. Like most people, I figured that as long as I was wearing something with rubber soles to provide a bit of traction, I was okay, which I now realize is sort of like saying, “as long as I have something over my head to keep the rain off me, I have a house.” For years my boat shoes of choice were high-top Chuck Taylor All-Stars, by Converse (888-792-3307, www.converse.com). The rubber soles gave me traction on slick surfaces, the canvas uppers handled water well and were easy to clean (just toss ’em in the washing ma­chine), and they were cheap. They also fit perfectly with my nonconformist streak. But then, not so long ago, I happened across a pair of $90 Keen Newports (800-509-KEEN, www.keenfootwear.com), and my long affair with the Chucks came to an abrupt end. Keen Newports are, quite simply, the best, most comfortable sandals—no, make that boat shoes—that I’ve ever worn, period. Designed by Martin Keen, a boater himself, the Newports are brilliantly functional. A patented toe­cap protects against cleat and other stubs, while the nonmarking sole is razor siped for added traction. Unlike other sandals, the Newports have four “fingers” that wrap across the top of your foot and can be tightened using elastic laces. The entire shoe is built on a hand-sculpted last with an anatomical foot bed for comfort. The foot bed doesn’t absorb water or odors. I tried a pair on and, like a little kid, announced I would never again take them off. My wife, Carey, had an identical reaction. And for a few months, we never did take the Keens off. Be­ing somewhat style-addled, I even worn mine with chinos. Now, back to Joni Mitchell. I’m not clear on the differences between quicksand, muck, and mire, and I don’t really care. Step into it, and you’re grossed-out at best, in real trouble at worst. When Carey stepped into the quicksand/muck/mire of a riverbank recently, she wasn’t really in trouble, but she was highly skeeved by the cold, muddy, knee-deep goo. It was willing to release Carey, but not the Newports. And so, Joni Mitchell sings. Carey’s ordered another pair of Newports, but her experience got me looking for a backup pair of boat shoes. In a nod to tradition, I’m going with a pair from Sperry (800-617-2239, www.sperrytopsider.com). Not classic Topsiders—I’m still too noncomformist for those—but Sperry’s all-new Figawi Zip, priced just under $80. I’m going with the Figawis for a number of reasons. For one thing, the name makes me laugh every time I say it. More important, it’s a great shoe. The non-marking sole includes Sperry’s Quadro Grip Wave Siping for traction on wet or dry surfaces, and the insole has an Aegis microbe shield to kill odor-causing bacteria, a major consideration. The zip-up closure gives the Figawis a snug, secure fit. I’ll still wear the Newports almost exclusively. I prefer the sandal styling, I deeply appreciate the toe protection, and the fit is still the best on the market. But the Figawis will make a great backup pair, and they’ll probably even be my first choice when the weather’s cool because the enclosed upper adds a little warmth. One thing’s for sure: Carey and I will be more cautious when stepping onto riverbanks. One pair of good shoes lost is too many and, the thing is, I really can’t stand Joni Mitchell.