I CONSIDERED THE FOLLOWING, SORTED ROUGHLY IN ORDER OF SOFTNESS:
MARINE CARPET - The cheapest and simplest option, and a smart and quick solution. Carpets are warm, comfortable on the feet and make the boat quieter because they absorb sound.
Marine carpets are tolerant of getting wet and are also stain-resistant, but they do hold water if they get wet. Drying them out afterwards can become an issue. In addition, any sand or muck that gets dropped on the surface tends to become ingrained in the pile of the carpet.
But carpet could be refreshed every few years if it started showing signs of wear and tear.
ULTRALON FOAM - These soft decking options from companies like U-Dek are fantastic. The closed-cell foam surface is extremely comfortable on bare feet and remain non-slip even when wet.
