While summer calls for sandals, swimsuits and more comfortable styles, water shoes are your best ally for a lot of outdoor activities. They protect your feet from getting burned on hot concrete, keep you from sliding around on wet terrain and shield your toes from sharp objects while going down a natural spring.
The Shop TODAY team pulled together some shopper-loved water shoes for the entire family that will keep everyone comfortable, warm and ready for any outdoor undertaking. We also included an award-winning option from Shop TODAY's 2024 Travel Gear Awards that's both reliable and ideal for your travel adventures.
Why do you need water shoes? | Shop TODAY Travel Gear Awards winner | Women's water shoes | Children's water shoes | Men's water shoes | How we chose | Has your product been featured?
Why do you need water shoes?
You might argue the need of packing another pair of shoes for your travel capsule wardrobe. However, water shoes can protect your feet from blisters during high-impact activities and keep your feet warm in cold water. They are great to wear in different water sports like tubing, boating, fishing, kayaking and more.
Water shoes also serve as a protective layer during floods, scuba diving and other areas containing rocks and stones. Aside from preventing any friction to your feet, water shoes also provide balance while walking around dangerous surfaces.
Shop TODAY Travel Gear Awards winner
Vans Slip-On Mule TRK Shoe
Award: Best water shoes | Value: 4.3/5 | Quality: 4.6/5 | Satisfaction: 4.6/5 | Average score: 4.5/5 | Size: women 5.5-14.5 and men 7-12 | Colors: 5 | Outsole material: Synthetic
These shoes scored higher than other water shoes during our testing period. Associate editor Allie Wise gave this pair a fair chance and says she "immediately fell in love." Wise continues, "They are super comfortable and easy to slip on/off. I wore them to the pool yesterday and dipped them in the water — they were completely dry 20 minutes later, thanks, in large part, to the holes."
They received a high score mainly for their sturdy traction and quick-dry feature.
Women's water shoes to shop
Vifuur Water Sports Shoes
Size: 4-13.5 | Colors: 44 | Outsole material: Rubber
Part water shoe and part yoga sock, this bestselling sock-shoe hybrid is a fun option for adults and kids. The shoes are super lightweight, can slip on and off easily and come in dozens of colors and designs. Note: While the soles remain protective, the top material can fray a bit after many uses, so be sure to air dry them outside instead of putting them in the dryer.
Seekway Quick-Dry Aqua Socks Barefoot
Size: 3-13.5 | Colors: 43 | Outsole material: Rubber
Break a sweat in these top-rated water shoes made with a smooth fabric to avoid chafing during water activities. Over 4,700 customers rated this pair five stars, with one person elaborating that "they feel just like socks and are more flexible" than most water shoes.
Barerun Barefoot Quick-Dry Water Sports Shoes
Size: 4.5-15 | Colors: 45 | Outsole material: Rubber
Any water shoe labeled with the words “quick-dry” automatically grabs our attention. These water shoes have over 19,000 five-star ratings on Amazon and are inexpensive at under $10. The shoes are made with a material that has a slight stretch, so there’s no need to worry if your feet are going to fit correctly.
Aleader Women's Mesh Slip-On Water Shoes
Size: 6-11 | Colors: 14 | Outsole material: EVA
These water shoes are the perfect combination of comfort and style that can go from water activities to a casual beachside dinner. The rubber sole will keep you from slipping and sliding around, while the integrated sock liner will keep your feet comfortable all day long. They also come in 14 different colors, so coordinating with your bathing suit will be a breeze.
Zhuanglin Quick-Drying Aqua Water Shoes
Size: 6-11 | Colors: 27 | Outsole material: Rubber
Another quick-dry option are these water shoes. They look more like traditional athletic shoes and come in a variety of bright colors. They also have a rubberized sole with mesh fabric for a comfortable feel without the fear of slipping.
Mishansha Webbing Bathing Shoes
Size: 4.5-15 | Colors: 42 | Outsole material: Rubber
These water shoes have garnered over 20,000 five-star ratings on Amazon, plus they're a huge steal at under $30. They can be worn season after season since they are salt-resistant and have plenty of drainage holes to get excess water out. The shoes are made with neoprene and rubber material for a comfortable fit.
Native Shoes Lightweight Sneaker
Size: 5-15 | Colors: 1 | Outsole material: N/A
Slip-on water shoes just got even cuter with this pair from Native Shoes. They're ultra-lightweight and covered in small holes so water can escape effortlessly. Note: These kicks run small, so be sure to order a size up to play it safe.
Teva Hurricane Drift
Size: 5-11 | Colors: 8 | Outsole material: EVA
These Teva water sandals will take your outdoor adventures to the next level thanks to its feminine and versatile design. The shoe is made with recyclable materials with a molded silhouette that feels lightweight on your feet. The sandal can be easily worn from the beach to the lobby with ease.
Keen Closed Toe Water Sandals
Size: 5-11 | Colors: 1 | Outsole material: Rubber
Modeled after their classic sandal design, these water sandals from Keen strike the perfect balance between breathable and protective. With a closed toe near the front and gaps in the straps throughout, your feet will stay protected from harsh edges and rough rocks.
Children's water shoes to shop
Ubfen Water Shoes for Kids
Size: 1-7 | Colors: 31 | Outsole material: Rubber
Available in sizes for toddlers, little kids and big kids, these comfortable, quick-drying water shoes will give your little water guppy the support and style they crave. With more than 8,500 five-star ratings, these shoes are ideal for avoiding blisters, burns and calluses. One customer said these ones were "super grippy and have held up in cold rivers and hot rocky mountains of Arizona."
Teva Original Universal Sandal
Size: 1-3 youth | Colors: 7 | Outsole material: Rubber
These Tevas currently come in toddler and youth sizes, and kids can pick their favorite design from three different options. There are multiple straps on the shoes, so parents might need to help their kids get in and out of them. However, once their feet are strapped in and secured, you won't have to worry about putting their shoes back on for the rest of the day.
Men's water shoes to shop
Reef Water Coast Shoe
Size: 7-13 | Colors: 1 | Outsole material: EVA
For water shoes that don't look like water shoes, meaning you can easily wear them into a grocery store or restaurant without weird looks, opt for these shoes from Reef. These slip-ons feature a cushioning footbed, perfect for fishing days. Reviewers rave over these "comfortable, stylish and easy to wear" sneakers.
Those who are already fans of Reef's other shoe style, the Vista Hi, can get a deal with code TODAY for 30% off the Vista Hi and Vista Hi Energy styles through April 25.
Columbia Drainmaker XTR Shoe
Size: 7-15 | Colors: 4 | Outsole material: Rubber
Breathable, supportive and provides good traction — what else could you ask for in a water shoe? How about one with ample cushion to keep feet comfortable during long hikes or days camping near the lake? This sneaker from Columbia features all of those factors, and reviewers love them because they "work great in tough conditions."
Eddie Bauer Amphib
Size: 8-14 | Colors: 3| Outsole material: Rubber
Reviewers love this shoe, especially during the summertime, thanks to the ankle strap, further securing feet on paddle boards and pontoon boats. Reviewers also noted that these water sandals are great for keeping small items like pebbles out thanks to the minuscule gaps throughout the shoe.
How we chose
While finding the best water shoes, the Shop TODAY team sorted through hundreds of new launches, editor recommendations and trending products flooding our social media pages to curate a list of must-have travel items worth reviewing for our awards.
Our team of editors and writers then signed up to try out various pairs of water shoes, putting them to the test and rating them on a scale of 1 to 5 for value, quality and overall satisfaction. Finally, our panel of experts reviewed some of our winners and gave feedback based on their expertise.
Has your product been featured?
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