A few weeks ago one of our readers, Nathan, emailed us and asked us if we could look into the Casco Bay Boat Shoes ($59) by L.L. Bean. Admittedly, we normally associate L.L. Bean with hunting in fishing rather than boating and casual wear, but we were impressed with what we found.

The first thing that jumped out to us was the high quality of these shoes, and apparently the masses agree.  In a time where people are more prone to review a product when it doesn’t work out well for them, the Casco Bay’s have a 92% positive rating with most of the reviews raving about the craftsmanship.  The shoes appear, at least in the beginning, to be true to L.L. Bean’s summary. L.L. Bean explains that they are built to perform while you’re fishing and boating, and are also comfortable and classic enough for everyday wear.  The all-leather upper is handsewn for exceptional comfort and, as with all boat shoes, the Cascos become more and more comfortable as the leather breaks in.  The siped-rubber outsole ensures a solid grip on wet decks, docks, and floors just like a siped set of tires keeps you stuck to the road in a rainstorm.  Though L.L. Bean says the Casco Bay’s fit best with a light pair of socks, we have to disagree, barefoot is the way to go, especially with their soft leather liner.

If you’re looking for a new pair of boatshoes on a budget, it is definitely worth taking a look at the Cascos.