Product Review--Deck Boots

corrirod · 08-27-2002, 01:19 PM

I've been looking for a good set of deck boots since I've taken a few tailbone smashing falls and nearly fell out of the boat several times this season and I really like these Douglas Gill boots I bought. They are almost as comfortable as a pair of shoes, their light, they tie on top so if you go overboard they won't fill quite as fast, they are neoprene lined for warmth but aren't too warm in direct sunlight, and best of all they stick like glue to my fiberglass deck.

Here's a picture of them at Boatersworld and I'm pretty sure West Marine carries them. They are worth every penny, especially after seeing all the sharks on our tuna trips just waiting for me to them in the deep blue!

Gill - Tall Yachting Boot - Navy/Grey Mens $49.99
Catalog # 186240487

[ 08-27-2002, 02:39 PM: Message edited by: corrirod ]

avid · 08-27-2002, 01:41 PM

West Marine has boots they call the offshore for around $40. I saw Captain Rich of Pacific Pioneer Charters wearing them and he said he liked them. I have assorted deck shoes from sailing and they all hold well. It would be nice to have a pair of rubber boots that don't mark up decks and grab; sharks or no I'd prefer not to swim.<g> Having practiced MOB drills ad nauseam and watching others attempt same; deck is the best place to be.

Threemuch · 08-27-2002, 01:47 PM

Douglas Gill? Isn't that sissy bloboater (sailing) stuff? Just kidding, they look comfortable, sort of like the West Marine boots that I used to have.

They work great, but rubber is soft, and will probably not last more than a season. My boots are cheapo PVC shrimping boots. They have a deck sole (as opposed to a cleated sole that most gardening boots have) and grip pretty good. $16 and they are 2 years old. My next pair will be Sevrus Xtratuff. I try to learn from the pros, and I see lots of commercial fishermen with these boots.

I HATE when crew shows up on my boat wearing some leather boot and then gets upset when I dump a bucket of water on their feet.

KB

corrirod · 08-27-2002, 01:56 PM

Threemuch, I hear you about the leather shoe thing and it drives me nuts when I have to clean up all the shoe marks because of their black soles.

I have some cheapo boots that are great for cleaning fish or the boat but I wanted something more comfortable, and safe, for when I'm fishing.

If you know of some that are better please post the info so I can buy them next time.

avid · 08-27-2002, 01:56 PM

Threemuch,

Were are you going to buy the Servus XtraTuff? I keep going through Seattle, Portland and last week Alameda at the wrong time to look. TIA

[ 08-27-2002, 02:57 PM: Message edited by: avid ]

avid · 08-27-2002, 02:44 PM

I see Seattle Marine lists them in their online catalog.

http://www.seamar.com/clothing.html#boots

How do those things fit, small like Nikes or do they have normal sizing?

Marty · 08-27-2002, 03:00 PM

Buy the extra tufs. I commercial fished in the Bering Sea for king crab for 5 years and I wore them everyday for as long as six months a year and then took them home and fished in Oregon for another 20 years before they finally wore out. I bought another pair last year. You won't be disappointed, very comfortable. Most commercial fisherman wear them. Plus Englund Marine in Newport has them and I think Fisherman Marine in O.C. has them.

Marty

Threemuch · 08-27-2002, 04:26 PM

I was going to buy mine at Seattle Marine, 50 bucks.

Uglygreen · 08-27-2002, 04:55 PM

Ditto... buy the extra tuffs... I got my first pair in Alaska and they lasted years, finally wore out and I couldnt find em here for the longest time. I guess myself and several others we finally bothered FMS enough, they carry them now. Comfort and long lasting... Flat in the bottom but a sport cusion insole and my feet don't hurt after being in the boat all day. Good Product.

Miss B Haven · 08-27-2002, 06:25 PM

Her's what NOT to buy. I was to cheap to fork out $80 buck for the fancy Gills at Westmarine last trip so I picked up a pair of $30 yellow ones. I figured they would work just fine (don't have the tie top) and would go real nice with that pink tootoo. :shocked:
The problem is the razor cut soles aren't cut through all the way. Most of the cuts are all stuck together (like 80-90%) so it's just like a flat bottom shoe when it gets wet. I tried stretching the sole around but they just wont seperate. They're going back next chance.

Miss B Haven · 08-27-2002, 06:30 PM

Hey - those servus xtratuffs don't have razor cut soles. How are they on a wet deck covered with fish blood ? [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img]

Miss B Haven · 08-27-2002, 06:54 PM

Double Hey Hey - The only Gills that West Marine (at least online) carries are Gore and cost $209. :shocked: That's why I got the 33.99 yeller ones. To bad they didn't actually cut the soles.
I did find the ones you got Corriro at Boaters World Online :smile:

Bobber Down · 08-27-2002, 07:33 PM

Buy the x-tra tuff, they are a neopreme boot that grips the wet deck. I have two pair that I rotate each day when I'm in the ocean. They are very comfortable when you get the felt liner to put in them. They are the only thing to have when your wearing them daylight to dark every day. It's almost like wearing bedroom slippers. England Marine, Fishermans Marine and Bobs all carry them.........Bobber Down

Pitch Pocket · 08-27-2002, 09:45 PM

Yes, the xtra tufs are the best boot I've found so far. No marring the deck with black soles either. I didn't get the felt soles. I'll check that out at Englunds tomorrow.

Threemuch · 08-28-2002, 07:56 AM

I had good luck with grippage with my yellow west marine boots, but they only lasted about 6 months, since the uppers were rubber, they cracked.

I have never owned gills, and corrirod probably has a great pair of boots. Douglas Gill is one of the best at Sailing gear. So is Guy Cotten and they also make awesome raingear.

I will make it through the season on my $15 shrimping boots and then I get the xtratuffs. 1000s of commercial fishermen wear em, good enough for me.

corrirod · 08-28-2002, 03:37 PM

I should've posted the question on the board before I bought the Gill's. Oh well, for now they are working great and I'm going to try and only use them on the boat so they last longer. I'll use the cheepo's for washing the boat and fish cleaning. I do like the draw string on the top though but that's only because I've fallen overboard with the other boots on before and it was not fun. They fill up fast and when they're full you start to sink and you can't get them off. I know, I should always be wearing a life jacket, but I don't.

Looks like the next pair will be the Xtra tuffs since everyone here likes them.

Uglygreen · 08-28-2002, 08:10 PM

Uh Corrirod.... about that life jacket thing

When Dave Rodgers died earlier this year I was hit by it.

I knew Dave pretty well, he did my boat work for me, I hung out at his shop, had "back room" access as it were. He had bought my big boat (a Wellcraft costal 2600 W twin 250 HP outboards) from me only a year ago.

Dave spent a lot of time on the water, I spend a lot of time on the water.

Dave had well equipped, well maintained boats, I have well equipped well maintained boats.

I wont list all the similarities.... sufice to say there are more than a few..

When Daves boat lost it, everyone wearing a life jacket lived, Dave was the only one not wearing a PFD, he died. What a stupid way to die.

If you go in the water... especially as the one who is the primary boat operator.... you are alot more likely to live wearing a PFD (even with open top boots im sure). I almost never wore my PFD until Dave died this summer.

Next day I went out and bought an comfortable inflatible PFD. I bought the Mustang brand Air Force type. Cost $119 at FMC.

They are small and comfortable enough that I dont even know im wearing it after the first few minutes. If you go in the water, pull the lever and you will float.

How many times have you been on the deck when its got fish slime on it and is a little slippary, the waves are rollin, you have fish slime on the hands and are trien to get the rods untangled and back in the water, lookin down, and... The boat goes a unexpected direction and you stumble and catch the gunnal or rail? How easy would it be to miss the rail slip on the fish slime ond go over the side?

Anyhow my excuse was comfort and freedom of movement when fishing... the new better inflatables took that excuse away. Whats your excuse?

There is none... GO BUY A DAMN INFLATABLE PFD AND WEAR IT!!!

That goes for everyone, they are the best thing for small boats ever... get one

http://stores.yahoo.com/landfallnav/mustangpfd.html

[ 08-28-2002, 09:14 PM: Message edited by: Uglygreen ]

Uglygreen · 08-28-2002, 08:20 PM

Also - before I am done with this topic, it is worth your time to let at least one of your "crew" drive the boat a little on the way out. If I go over the side I want someone else on the boat to be able to get the thing turned around quickly and be able to stop the silly thing w/o running me over. I usually throw a float over the side a couple of times and let someone turn the boat around and go back and stop and pick of the float. It is not always easy for someone with little or no boat expirence to do this on an unfamilier boat.

UG.

Miss B Haven · 08-28-2002, 08:39 PM

Ok - took a long lunch today and went back to Westmarine. I grabbed a guy and said "talk to me before you get sued". That got his attention :shocked: Told him the story and showed him the boots on display.
The yellow razor cut boots they have (and the blue ones?) are either not cut all the way through or stuck back together after they were cut. I almost lost it off the flybridge last week (pheeewww! That was close). Only about 10% of the cuts are open after I knawed on these things as hard as I could. Without the cuts, it's like walking on ice cubes.
Ended up at FMS and bought a pair of xtratuffs. We'll see how the traction is.
BTW - WM said they would contact their supplier and see what's going on.

corrirod · 08-28-2002, 08:52 PM

I know Uglygreen, I have no excuse other than laziness to commit the funds to get a good PFD. I have a jacket PFD that I do wear anytime the waves get above 7ft. and I know I should wear one all the time.

In regards to your comment about sliding around on fish slime, obviously you weren't fishing with us last weekend because if you were you would know that I don't have to worry about that problem......I just don't catch fish! :grin: :tongue:

That is excellent advice regarding having someone drive your boat and I do make sure I do that already. The one thing I would add to that is to make sure you have a gaff in your boat also for the very same reason. I have fallen in and if it weren't for the gaff in my boat I probably would've drowned. Because of the waves, the guy driving my boat was going to miss me on the pass-by, by just a hair, but he grabbed the gaff which I was able to grab as he went by.

No argument here, I'll make sure I'm wearing my PFD the next time you see me.

Uglygreen · 08-28-2002, 09:13 PM

If one can afford... boat, truck, rods, reels , tackle, gas, etc.... anyhow I dont mean to nag... just seems a awful stupid way to die, and Dave Rodgers had the life I would dream for... and now its gone.

I never wore mine till that happened a couple of months ago... never wore my seatbelt either now I do... quitting smoking as well... am I getten.... Uhhhhh.... OLD???

UG.

[ 08-28-2002, 10:14 PM: Message edited by: Uglygreen ]

avid · 08-29-2002, 10:19 AM

corrirod,

How about a boat hook? I hope no iFisher is ever in gaffing shape. Friends shouldn't allow friends to gaff friends.<g> It scares me to think of someone amped up on adrenalin trying to fish someone out with a gaff, no matter which way the business end was pointing. Better than nothing, but I can see the potential for a whole new medical emergency developing.

corrirod · 08-29-2002, 12:16 PM

Monday is a new day smarta$$es and I'll make sure nobody brings any bannanas on the boat this time! :grin:

I have since been enlightened by the fish god(Pilar) as to my wrong doings and have made the necessary corrections. I am now a Ninja Tuna Master. Nobody shall snatch the tuna from my hand "Grasshoppa". :tongue:

Lookout Charlie, I'm coming back! [img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img]

corrirod · 08-29-2002, 01:11 PM

Oh yeah, and the following trip I'll be wearing one of these, because I ordered it today and it takes 4-6 business days ground freight. (they won't ship it air freight because of the CO2).

No more excuses for me.

Phil Layer · 08-29-2002, 02:30 PM

I've got one of those.

Corrirod....you'll love it.

avid · 08-29-2002, 02:56 PM

Corrirod,

You North Coasters are all acquainted with each other and wouldn't mistake what you meant to say. You can imagine my vision of a MOB and someone reaching to save them with a GAFF! Here take this! ROFL I guess if you were really good with a gaff it might be an acceptable life saving technique. Hit them in a non-inflatable PFD and you probably have them. Closed track, professional drivers not to be attempted at home.

corrirod · 08-29-2002, 11:50 PM

Sorry Avid, wrong verbage. I should've said hook. Hopefully everyone else knew what I meant, not what I said.

Uglygreen · 08-29-2002, 11:58 PM

Corrirod, you have been using a boat hook to gaff your fish??? No wonder your decks are not slimy..... <g>

UG.

[ 08-29-2002, 01:00 PM: Message edited by: Uglygreen ]

searay · 09-01-2002, 07:40 AM

Xtra Tuff boots are the only way to go. I comercial crabbed for eight winters and wore these boots because they comfortable and would get good traction even on an icy deck.

searay · 09-01-2002, 07:43 AM

Xtra Tuff boots are the only way to go. I comercial crabbed for eight winters and wore these boots because they comfortable and would get good traction even on an icy deck.