Just like in every other type of footwear, the weight is a decisive factor at the moment of making a purchase. This all depends on what you’re looking for, though. A casual beach-goer won’t mind an extra ounce or two on their shoes; however, if we’re talking about performance in any water sport, you should opt for a shoe that is as lightweight as functionally possible.

As the weight of the shoe reduces, certain qualities and performance aspects of the shoe will be reduced as well. For instance, a thin and lightweight build will prove efficient to someone looking for minimalism, but at the same time, these shoes will deliver considerably lower levels of protection.

If you’re considering any sort of performance, it’s important that you determine the aspects of such sport in which you’ll need the most assistance from your shoe. Keep in mind that you may need to reduce some aspects in order to enhance others. If your sport calls for high levels of protection, you should opt for a thicker material, which at the same time will increase the weight of your shoe.

You will typically find water shoes with bungee lace systems and thin mesh uppers, with a relatively thin sole typically comprised of EVA rubber. Some of the more favored designs mimic the feel of a sock, but companies are also making water shoes that have more of a build to them, closing in on the style and protective capabilities a shoe might have.

Of course, the more material used to build the shoe, the heavier it will be, but since water shoes are not full shoes, they don’t have every protective property and even the heaviest of them are more lightweight or flexible in comparison. Water shoes that can be used for hiking may be thicker and less flexible in comparison to what is known as a “wet shoe”, but all maintain that level of flexibility that you won’t have in a full-blown shoe.

Think; walking through water unknowing of what you will be stepping on next whether it be through rough rocks or other external hazards. Your feet are fragile and susceptible to a number of injuries and ways to become damaged if barefoot. Even navigating through a beach has its hazards.

People have been known to step on left behind objects, even needles, which has been reported washed up on beaches which are best avoided, to say the least. Not saying you will likely step onto anything in particular, but there’s plenty of things you can step on that you would be best to have a protective layer between your feet and it while doing so.

With an adequately designed, quality water shoe, you can enjoy a barefoot feel with proper drainage without the exposing your feet to the jagged surfaces of rocks and hazardous materials the bottom of your feet may come into contact with.

Good Materials for Sole Protection:

-Thick Rubber
-EVA Foam
-Vibram
-Composite Blends
-Molded TPU
-Vulcanized Rubber

Always keep in mind that protection is a feature that must be present in all water shoes. Regardless of the discipline, you practice and how minimalist the shoes for such activity need to be, there should always be some dedicated space and weight to the protection of your feet.

It’s a huge mistake to underestimate environments like the beach, as you never know what you’ll step on next. Some users make the mistake of thinking they don’t need any sort of protection to walk on rocks at the beach until they step on a water hedgehog or even worse – a sharp coral. Don’t get it wrong, protection is paramount at any point during beach activities; sharp corals, for example, will slice your skin open with extreme ease just by stepping on them or making brief contact.

The grip goes hand-in-hand with the protection that the sole provides as it is generated by the very material used for the outsole, which is the bottom-most portion of the shoe that comes into contact with the ground.

Tread Profile: The tread profile is critical, and needs to be designed where water cannot be trapped underneath, but rather have outlets to be forced outward from the bottom of the shoe with each step. This is especially important as water shoes are regularly used in moisturized or even completely wet environments where the surface is slippery.

Outsole Pattern: The outsole pattern is not such a critical decision; there have been (and will continue to be) thousands of manufacturers and designers that claim their outsole design is the most efficient one when it comes to preventing slippage. The truth is that any intuitive outsole pattern is enough to reduce your chances of slipping – you don’t have to break your head analyzing the patterns and reading explanations on how the shapes work. What is important is that you count with an outsole that allows multidirectional action and versatility. Certain water sports call for forceful and spontaneous movements that can easily out-force a low-quality outsole.

Movement: The grip of a shoe will react differently based on the direction in which your movements are directed. This also depends on the outsole pattern; in a sport like surfing, you should opt for a grip that holds you steadily together to the board as there are no lateral feet motions involved. However, a sport that calls for constant feet movements in all directions isn’t compatible with a vertical grip.

Regardless of the purpose of your shoe, it must count with a reliable and strong grip. When looking for the best water shoes, we highly recommend that you keep your eyes on two things: the outsole material and the outsole pattern. The most optimal material for anti-slipping purposes is rubber and its other synthetic variations, such as vulcanized rubber.

If this is your case, we highly recommend you to look for an omnidirectional grip. This type of outsole will allow you to perform forceful movements in any direction while remaining in absolute control of your balance.

As you can probably guess, a shoe that is meant to be near water (or submerged in it) can easily become a slipping hazard. A non-slipping grip is paramount for this kind of footwear, as any slippage can quickly become extremely dangerous in environments like the pool, a boat, a dock, and a wide variety of surfaces.

Just like with most shoes, you don’t want your feet bathing in its own perspiration. The same can be said for the water that will inevitably find its way inside your shoe easily if you completely submerge them.

For this reason, a water-sealed shoe will not work for the situations in which you would find yourself using a proper water shoe for. Let’s say you find yourself an adequately lightweight shoe that is extremely flexible, but the material that the upper is made of does not let the moisture from the inside escape effectively.

You will find yourself walking in a shoe filled with water, which is very inconvenient at the very least. This is why a water wicking or breathable shoe is just not good enough. You need ventilation and drainage.

A water shoe is more than just a shoe that you can wear under water. It’s a pair of shoes that you can efficiently use when getting involved in activities and sports near water. As you can probably guess by now, an efficient drainage system is paramount in order to achieve an efficient wear, especially if performing sports whether it’s practice or competition.

When we get into the water, some of it tends to make its way back with us stored in our shoes. This is one of the first things you want to prevent when using water shoes. The best water shoes are those that include a drainage system that clears your feet from any residual liquid once you’ve left the water.

There are two parameters that determine the quality of the draining capacity in a water shoe:

Effectiveness: We’ll refer to effectiveness as the ability of the drainage system to clear as much water as possible. In order to achieve an effective drain, it’s important that the perforations through which the water will escape are correctly placed in key areas of the shoe. If the draining channels were located on the upper foot. On the other hand, a channel system located in a lower position (underfoot level, for example) will make the water escape much more easily.

Speed: Speed, as you can probably guess, refers to the quickness with which the water will escape the shoe. The speed with which the shoe will drain the water will be determined by the size and amount of draining channels, as well as the materials of the shoe in general. This may make you think that bigger channels mean better, but in reality, the optimal size for these channels is similar to that of the drainage holes on the Crocs Classic.

Furthermore, the upper build of the shoe plays a big role in both the draining effectiveness and speed. A mesh-like material will make the shoe drain considerably faster, and it will also help ensure that as much water as possible exits the shoe.

Drainage Ports
These are holes either on the side of the sole or the bottom that allows water to flush out from the inside of the shoe.

Made of open mesh primarily
This means you will have a sole (preferably with drainage ports), but the rest of the shoe would be comprised of a permeable synthetic mesh upper to allow water to pass through.

Stay away from Leather
Leather naturally has water resistant properties, which will trap moisture inside the shoe. The only “water shoes” you should consider that are comprised of leather are those with a sandal design. Yes, there are some.

Moisture Wicking
This goes hand-in-hand with drainage and breathability, but is independent as wicking materials work by effectively pulling moisture away from the skin, outward. Even with proper drainage, your foot’s surface will still hold moisture. This is where wicking material comes into play. Fleece works well for moisture wicking, but materials such as cotton or wool are not effective in this regard as they hold water in, and do not allow it to evaporate easily.