Does this ever happen to anyone else, or is it just me?
Earlier this week my brand new Musto Evolution 60l waterproof holdall* arrived at work and I was so excited I had it out of its packaging and was brandishing it around the office showing it off in about 10 seconds flat (lucky for me my office is infected with Clipper Fever so they were at least vaguely interested in the appearance of a giant dry bag).
But hey, it was in the sale (my favourite thing) at a mere £57 instead of £115! And it has a nifty valve feature to remove excess air to save space! And an adjustable shoulder strap! And an easy-to-spot-at-night-using-a-red-light colour!
That wasn't the worst of it though - today my excitement reached a whole new level when I went to put it away in my kit cupboard (thru-hiking and sailing seems to come with a whole load of kit that demands its own space) and noticed a few things I knew I wouldn't be using until my Level 2 training in two weeks (sailing boots, sleeping bag etc). So obviously it made total sense to put those things inside the holdall to save space and having to pack them next weekend anyway. Twenty minutes later my entire kit is packed into dry bags within the giant drybag and is ready to sail.
Oops.
*Full kit review to follow after its inaugural use at Level 2 training later this month
Welcome to the first in what will very likely be many kit reviews as I stumble my way through the maze that is finding the right kit for me in my journey from landlubber to an ocean racing sailor who has crossed the Atlantic Ocean.
MUSTO's Dynamic Deck Shoes
Official Spec
- UPPER: Premium Suede, OUTSOLE: ROCK Rubber
- Premium suede trainer
- ROCK aquaDX Technology for water drainage
- Water draining, anti-odour treated mesh to keep shoes fresh
- No footbed or midsole in order to maximise feel of the deck
- EVA strobel insole for comfort
- ROCK Rubber with a siped and microsiped tread pattern for maximum wet surface grip
- Clarks and MUSTO, world leaders in high performance sailing wear, have teamed up to deliver the ultimate suede sailing shoe. Dynamic Deck has been designed and engineered to result in underfoot comfort and stability, while a siped ROCK rubber sole gives unrivalled grip and durability in wet conditions. Water quickly drains from the shoes with the aquaDX water drainage system and the anti-odour treatment keeps the shoes fresh. Water resistant eyelets and a superb fit make these premium suede deck shoes a style essential for the yacht and marina
My review
I love these shoes! These are SUPER comfy on deck and have also fast become my go-to shoe for wearing with jeans when I'm stuck on dry(ish) land.
While they may be incredibly comfortable, they do need wearing in to get to that point. This only takes a couple of wears though, and once they have been worn in, they are the perfect deck shoe - lightweight, flexible, breathable, gives you plenty of arch support while letting you feel the deck properly, and all with a great grip.
They're not a pair you can slip on with the laces pre-tied though - you need to tie them every time to make sure they're perfectly fitted so that you avoid rubbing on your heel. It might be just me who is that lazy when it comes to footwear, but this is slightly irritating as I can see myself rushing to get up on deck and not being able to pull my shoes on quickly. However, the laces are easy to quickly adjust to your foot unlike some shoes, and there's a handy loop at the heel to help pull them on, which was very useful when leaning over at an angle, stumbling over a sail bag and trying to pull them on.
For the fashionistas out there, I think that they are really stylish and modern. I'm not a fan of 'traditional' deck shoe styles so just love this smart trainer look in a lovely linen coloured suede. They go with all of my sailing kit and look fab with my jeans too so they're the perfect crossover shoe for after you've nipped to the pub and need to stumble back onboard without fear of sliding along the deck.
I bought my pair for £36 in the MUSTO sale, and think they were an absolute steal compared to the £90 RRP - worth waiting for their next sale and stocking up!
My verdict? An impressive 4.5 out of 5 stars
