Keen Jamestown Sandal Photo courtesy of Keen

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The folks from Keen claim to have created the "world's first hybrid sandal." I don't know about that, but I do know they've created a line of hybrid sandals that seems targeted just for me. How did they know?

For years, I've craved a pair of functional watersports sandals that could work equally well when I went out to a bar or restaurant later and didn't want to look like a river guide just off the Colorado. The standard strap sandals just didn't cut it for me once I left the water.

Martin Keen, a lifelong sailor and veteran footwear designer for the likes of K Swiss and Saucony, saw my need and filled it! He created a technical sandal that performs--and, sort of, looks--like a shoe.

The technical part includes: hand-sculpted lasts that you won't find in any other sandals; anatomic footbeds that are the most comfortable I've experienced in a sandal ; waterproof leather; anti-odor linings and footbed (yeah!); super-traction soles; and a really cool patented toecap that's reduced my previously frequent sandal toe stubs to zero.

I went for a model called the Jamestown ($85) because I thought they would function great (and be comfortable) in all of my watery pursuits, but would also work well with pants and socks in the evening. In fact, on a recent trip to Bermuda, I wore them paddling during the day and out to dinner (with socks) at night--and my wife said I made quite the fashion statement. My wife now has a pair of Jamestowns on her birthday/Christmas list (same price, so I'm saving up)--there's also a Jamestown slide for women ($80), but we both like the full sandal better.