Review: Sperry Top-Sider Cormorant Rubber Slip On

When I received an offer for the equine job I started yesterday, one of my first thoughts was "I need a new pair of barn boots!" In the past, I've always worn my tall riding boots around the barn; after all, I was almost always out there to ride. A pair of Wellies sufficed on days when I went out to feed or muck stalls. I knew most of my duties would be off-horse, so I started looking for a pair of boots I could wear to work. They needed to be comfortable, weatherproof, warm, and suitable for the occasional short stint on a disobedient animals.

I looked through a variety of brands and selected Sperry Top-Sider's Cormorant Rubber Slip On. I adore my other pair of Sperrys (the Bluefish boat shoe) and these came in the perfect color combination of brown/tattersall. I didn't want something too bright (like pink) but thought that the navy would look weird with jeans. (I have a thing against wearing navy with jeans.) Plus, they were on sale- always a bonus!

I wore them to work for the first time yesterday and was very pleased with them. I was initially concerned because they felt a bit tight (even though I ordered a half size up from my normal size), but the snugness dissipated after a bit  and they felt perfectly formed to my foot. My feet were kept nice and warm in yesterday's 20-degree weather, and snow and water didn't affect these boots at all. I had excellent traction on a variety of surfaces, from gravel to concrete to arena footing.  They looked great with jeans, and I wasn't self-conscious about wearing them into the grocery store on the way home. My only complaint is the laces- I untied one shoe's laces and couldn't get it tied properly again! The laces are coated in some kind of plastic, which makes them very slippery. The pair Sperry tied is perfectly fine and held all day, but the set of laces I adjusted came untied several times. It was very inconvenient, especially since I can't always stop leading a horse around to tie my boot! I managed to double-knot the laces (they were almost too short to do so) and don't plan on untying them ever again.

Overall, I feel like I got an excellent value and a stellar work boot. Stylish and functional, I'm certain these shoes will last me ages.