Walking the deck of a flats skiff is a feeling I wish I could have every minute of every day.The rough non-skid coating of the casting platform gripping your feet, the gentle rock of the boat as it sways back and forth as it is poled along through flooded spartina grass.What I hate it is the soggy feeling around my feet from the wet shoes I wear that got soaked launching the boat.I could go barefoot, and I do most of the time but after so many years marching and rucking around chasing U.S. Soldiers as I documented their operations have left my feet a little worse for wear. I have a pair of very expensive boat shoes that have lasted about a season and are now falling apart and well, my wife doesn’t want them in the house since they kinda reek of foot funk and pluff mud.I recently was approached by a company to test out their new shoes and I am here to tell ya folks, I have a new fishing shoe, its called the Giller and it is awesome.Tucket Footwear out of Atlanta, Georgia, has nailed the solution for a solid shoe for boating and fishing.

Made in the U.S.A. these injection molded shoes are amazing.The newest offering the Giller, is a fully functional boat shoe that can be fully submerged and will drain instantly. They have basically scupper holes in the shoes along the side and even through the soles that allow these shoes to drain literally instantly.Your feet dry and you are not standing in a soggy leather and cotton mess and will slip a little on a wet deck, the soles grip always and I have even over compensated for a step and almost fell because these shoes did NOT slip on me.The sure grip sole is also designed as a driver sole so driving to the landing, or even around town, the show fits well and feels like an expensive Italian driving shoe.

The Giller, named for the 12 “gills” along the side that allow quick draining and also act as natural flex points so they have that broken in feel right out of the box.The Giller has twenty-four drain holes throughout the shoe, the upper is made from EVA and it is molded in a unibody construction that tips the scales at a mere eight ounces or so.They slip on and off easily and the soles are like you have strapped a gecko to your feet.These things do not slip. The sole is made up of multiple pods that “readily channel larger volumes of water”, making the multiple angles of the tread grip give you superior grip no matter what direction you apply force to.Unlike other boat shoes, if they do get a little funky, warm soapy water and a quick rinse will clean them up and get them back to smelling good.

Capt. Brandon Machajewski sticks to the poling platform in his Gillers as he casts to Lowcountry Redfish

Tucket offers a wide array of colors and most recently they even offer Realtree camo!The same awesome design and performance but now when you are walking to that deer stand in early September in your shorts, you’ll have camo shoes that are comfortable, camouflaged and will dry quick.Of course they also will bland into any Frat party and make you the coolest kid there.

Tucket Footwear doesn’t stop at just making great shoes, they understand that giving back is a responsibility of successful companies and they do just that.Every pair of shoes they sell, Tucket Footwear donates money to community food banks and finds at least three meals for kids and families in need right here in America.They are keeping the help and support here at home where it is needed most.

So throw out those old boat shoes and check out Tucket Footwear’s Gillers.They currently do not have a store that stocks them in South Carolina but you can find them online direct form Tucklet at:http://www.tucketfootwear.com/