Product Review: Aetrex Justin Boat Shoe

Caroline Morse Teel is the Managing Editor for SmarterTravel Media. Follow her on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline.

Caroline joined Boston-based SmarterTravel in 2011 after living in Ireland, London, and Manhattan. She's traveled to all seven continents, jumped out of planes, and bungeed off bridges in the pursuit of a good story. She loves exploring off-the-beaten path destinations, anything outdoorsy, and all things adventure.

Her stories have also appeared online at USA Today, Business Insider, Huffington Post, Yahoo, Boston.com, TripAdvisor, Buzzfeed, Jetsetter, Oyster, Airfarewatchdog, and others.

The Handy Item I Always Pack: "Earplugs. A good pair has saved my sleep and sanity many times!"

Ultimate Bucket List Experience: Hiking Mount Kilimanjaro.

Travel Motto: "Don't be boring."

Aisle, Window, or Middle Seat: "Aisle (when the first class private suite isn't available)."

E-mail her at cteel@smartertravel.com.

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What Is it: The Justin Boat Shoe from Aetrex.

Price and Where to Buy: $119.95 on Amazon. The shoes will also be available on Aetrex’s website in September.

Pros:

100 percent leather exterior upper
Orthotic soles support your feet on long walks
Memory foam interior maximizes comfort
Microbial antibacterial lining prevents odor
Water resistant materials keep you dry
Exterior sole is made from a slip-resistant material, and features a tread pattern that channels liquid away from the sole
Very lightweight and comfortable

Cons:

The sole doesn’t match the rest of the shoe—these would look much better if they were a uniform color.

How it Rates:

Usefulness: 8/10. Comfortable, supportive shoes for men are tough to find. The Aetrex boat shoes tick both boxes.
Value: 7/10. The price point is average for a well-made leather shoe.
Durability: 10/10. The interior lining and exterior sole on these shoes are extremely tough—you can count on these shoes to last you through many, many miles.
Cool Factor: 9/10. Boat shoes are very in right now, and these shoes are definitely cooler than wandering around a city in white sneakers while traveling (as so many tourists do.) The shoes are also dressy enough for business/fancier environments, but would pair just as well with casual shorts.

Final Verdict: The Aetrex Justin boat shoes can take you from a sailboat, to a business casual meeting, to a nice dinner. These could be the only shoes you need to pack for an entire trip—and you’d be comfortable the whole time.

(Photo: Aetrex)

Editor’s Note: Reviews are based on usefulness, portability, durability, value, and “cool factor.” Some review products are sent to us free of charge and with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions, positive and negative, and will never accept compensation to review a product. If you have any questions or comments concerning our reviews, or would like to suggest a product for review, please email us at editor@smartertravel.com.

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