BIGEYE BOOT BY STRIKE

Reviewed by: Capt. Mike Schoonveld                

What if you want something that’s more than a deck shoe but not a traditional high-top deck boot? Try a comfy product made by Strike Footwear that is working merger of shoe and boot as well as style and function. 

Deck shoes are built to work on wet decks in warm weather. A bit of slop or spray that overtops the low profile of the shoe makes little difference. It’ll dry and may even feel pleasant. 

But I’m busy on the Great Lakes from early March to late November most years and only about three of these months are warm weather, warm water months. The rest of the season I want my feet in footwear that are warm and dry on the inside and impervious to wet decks and spray on the outside.

In March and April, then again in late fall, I’ll be wearing some sort of hi-top boot. The rest of the “cool” weather/water season I don’t need a full “boot.”  The Bigeye Boot by Strike Footwear isn’t a tall or even a medium tall boot. It covers my feet to just above my ankle.

That’s the perfect height most of the time and the design makes even that much “boot” deceiving. The “rubber” part of the Bigeye is like a shoe. However, the “shoe” part transitions to a stretchy neoprene “upper” that fits over the ankle. The neoprene ankle material extends into the boot as an inner lining so when I’m only wearing a thin sock or no-socks my feet aren’t rubbing on the inside of the rubber shoe. A padded insole cushions the bottom of my foot for “walking on a cloud-like” comfort.

Okay, these boots look good, feel good and work good. They also include interesting extras not often included on other deck boots or shoes. One is a molded on lip at the heel making the shoe easy to slip off and a pair of pull loops – one at the rear, the other ahead of the ankle, to make pulling the Bigeye Boots fast and easy.  

Bigeye Boots are endorsed by the IGFA for Strike’s reliance on eco-friendly materials in their construction. They come in black, white or navy. Look for them and other Strike Footwear at: https://www.strike-footwear.com/.