As we noted in our last look at men’s athletic-style boating shoes (June 2007), the marine footwear market is changing quickly. This hasn’t necessarily been good for the consumer, as a lot of poorly executed "copycat" shoes are turning up at boat shows.

Last year was the first time Practical Sailor had the opportunity to take a hard look at any boat shoe from Columbia Sportswear, an Oregon-based apparel company that over the last 10 years has expanded into the boating market. Testers put a pair of the company’s PFG Sea Ray Boating Shoes through our battery of shoe tests (nonskid grip, water absorption, odor resistance, etc.) and then wore…