Hit the Docks in Style with Amberjack Shoes

Our editor-in-chief gave Amberjack loafers a 90,000-step boat-show test. Even he was surprised to feel no pain. Courtesy Amberjack

Boat shows brutalize your feet. Yes, mile after mile of boats looks like a dream come true, but wearing the wrong shoes can make walking the docks a nightmare.

Yachting Editor-in-Chief Patrick Sciacca feared the worst as he placed a brand-new pair of Amberjack loafers into his suitcase when bound for a show earlier this year.

“I was expecting sore feet at the end of a day, maybe even a few blisters, but none of it came to fruition,” Sciacca says. “The shoes have an almost sneaker-like sole and a well-cushioned lining, making the loafers comfortable over the long haul, about 45 miles in my case. Additionally, they easily slid on and off my feet, a benefit when you’re constantly stepping on and off boats at a show.”

Amberjack places a priority on sourcing its materials from reputable, sustainable tanneries. Courtesy Amberjack

None of that is by accident, says John Peters, Amberjack’s CEO. He founded the company in 2019 because, like our editor, he wanted style without pain.

“In dress shoes, you had some really comfortable stuff, but style was an afterthought,” Peters says. “And conversely, you had the handmade beautiful brands, but they hurt your feet. We wanted to combine style and comfort—look beautiful but feel good.”

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The trick, he says, is that Amberjack does extensive testing on the insole, which molds to the individual’s foot over time with every wearing. The company also uses customer feedback and testing to create a fit that works for most men within a given size range.

Amberjack’s shoes are nonmarking with nonslip soles. Courtesy Amberjack

“Everybody’s feet are different,” Peters says. “If you took a hundred guys at Size 9, you’ll have a hundred different types. That’s the complexity of mass production in getting that fit correct. We try really, really hard to get as many feet as we can into that spectrum.”

Leather is by far the most popular style customers choose, he adds, which is why Amberjack is also “maniacal” about getting that element right.

“Every single batch is different,” he says. “You have to have so much manual filtering and processing [of] the hide that give you a beautiful, natural look. You don’t want it to crease quickly. You want it to retain its structure, but you also want it loose enough to be comfortable.”  

Sustainability

Amberjack places a priority on sourcing its materials from reputable, sustainable tanneries. Lesser facilities do not properly dispose of waste. “They’ll just dump this stuff in the river or the lake,” says CEO John Peters. “We only work with the highest level of certification.”

Tender-Ready

Amberjack’s shoes are non-marking with nonslip soles. Natural leather styles resist water on their own. Suede styles are treated to hold up too. “That’s not to say you can walk underwater with our shoes,” Peters says, “but they are treated with a water-repellent coating.”

Take the next step: amberjack.shop

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