The Alaska Sneaker* style shorty 6″ ankle boot is a great alternative to a more traditional deckboot. No need to fold these down, they’re cooler – and that makes sense for our warm water Mexico trips on the Long Range fleet. Also, over the years we’ve had many clients who are BIG guys, and they had some difficulty wearing a deckboot. They had one heck of a time getting their feet into the relatively small opening of the boot, and their ankles and calves were too big to fit comfortably in a 12″ high boot. So, they’d be stuck wearing sneakers (they get wet and very uncomfortable) or flip flops (NOT RECOMMENDED if you value your toes). This style deck-shoe is the perfect answer for the bubbas, and frankly for me too. Like I said they are cooler, and they take a lot less space in my duffle bag than the regular boot. I also like the flat sole more than a healed sole.