# Sebago vs Sperry



## Dockside (Nov 16, 2012)

I'm a huge boat shoe fan. I have been wearing docksides for a couple of years now. I've seen that Sperry are more popular in USA. Why? Are the Sperrys more comfortable?


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## TradThrifter (Oct 22, 2012)

I've had a few pairs of Sperry's; They are just more available here. I don't believe there is a big difference although Paul Sperry is the original boat shoe.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

Sperry Authentic Originals are typically softer than Docksides, which are more substantial but take longer to break in. Also, the Sperry A/O has a razor-siped sole which offers more grip on a wet deck than the molded sole of the Docksides. For casual wear, either will do just fine.


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## Christophe (Oct 27, 2010)

As hardline has mentioned, the sole on Sperrys is razor cut with very thin gaps. They don't let dirt and little rocks get caught in them, which would in turn scratch the heck out of a deck! The Sebagos have wider gaps, which do catch dirt and thus scratch the deck. If you use them on boats, the Sperrys are far superior.


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## ada8356 (Dec 14, 2007)

My first (and so far only) pair of Sperry A/Os only lasted one season. By the second summer the soles had hardened and became very slick. Anyone ever have a similar experience? It was really disappointing because they were so comfortable. But probably a bit pricey if I need to buy a new pair every summer.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

ada8356 said:


> My first (and so far only) pair of Sperry A/Os only lasted one season. By the second summer the soles had hardened and became very slick. Anyone ever have a similar experience? It was really disappointing because they were so comfortable. But probably a bit pricey if I need to buy a new pair every summer.


Soak the soles in bleach. Or, spray them with silicone spray and wrap the soles in plastic. The plasticizers in the rubber bleed out over time, making the soles hard, brittle and, eventually, crumbly. You can either break down the hard rubber and expose the fresh rubber below (bleach) or infuse the hard rubber with new plasticizers to restore flexibility and grip (silicone spray).


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## blairrob (Oct 30, 2010)

In my experience recent Sebago's seem to be better made than Sperry's. FWIW, I have both Sebagos and Top's in my current rotation and find neither one better than the other on teak or glass decks, and have yet to go overboard (accidently) in 40 years of sailing with such. Concurrently I have fallen up _and_ down the companionway several times with fault almost certainly due to the Sleeman's and Tuborg families, and perhaps the developer of the 'Dark and Stormy'.


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## Barnavelt (Jul 31, 2012)

I prefer my Sebago docksides. I bought brown saddle with a white sole and was very pleased with the breaking in process. The shoes were comfortable pretty much right away and have looked better with wear. To me they look more classy and traditional although the Sperry is the more iconic true preppy shoe. As I have mentioned before both brands are owned by Wolverine now and the company views Sebago as the more high end of the two labels. I suppose that could mean the quality of each could change over time but who knows?


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## Barnavelt (Jul 31, 2012)

blairrob said:


> In my experience recent Sebago's seem to be better made than Sperry's. FWIW, I have both Sebagos and Top's in my current rotation and find neither one better than the other on teak or glass decks, and have yet to go overboard (accidently) in 40 years of sailing with such. Concurrently I have fallen up _and_ down the companionway several times with fault almost certainly due to the Sleeman's and Tuborg families, and perhaps the developer of the 'Dark and Stormy'.


Tuborg; "the beer of Danish kings".


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## Dieu et les Dames (Jul 18, 2012)

For myself it is a matter of availability. I was genuinely interested in a pair of Docksides this past summer, but could not find a local purveyor. I ended buying A/O's, which are practically falling from the sky where I live.


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## Himself (Mar 2, 2011)

hardline_42 said:


> Sperry Authentic Originals are typically softer than Docksides, which are more substantial but take longer to break in. Also, the Sperry A/O has a razor-siped sole which offers more grip on a wet deck than the molded sole of the Docksides. For casual wear, either will do just fine.


I'll second this.

Docksides are more substantial, with better workmanship, but for use as intended the Sperry are better.

My everyday shoes are the suede-ish brown AO with the brown sole, about 10 years old, with literally thousands of miles on them. They're grungy but holding up fine. I don't need any better than that. The current brown ones like mine look junky, but the Sahara ones seem better.


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## Dockside (Nov 16, 2012)

Some of my docksides seems to take years to break-in. Maybe I should try a pair of sperrys? Any UK based who have tried henri lloyd boat shoes?


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## Barnavelt (Jul 31, 2012)

Dockside said:


> Some of my docksides seems to take years to break-in. Maybe I should try a pair of sperrys? Any UK based who have tried henri lloyd boat shoes?


I assume you are wearing them without socks?


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## Patrick06790 (Apr 10, 2005)

I'm a fan of LL Bean's version, which has the white siped sole a la Sperry.


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## Dockside (Nov 16, 2012)

Barnavelt said:


> I assume you are wearing them without socks?


With and without.


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## Dockside (Nov 16, 2012)

hardline_42 said:


> Sperry Authentic Originals are typically softer than Docksides, which are more substantial but take longer to break in. Also, the Sperry A/O has a razor-siped sole which offers more grip on a wet deck than the molded sole of the Docksides. For casual wear, either will do just fine.


 Whats your favorite?


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

Dockside said:


> Whats your favorite?


Neither. My favorite of the affordable boat shoes is the Timberland classic 2-eye. Definitely better than Sperry and Sebago. They're instantly comfortable, have a padded tongue, a welted, replaceable sole, razor siping and come in lots of classic color combos with decent leather. There's even a custom option on the website. Though they're probably the most expensive of the three, they're currently on sale and can be had for about $45 at the Timberland outlets (though probably not an option in Norway).


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## ada8356 (Dec 14, 2007)

hardline_42 said:


> Neither. My favorite of the affordable boat shoes is the Timberland classic 2-eye. Definitely better than Sperry and Sebago. They're instantly comfortable, have a padded tongue, a welted, replaceable sole, razor siping and come in lots of classic color combos with decent leather. There's even a custom option on the website. Though they're probably the most expensive of the three, they're currently on sale and can be had for about $45 at the Timberland outlets (though probably not an option in Norway).


that's a good looking shoe


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## Dockside (Nov 16, 2012)

Nice! There are some shops selling Timberland boat shoes where i live. Maybe I will check if they got this model tomorrow. Many thanks!


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## Tim_McD (Aug 20, 2012)

My Sperry Topsider lasted two summers - and they were a replacement of some LL Bean boat shoes that lasted two summers. Before those two shoes; I had a pair of Docksides that lasted close to 10 yrs (hard wear)

I now have a new pair of Sebago and I am good for a long time


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## Walter Denton (Sep 11, 2011)

hardline_42 said:


> Neither. My favorite of the affordable boat shoes is the Timberland classic 2-eye. Definitely better than Sperry and Sebago. They're instantly comfortable, have a padded tongue, a welted, replaceable sole, razor siping and come in lots of classic color combos with decent leather. There's even a custom option on the website. Though they're probably the most expensive of the three, they're currently on sale and can be had for about $45 at the Timberland outlets (though probably not an option in Norway).


I purchased a pair of the 2-eye classic Timberlands at an outlet last spring and haven't been favorably impressed. Within a few weeks some of the stitching began to come loose as did the orange insole on one of the shoes. Mine are the Root Beer color which I initially liked but the leather quickly began to look and feel like cardboard. I'm disappointed because I wanted to like them for many of the reasons mentioned above.


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## hardline_42 (Jan 20, 2010)

Walter Denton said:


> I purchased a pair of the 2-eye classic Timberlands at an outlet last spring and haven't been favorably impressed. Within a few weeks some of the stitching began to come loose as did the orange insole on one of the shoes. Mine are the Root Beer color which I initially liked but the leather quickly began to look and feel like cardboard. I'm disappointed because I wanted to like them for many of the reasons mentioned above.


I'm sorry to hear that. As with most things, if it's quality now, it won't be soon enough. I've had the loose insole issue on every shoe that I've worn without socks, including "high quality" penny loafers. The sweat tends to dissolve the adhesive in short order. I would NOT be OK with the stitching coming loose.


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## cincydavid (May 21, 2012)

I have some tan Rockports that have held up beautifully...bought them new from a Goodwill store in Terre Haute IN a couple of years ago for $3...I don't actually wear them to sail...I go barefoot in the Sunfish and leave my Crocs on shore so I don't lose them.


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## Topsider (Jul 9, 2005)

cincydavid said:


> I go barefoot in the Sunfish and leave my Crocs on shore so I don't lose them.


Yeah, that would be a crying shame... :rolleyes2:


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## cincydavid (May 21, 2012)

I know people laugh about Crocs, but for some purposes they really work well. They do get REALLY slick once the soles wear, so falling on wet surfaces is a real possibility...think wet smooth concrete in the garage at home, for instance. Didn't mean to derail this thread...carry on.


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## Topsider (Jul 9, 2005)

Crocs actually makes a couple of boat shoe designs.

The Cove





The Islander


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## Barnavelt (Jul 31, 2012)

^ Arrrrgh! My eyes!


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## Topsider (Jul 9, 2005)

Yeah, I'm not advocating them.


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## cincydavid (May 21, 2012)

Holy cow, I really did derail the thread...that last Croc, the Islander, looks like an LL Bean Maine Hunting Shoe, if you squint.


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## Topsider (Jul 9, 2005)

cincydavid said:


> Holy cow, I really did derail the thread...that last Croc, the Islander, looks like an LL Bean Maine Hunting Shoe, if you squint.


A Maine Hunting Shoe after a well-deserved blast of buckshot, perhaps.


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## ashcroft99 (Dec 12, 2008)

Filson has now teamed with Sebago...Filson added its tin cloth to the uppers, that's about it...all about branding


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## Doctor Damage (Feb 18, 2005)

I've always been attracted to, but never bought, the multi-coloured Docksides (think they have a different name). I had a pair of the USA made Docksides and they were much, much better than a pair of Topsiders I had at the same time, but that was a while ago.


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