25 Best Water Shoes in 2025

The Keen Newport H2 Closed Toe Water Sandals give you the best of both in-water and on-land worlds – the quick drying ventilation of sandals, and the protection, security, and durability of closed-toe water shoes. Quality and practical design are baked into a higher but fair price.

What differentiates the Newport H2s from Tevas or Chacos is the game-changing, rigid toe bumpers that keep your toes safe; perhaps even more so than most sneakers. The closed-toe rubber top of the shoe keeps your toes safe from sharp rocks, uneven ground, and anything else that could pose a threat in the water or on land. To further sweeten the deal, they’re machine washable.

For hassle-free diving, snorkeling, or kayaking, go for the Wave Runner quick-drying water shoes. Mesh materials around the foot are stretchy and slip-free while the whole shoe is ridiculously light.

The outsole of the shoes is thick and anti-skid, which leads to durability, whereas the drainage hole sole helps to keep your shoes as dry as possible.

We know first-hand how important it is for beginners to feel confident wearing their equipment, and this model of water shoes gives you that much-needed boost. You don’t have to worry about losing your grip when walking on slippery surfaces, and neither do you have to worry about getting blisters.

You will have to order them at least a full size smaller than your normal shoe size.

The Merrell Hydro Mocs are some of the lightest-weight shoes on our list, making them a pleasantly packable option for travel, while somehow not sacrificing much in terms of durability. These water shoes are also comfortable, both with and without socks. The foam material is soft enough to provide some plush comfort, while still providing structure and support.

The Hydro Mocs are also pretty high performing, hanging with the best of them as a water sports option. Because of the porous upper, we don’t like these as much for the beach, but they’re ideal for most other aquatic or amphibious adventures. While the arch support isn’t optimal enough to encourage long distance hiking in these shoes, it is still quite good – we certainly wouldn’t scoff at seeing these on a short trail to a swimming hole.

The Vibram FiveFingers V-Aqua Water Shoes are designed with toe pockets to promote a more natural and ground-connected feel, aligning with the barefoot foot health philosophy. The Vibram V-Aquas are ultra-lightweight, waterproof, and versatile – perfect for kayaking, paddle boarding, and even light to moderate trail running.

Compared to bulkier water shoe options like the popular Chacos or Tevas, the Vibram V-Aqua sandals are extremely lightweight, making them an ideal water shoe in terms of packability for travel or backpacking. With their thin and lightweight sole, these unique water shoes offer a barefoot experience without the discomfort or risks of going shoeless. These ultra-lightweight, waterproof, and versatile water shoes are the perfect companion for your water, land, or amphibious adventures. Outoria to the full review!

The Luna Mono Winged editions are most comparable to the Bedrock Cairns, with a perfectly flat, thin foot bed that provides ultimate ground feel. The Luna sandals are ultra-lightweight, waterproof, and versatile – perfect for your next water, land, or amphibious adventure.

These shoes are perfectly packable, and ideal for backpackers who highly prioritize space and weight efficiency. The thin, lightweight sole provides an amazing ground feel, and gives the sensation of being barefoot without any of the pain of actually being barefoot. By nature of being a sandal, these do not provide the best toe or upper foot protection, so wearing these requires us to be vigilant while hiking or swimming to not trip, stub a toe, or scrape the tops of our feet on debris.

Appearances aren’t everything, but these are our favorite activewear sandals in terms of style. They are sleek and minimal, and the straps come in neutral and trendy colors. Chacos and Tevas can be a bit bulky, and the Bedrock Sandals have an almost industrial look to them, while the Luna Sandals are the perfect balance of form and function. Luna is a great brand offering other cute “lifestyle” options, and honoring a 1-year warranty for all of their products. Outoria to the full review to learn more of why we love these water sandals!

The Speedo Men’s Surfwalker Pro 3.0’s have incredible neoprene insulation for cold water and provide a snug fit that does a really great job of keeping sand and pebbles out of your shoes. We love the firm yet flexible soles that protect our feet, but manage to leave just enough ground feel. More than anything, we love the killer price point ringing in at just $25.

While these shoes do a lot of things right, there are a couple of big points where Speedo may have missed the mark. The first thing we noticed was the diagonal seam that runs across the big toe and the top of the foot. This seam rubs the big toe in an unpleasant way, and makes these shoes far less comfortable than they could have been. And, while neoprene keeps your feet warm, it also traps water in your shoes.

The Speedo Men’s Surfwalker Pro 3.0’s have some strong pros, despite the cons. Overall, we recommend these shoes as a suitable budget option for wearing to the beach and in the ocean, but we prefer other shoes for most other aquatic and amphibious activities.

The Body Glove Womens Siphon Water Shoes are the classic model with some modern functional features. With a slip-on, neoprene, rubber-soled design, these water shoes are made in the traditional style that fits like a sock, but they also have an Integrated Drainage System that keeps water from pooling and allows these shoes to dry a bit faster than their water sock counterparts.

The Body Glove Womens Siphon Water Shoes are made with a stretch knit that has a similar feel to soft neoprene, but is a generally higher performing fabric. With more stretch and compression, these water shoes are far more functional than comparable models like the Speedo Surfwalker 3s or the NRS Kickers. Additionally, this soft compressive fabric makes for a really snug, comfortable fit.

Siphon Water Shoes offer adequate toe protection, an easy slip-on design, and are suitable for beach trips, pool use, and various water sports. Check out the full review for additional specs on these classic water shoes!

The Astral Loyak water shoes are by far our favorite water shoe in terms of style. You can usually spot water shoes from a mile away, whether they’re the classic water-sock design or the not-so-flattering closed-toe sandal, but the Astral Loyak are so stylish you could get away with wearing them casually.

They look like a pair of trendy sneakers, but they also happen to be some of the most functional water shoes out there. The shoes sport a mesh outer layer along with drainage holes at the front of the shoes that allow water (and not debris) in and out, helping the shoes to dry quickly. The shoes also have an almost sticky grip on the soles, designed to keep us safe and stable on slippery rocks.

Something we really love about these shoes is the odor resistant, removable, and washable insoles. Water shoes are the perfect environment to breed smelly bacteria, so we love the efforts made towards keeping our water shoes as fresh as possible.

These are the perfect shoes for boating and water sports like paddle boarding or kayaking, or even casual outings. They could do a reasonable job with light hiking in wet areas but do not have the durability or sturdiness for long hiking trips.

The Kane Revive Water Shoes are basically Crocs’ preppy, athletic cousin. The Kanes are an EVA foam shoe with a molded running shoe design, featuring a convenient slip-on design. These shoes are very light weight, but really quite durable for what they are. We tested them through jogging, lawn mowing, creek exploring and even a trip or two to the grocery store, and they still look, and feel, as good as new.

The Kane Revives are marketed as a workout recovery shoe, featuring raised footbed nodes to stimulate blood flow and a highly ventilated upper to let your feet breathe. While we’re not sure if these are doing much to aid your workout recovery, we still love Kane’s attention to detail and commitment to comfort ,support and overall foot health.

Generally speaking, we loved this shoe and think they are a phenomenal addition to our closet. The Kane Revive Water Shoes got a high score, but we had a couple of concerns about the sizing, traction, and pricing that brought their score down a bit. Outoria to the full review to get the whole scoop!

The DOUSSPRT Water Shoes are a great bargain pick for the pool, the beach, and many other various water sports outings. These shoes are a slip-on design with an adjustable bungee drawcord that holds your feet extra snug in the shoe.

One of our favorite things about The DOUSSPRT Water Shoes is that they are designed to look like running shoes, and they actually do a decent job of supporting the foot like a running shoe would. These are supportive and comfortable enough to hike short distances in, providing far more versatility than a comparable neoprene water shoe, like the Barerun or Speedo Tidal Cruiser water shoes.

This bargain pick is surprisingly durable, the mesh and the laces seem to hold up quite well for most users. The breathable mesh, thoughtful drainage holes, and removable insole make for lightning-fast drying times and cool, breezy, comfort throughout the day. But we suggest finding another option if you anticipate having to walk across slick rocks or slippery surfaces, as these shoes don’t have much grip at all. For your safety, we recommend trying something else for slick terrain.

There are certainly better water shoes out there, but you could easily spend 4x what you’d spend for the DOUSSPRT Water Shoes and get a marginally better shoe. These water shoes are some of the best we’ve seen for under $30. Check out the full review for more information!

The Speedo Tidal Cruiser Water Shoes are the perfect compromise between a neoprene water sock and a more substantial amphibious shoe. While they can’t be compared to shoes that are clearly designed for hiking, like the KEEN Newport 2s, these water shoes still provide a good foundation with decent arch support, making them functional for short walks to and from the water. The cruisers provide a thin mid-range sole that serves as a sufficient barrier between your feet and any sharp debris you may encounter while maintaining a lightweight, flexible fit.

The Tidal cruisers are slip-on style with no adjustable straps or laces, making it important to find the right fit. Judging by customer reviews, they seem to fit true to size. The only recurring complaint came from folks with high arches claiming these were not the most supportive, or that they were difficult to put on. For most, however, the slip-on design makes for a convenient, quick, and easy choice.

These are an excellent option for the beach, as they keep sand out impressively well. We recommend them for surfing, ocean paddle boarding, or even beach volleyball to keep your feet safe from hot sand or debris.

The Barerun Water Shoes are sleek, slip-on water socks with thin, flexible rubber soles that provide the comfort and feel of going barefoot with a little extra protection. These water shoes are great for around the house wear, swimming, and milder water sports like paddle boarding or summer fishing.

These shoes are definitely a bargain, ringing in at just $16 on Amazon. Unfortunately, it seems in this case that the cheap price comes as a result of cheap materials and/or cheap construction. Even light use in swimming pools was enough to break down the material in these shoes and render them unwearable. If you’re looking for something that will last, we suggest you look elsewhere. However, if you need something cheap that will do the job for a day or two, check out the full review for more information.

The Body Glove 3T Barefoot Cinch Water Shoes are designed for anyone looking for that barefoot feel with a little bit more grip and protection. These water shoes strike the perfect balance between the lightweight feeling of going shoeless and the safety of a closed-toe shoe.

They are fast drying thanks to the integrated drainage system that allows water out but doesn’t let debris in. The outsoles deliver a superior grip with the barefoot feel that is tailor-made for surfing, paddle boarding, or walking on wet rocks. Some users compare the Body Glove 3T Barefoot Cinch Water Shoes to rock climbing shoes because of the snug fit and flexibility.

All in all, these are a highly functional, quality water shoe. The Body Glove 3T Barefoot Cinch Water Shoes are sure to keep your feet safe from rocks and coral, and keep you secure and grounded on slippery surfaces. They might get some weird looks in line at the grocery store, but there’s no denying these are a functional, comfortable, and affordable pair of shoes.

The Aleader Women’s Mesh Slip-On Water Shoes are a great bargain pick for those looking for something to do the job on a water sports outing or a short, wet hike. These shoes come in a couple variations of slip-on, some with an adjustable drawcord and some without.

The Aleader slip-on water shoes are designed to look like running shoes, and they definitely do a great job of supporting the foot like a running shoe would. These are supportive and comfortable enough to hike in and provide far more versatility than, say, a neoprene water sock.

This bargain pick is surprisingly durable, the mesh and the laces seem to hold up quite well for most customers. The upper mesh, substantial drainage holes on the bottom, and removable sole make for quick drying times and cool comfort throughout the day. We recommend these for boating and most water sports, but we recommend finding another option for the beach or sandy river beds. The porous soles on these shoes will let small debris in, making them quite uncomfortable to wear and walk in.

There are certainly better water shoes out there, but these are one of the best we’ve seen for under $30.

The NRS Kickers are an eco-friendly, cost effective option for water sports, lake or river days, boating, and more. These water shoes are lightweight, warm, and comfortable for warm days or cold water, and provide adequate grip for wet rocks or slick boat surfaces.

The older model of the NRS Kickers featured an adjustable drawcord strap around the ankle as well as a velcro strap to secure the top of the foot. The current model has replaced the draw cord with a non-adjustable elastic strap, which some customers seem to be dissatisfied with. Since the shoes run a bit large and wide, the non-adjustable ankle strap allows loose-fitting shoes to slip off fairly easily. This makes it very important that you get a good, snug fit so your shoes stay securely on your feet.

The NRS Kickers are far more ideal for water than for land or amphibious activities. Because of the neoprene lining, these shoes don’t have the best drainage and ultimately aren’t the fastest to dry. Additionally, they don’t provide the most support you would need for walking or hiking substantial distances. While they aren’t the most versatile water shoe, they will definitely do the job of protecting your feet while doing most aquatic activities. These are a great pair of boating shoes for a mid-range price.

Body Glove’s reputation from the 80s straddles the fact that they made neon-colored surfer gear.

The Dynamo Rapid water shoes have a recognizable style but are completely amphibious.

If you’re looking for a pair of summer shoes, these will fit you and not give you blisters–as long as you get the right size. More than that, we found these awesome beach shoes for sports, for walking greater distances, for playing frisbee in the shallows over small, sharp rocks (and being unperturbed).

One drawback might stem from them being a hybrid footwear. Read more about this if it appeals to you.