Columbia Mocs for Him . . .

Light and comfortable, Columbia Sea Rays stand up to every claim but one.

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As we noted in our last look at mens 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.

Columbia Mocs for Him . . .

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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 companys PFG Sea Ray Boating Shoes through our battery of shoe tests (nonskid grip, water absorption, odor resistance, etc.) and then wore them around for six months. The ability to multi-task is one of the appeals of the moccasin style of boat shoe.

Advertised for “barefoot boating” and made in Vietnam, the Sea Rays incorporate features we expect in good mocs-padded leather uppers, rust-resistant eyelets, stitched-on soles-as well as several bonuses. Some of the more interesting extras were breathable mesh heels, six mid-sole drain holes, a very comfortable contoured closed-cell foam liner that is stitched into the shoe, and the added shock absorption of the thick “Techlite” sole. The shoe weighs 60 percent less than the similar all-leather shoes from L.L. Bean and are more comfortable, in our opinion.

In the sole-grip test on wet and dry teak and nonskid fiberglass surfaces, the soles, featuring a gum-rubber razor siping on the outer edge, matched the Helly Hansen Hydrator, the fourth best in our 2007 athletic-style shoe test.

Our only major gripe: Although the shoes did very well in the test for fighting mildew and odor (one week wet in a plastic garbage bag), they are by no means impervious to odor over the long haul. A bath and some baking soda set things right.

At about $80, these shoes are at the high end of the spectrum, but about the same as brand name shoes of this caliber. Watch for sales, and you can probably shave 20 to 30 percent off the price-a good bargain, in our view.

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Darrell Nicholson
Practical Sailor has been independently testing and reporting on sailboats and sailing gear for more than 50 years. Supported entirely by subscribers, Practical Sailor accepts no advertising. Its independent tests are carried out by experienced sailors and marine industry professionals dedicated to providing objective evaluation and reporting about boats, gear, and the skills required to cross oceans. Practical Sailor is edited by Darrell Nicholson, a long-time liveaboard sailor and trans-Pacific cruiser who has been director of Belvoir Media Group's marine division since 2005. He holds a U.S. Coast Guard 100-ton Master license, has logged tens of thousands of miles in three oceans, and has skippered everything from pilot boats to day charter cats. His weekly blog Inside Practical Sailor offers an inside look at current research and gear tests at Practical Sailor, while his award-winning column,"Rhumb Lines," tracks boating trends and reflects upon the sailing life. He sails a Sparkman & Stephens-designed Yankee 30 out of St. Petersburg, Florida. You can reach him by email at practicalsailor@belvoir.com.