Sebago is so much more than the iconic Dockside: Sail Couture tests the Litesides, Cyphon Sea Sport, and Bala sailing and lifestyle shoes.
Like most women, I love shoes, so when I was offered the chance to try a selection of Sebago footwear I jumped at the chance.
I was already familiar with their iconic Docksides, long known for their classic good looks and quality, but was excited to learn about and try their new line of technical performance sailing footwear. It features an ultra-light leather deck shoe and a high-tech sailing shoe that marks a return to the days when Sebago outfitted championship sailing teams.
Litesides
Wow, the Sebago Litesides are light—amazingly light and comfortable too! The cushioning inside, in the form of a removable mesh-covered memory foam foot bed, is soft and shock absorbing, and the padded heel cushion feels great. The EVA sole is so light and comfy, it feels like you’re walking on air.
Stylistically, they are very good-looking. I have them in dark pink leather, a deep, rich hot pink that is perfect for summer. This is my new go-to shoe: They have been getting as much wear off the boat as on.
If you’ve ever thought, “I love my deck shoes, but wish they were lighter,” the Litesides might be for you.
Cyphon Sea Sport
The Cyphon Sea Sport technical sailing shoe is also lightweight and very comfortable; it feels much like a running shoe. The soles grips well, which is my number one requirement for a technical sailing shoe. The Sea Sport is also quick drying thanks to the breathable mesh upper. I tested my Sea Sports both while sailing and taking photos from a rib, which any yachting photographer will tell you can get just as wet, if not more so, than a sailboat!
It’s water-friendly and anti-microbial, the midsole provides additional shock absorption, and the channel-siped design of the outsole offers maximum traction.
As a woman who loves fashion, I appreciate how the black Cyphon Sea Sport elongates my leg when worn with my black quick dry pants or even on occasion a pair of jeans. It’s often a challenge to look stylish in sailing gear, especially shoes, but Sebago should be commended on these two designs.
Bala
Our British fashionista readers will no doubt know which shoe must be discussed next! The Sebago Bala is one of the favorite casual shoes of the Princess of Wales. The royal fashion icon sparked a deck shoe renaissance in the UK wearing her Bala moccasin with many of her pared-down looks.
She wore her Balas at the America’s Cup World Series in Portsmouth, at polo matches and traveling.
Sebago has crafted a collection of deck and casual shoes that are as stylish as they are comfortable, and as functional as they are stylish. It was such a treat to test these fantastic styles. No matter where your next sailing adventure takes you, you’ll find the perfect shoe in the Sebago arsenal.
