As my trip to Japan is coming up very quickly, I actually thought I had everything all planned out. Awesome dress shoes and my running shoes for long walks around Tokyo, planned outfits to wear for Shibuya Fashion Week, Anime Japan and Tokyo Outdoor Weekend 2015.
All was planned, I was ready… So, I thought.
As I looked at Accuweather, I was shocked about the weather….rain for this week, rain for next week, two days of sunshine, rain/snow near Mt. Fuji, cold weather and one day on our trip where winds will be up to 60 mph.
With a few days to go, I had to rethink my plan of what to do now, since it will be soaking wet. Shoes that I originally planned to wear, I don’t want them getting messed up by rain, dirt or mud.
And I have a lot of boots, but they are dress boots, not one of them would I want to wear near wet or muddy areas. So, I quickly check online to see if I can order boots quickly and get them shipped immediately. But to my surprise, many of them don’t plan to ship until many days later.
Due to my work schedule and my trip coming soon, I have no time to do any major shoe shopping or research. I need a boot that can handle the water, the mud and because my trip is going to cost me quite a bit, I need something that wouldn’t cost me too much. In other words, I’m looking for a SALE!
As I complete my quick five minute shopping at a local Target to purchase my travel vitamins, fiber pills and my favorite travel shaving blades, a Gillete Fusion Proglide. I see a Famous Footwear store which I visit for the very first time.
I head straight to the hiking boots area and I see two types of boots that are listed as waterproof and I look at the price. The Columbia Travelmeister for $89.99 and the Skechers Sergeants Verdict Dark Brown for $69.99 (originally $89.99). With Famous Footwear offering a 15% coupon online and in-store, it would bring the price down to $59.49 ($63.95 total including tax).
I am not an erudite when it comes to waterproof shoes or hiking shoes. I owned one pair of Timberland hiking boots not long after I graduated from high school but I tried both of them on. Walked with them for a half hour and tried other boots which I felt were more stylish but I had to sit and think logically.
One, I know it’s going to be raining, I know Lake Kawaguchiko near Mt. Fuji is going to be muddy and I need a boot that works.
So, I perused the Internet and the best reviews for waterproof boots were the Skechers Sergeants Verdict Dark Brown boots.
For those not familiar with Skechers, the American shoe company is based in Manhattan Beach, California and was founded by CEO Robert Greenberg and his son Michael back in 1992. Greenberg is best known for creating the shoe company LA Gear back in 1983.
When the company started out, they were creating utility-style boots and skate shoes and has since diversified into athletic, casual and dress shoes.
When I was a college student, I purchased a lot of Skechers shoes from the Skechers Outlet store and would come home with amazing deals which fit my budget and recently graduated from college lifestyle at the time.
So, it has been a long time since I purchased a Skechers shoe for myself but I figured I will trust the reviews and take this on my trip to Japan to prepare for the elements. I need a waterproof boot and I need a boot that I wouldn’t mind stepping into the mud with when I’m trying to attempt to take photos of Mt. Fuji.
The Skechers Sergeants Verdict boots are made in Vietnam and come with an oil smoothed leather upper (note: The version I purchased was dark brown but I liked it because it was a little dark brown and cognac), has a rounded plain toe front, side reinforced stitched sealed seams, padded collar and tongue, a lace-up boot that is waterproof with fabric lining and rubber sole. The six metal eyelets are hexagon and the boots are well-stitched. The rubber traction on the outer sole is another plus, as my dress boots have hardly any tread, I need something that will grip onto wet surfaces.
While I don’t know what to expect with these boots, I suppose I’ll find out when I reach rainy Tokyo and take them out the following day to the Mt. Fuji area.
I’ll update this blog post on how well the waterproof shoes withstand the elements when I arrive back in the United States.
