How long have sperrys been around

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Please turn it on so that you can experience the full capabilities of this site. Sperry was born of the desire to embrace the boundless possibilities of the sea. We craft the tools for life's memorable experiences — on, off, and by the water. Sperry was born of one man's refusal to let slippery ship decks stand in the way of his passion for the open sea.

To wear Sperrys is to refuse to wait for life and to instead seize the possibility of what could be; to find joy in discovering what's around every corner, around every bend, and after every wave.

A timeless, durable classic you can count on, we are made to be worn. Late one night on Long Island Sound, Sperry slips and falls from the deck of his sailboat, the Sirocco.

As he climbs back onto his boat, the idea that would launch a company was born: a shoe uniquely designed to keep a wearer standing firm, even on wet slippery surfaces. Determined to create a nonslip shoe, Sperry takes inspiration from the natural texture of his cocker spaniel Prince's footpads, which never seemed to slip, even on ice. He cuts grooved patterns in a natural rubber sole, and glues the hand-cut rubber to the base of an old pair of canvas sneakers, and the world's first non-slip deck sneaker was invented.

The shoe was lined with quick-drying cotton. A white rubber sole, which featured the herringbone patterned grooves, called siping, is attached with a new heat-sealing method known as vulcanization, and did not leave marks on a boat's deck, making them an instant favorite for boaters across the country; and a signature element of Sperry shoes.

Sperry writes to all of his fellow members of the Cruising Club of America and asks them for comments on his development of a nonskid deck shoe. He is surprised to receive replies — all requests for a pair of the shoes. Sperry knows he is on to something. Sperry follows his original deck shoe—featuring a canvas upper and a rubber sole with the development of a leather version. Made with specially tanned leather that didn't corrode in saltwater, the shoe is the first to utilize the classic moccasin toe stitching as well as the iconic 'saddle' lacing, where the shoelaces wrap around the ankle to tighten up the collar.

Sperry strikes a deal with a rubber company in Boston Converse to produce blank soles to which he would apply the siping himself, using a machine of his own unique design. November 14, Sperry receives United States patent for his non-skid sole. The company turns him down because the siped sole would make a pair of shoes very expensive. The United States War Department names Sperry Top-Sider as one of the official shoes of the Navy and negotiates the right to manufacture the shoes for its sailors.

It becomes the official footwear of the casual uniform of the United States Naval Academy. In after distribution had become well established on a national and almost universal scale Mr. The brand's name officially become Sperry Top-Sider Footwear. Where'd the "Top-Sider" name come from? Sailors refer to the upper deck of a ship as "topside," so it's a fitting moniker for shoes that allow them to stay "topside" without slipping overboard.

Just don't confuse it with Sebago's competing Docksides , which came later. The line has expanded significantly since its inception, and it now comes in all kinds of colors and materials even patent leather! Sperry himself continued to work for the company until he died at the age of 82 in Buy Now. We'll leave you with a few vintage Sperry ads, including a couple from the World War II era, when one proclaimed, "Like other good things, they will be back after the war":. The Scene.

Type keyword s to search. Paul Sperry with his creation Sperry. Related Story.