These may look like ordinary tennis shoes, but get them wet and you’ll see what they’re made of.

To the casual observer, Sperry’s Harbormaster Shoes might not resemble typical boat shoes. But boy do they ever perform like they’re made for life on a boat! They’re quick to dry and grippy on wet or dry surfaces. We’ll explain how they do what they do in greater detail below. You might also want to take note of how they’re quite beloved based on the reviews that appear below as well. Imported.

The Look: Athletically inspired, these shoes provide lateral support for the side-to-side movements and shifts in weight you’ll be using on deck.

The Uppers: Leather and mesh uppers combined with mesh linings give the Harbormaster Shoes the ability to dry quickly so you won’t have to suffer through a day of soggy, clammy, heavy shoes. They’re also breathable to keep your feet cooler when the temperature or your activity level increases.

Padded Tongues: This might seem like an insignificant feature…until you snug your shoes up really tight so they stay on when the going gets wet! No one wants insteps that feel like they’ve been in a vice all day. The right amount of padding in the right place means these shoes will feel just as comfortable at the end of the day as when you first put them on.

The Insoles: Full-length, compression-molded ethylene-vinyl acetate (EVA) insoles are included that will mold to the shape of your feet after only a few wearings for a cushioned fit that feels like they were made just for you. The insoles are removable so you can take them out and let your shoes completely dry before your next boating adventure or so you can add your own custom orthotics.

The Outsoles: Any boat shoes worth their salt have to have soles that keep you firmly in contact with wet gelcoat (what boat decks are typically covered in). Harbormaster Shoes go a step further. Making use of Sperry’s patented Adaptive Wave-Siping™, these shoes use tiny, wavy slits in combination with larger and deeper wavy grooves to disperse water away from the soles and give you the kind of grip typically only seen with super heroes that can walk up the side of buildings. Whether your footing is wet or dry, these shoes will help prevent a rise in MOB (Man Overboard) statistics while you’re scrambling across a heeling deck. Not only that, they’re non-marking. That means you won’t leave ugly black streaks on the previously mentioned white gelcoat. You’ll spend your time enjoying the view rather than swabbing the deck!