How we recommend
We recommend gear by category and use, not by brand, and do not quote prices. We may earn a commission on purchases at no cost to you.
A note on sources
We found no independent test of sailing gloves or deck shoes. The glove details below come from a retailer's guide and a sailing magazine, and the footwear details from NauticEd, the clothing maker Gill and the RYA. Where a point rests on a single retailer or maker, we say so.
Gloves
Why wear them
PBO says sailing gloves prevent blisters. Better Boat, a boating retailer, says reinforced palms and fingers protect against rope burn as well as blisters.
Cuts
Better Boat describes three cuts. We could not confirm this breakdown with a second source, so treat it as one retailer's description:
- Fingerless (three-quarter fingers). Better Boat says these let you use touchscreens and handle small gear without taking them off.
- Three-finger, with the thumb and index finger left open.
- Full-finger, covering every finger.
Palms and cuffs
Better Boat says palms are commonly a synthetic leather or real leather, reinforced at the palm and fingers. It suggests short cuffs for racing and checking a watch, and long gauntlet cuffs for extra protection and warmth.
Cold weather
PBO notes that gloves that are both warm and thin are hard to find. It mentions neoprene gloves, and rubber gloves worn under sailing gloves, as cold-weather options.
Shoes
What makes a sole grip
NauticEd explains that siping, the thin cuts across a sailing sole, channels water out from under your foot so the shoe does not hydroplane on a wet deck. Its quick test is to press the sole: if it is soft and pliable, it will grip. Gill, a sailing clothing maker, calls non-slip rubber soles a basic requirement, recommends non-marking soles, and advises against flip-flops.
When to replace them
NauticEd says to replace shoes once the sole has gone hard or slippery, because cleaning will not bring the grip back. It also advises keeping a pair for the boat and changing into them aboard, so grit from the shore does not scratch the deck.
Boots and water shoes
NauticEd describes two kinds of sailing boot. Dinghy boots are waterproof and flexible, with ankle support. Offshore boots are waterproof, often lined with a breathable membrane, and have a gaiter at the top that seals over your foul weather trousers.
Gill's view is that boots suit offshore, ocean and cold, wet sailing, but that water can get in over the top if you end up in the water. For dinghy and inshore sailing where you are often immersed, Gill suggests neoprene water shoes. Both are Gill's own guidance.
The RYA's suggestions line up by boat type: water shoes or old trainers for dinghy sailing, and non-slip shoes or sailing boots on yachts. PBO says neoprene boots work for dinghy sailing in summer and winter, though its author switched to deck shoes after a fungal nail infection from wearing wet neoprene boots for long periods. For more on dinghy footwear, see dinghy gear.
Our picks by use
Sailing gloves
PBO says sailing gloves prevent blisters, and Better Boat, a retailer, says reinforced palms and fingers also protect against rope burn. Pick a cut for what you do: fingerless if you need your fingertips for screens and small fittings, full-finger for more cover. For cold water, PBO mentions neoprene gloves or rubber gloves worn underneath.
Best for: Anyone handling sheets and halyards
Deck shoes
Look for soft, siped, non-marking rubber soles, as NauticEd and Gill describe. Keep them for the boat, and replace them once the sole goes hard or slippery.
Best for: Keelboat and day sailors in dry to damp conditions
Sailing boots
Offshore boots are waterproof and have a gaiter that seals over your foul weather trousers, according to NauticEd. Gill notes water can still get in over the top if you are immersed, so dinghy sailors who swim often may prefer water shoes or dinghy boots.
Best for: Offshore, cold and wet-weather sailing