The Best Water Shoes

What you see is what you get: The Speedo Surf Knit Pro shoes (men’s and women’s) are old-school water shoes, and we mean that in a good way. They’re protective and comfortable, with rubber soles and stretchy mesh uppers that make them easy to pull on and off.

These Speedo shoes won’t win any beauty contests, but they’re about as good-looking as you can hope for when it comes to this type of water shoe—and they’re just fine for grabbing burgers or a beer after a day at the lake, too.

They feel good on your feet. During our testing, we found these Speedo water shoes light and pleasant to wear, as their comfortable polyester-knit uppers had plenty of stretch. We’ve seen some online reviews claiming that they run small, but ours were true to size.

They have thick outsoles that we’re confident would protect our feet from rocky environments, though they still pack down easily for travel. The removable insoles are soft and prominently ribbed; to our testers, the insoles felt supportive but not bumpy.

They’re well made, especially for the price. The Speedo shoes’ stitching and materials have a high-quality feel. They aren’t as hardy as some of our other picks, such as the super-durable Astral Loyak Water Shoes, but they’re a decent value at less than $50.

They dry quickly. The Speedo shoes air-dried in 2 hours 30 minutes with their insoles removed—faster than most other mesh-style water shoes, excluding our cheaper pick, the DigiHero Water Shoes. For example, the Lands’ End Slip On pair we tested dried in 3 hours 45 minutes, while the knit Easy USA water shoes dried in 5 hours 10 minutes.

Flaws but not dealbreakers

• The Speedo shoes are about as attractive as a basic pair of knit water shoes can be, but they’re not versatile enough to wear to a wide range of post-aquatic hangs.

Shoe sizes: men’s 5 to 14, women’s 5 to 11
Color options: over 10 colors

If you don’t use water shoes often or have to stick to a tight budget, the DigiHero Water Shoes are a perfectly reasonable option. At around $12, these lightweight, flexible, quick-drying knit shoes cost a fraction of the price of our other picks. And they come in a wide array of colors and patterns, from black to neon prints.

These shoes are best for wearing in the water—they don’t provide much support, and they’re not great walking shoes—so be sure to bring along another, regular pair to change into afterward.

They’re portable and protective. The DigiHero shoes are comfortable and lightweight, thanks to their thin polyester construction (we’re guessing about the polyester part, since the company doesn’t specify). They also flatten out almost entirely, so they’re easy to pack.

During testing, their soles protected our feet from rocks and twigs, and the elastic around the ankles was snug enough to stop any errant objects from sneaking in.

They’re especially fast-drying. These shoes went from soaking wet to completely dry in 1 hour 45 minutes, faster than our other, pricier knit water shoe pick, the Speedo Surf Knit Pro pair. In fact, the only other pick that beat out the DigiHero shoes in this regard is the Crocs LiteRide 360 Pacer pair, which is made of a lightweight, non-absorbent foam material.

They’re better than similarly priced peers, but they’re still budget shoes. Compared with the two other pairs of nearly identical cheap water shoes we ordered from Amazon, the DigiHero shoes protected our feet better and dried faster. But their stretchy material took more time to bounce back into shape than that of more expensive shoes we tried, and we spotted some flyaway threads, indicating low-quality construction—not a shock, considering their price.

Also, we noticed some discrepancies between the images on the Amazon product page and the shoes we received. In the photo, the “black 2” shoes we ordered had a white logo, but the shoes we received had no logo or branding whatsoever (which we actually prefer). We ordered a second pair to be sure it wasn’t a fluke and again received the logo-free design. A decorative-print pair we ordered came exactly as advertised.

Flaws but not dealbreakers:

• As you might expect at this price, the quality of these shoes may be inconsistent. While their Amazon reviews at this writing are largely positive, with a rating of 4.3 stars (out of five) across more than 10,000 reviews, the one-star reviews cite various complaints, from the shoes’ being defective upon arrival to their immediately developing holes. And multiple reviewers say they received two left shoes. We didn’t have any issues with our three orders, but if you do, Amazon has a 30-day return policy.
• These shoes work well in the water, but they’re not the comfiest or the most supportive for walking on land, so if you want a shoe that excels at both, you may be better off with one of our other picks.

Shoe sizes: men’s 4½–5 to 11½–12½, women’s 5½–6 to 12½–13½
Color options: over a dozen colors

Unlike most water shoes, the Crocs LiteRide 360 Pacer shoes (men’s and women’s) look and feel like a regular pair of sneakers. So whether you’re traversing a tropical island beach (lucky you) or dipping your feet into a nearby creek, when you’re ready to return to dry land, you’ll blend right in.

Note that the LiteRide 360 Pacer is an updated version of our previous Crocs water-sneaker pick, the LiteRide Pacer.

They’re ultra-light. The body of the LiteRide 360 Pacer is made from EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate) foam, which is light, soft to the touch, and waterproof—these shoes weigh almost nothing, even when wet. Plus, they’re easy to slip on and off (the laces can’t be tightened, as they’re just for show), and in our tests they were comfortable right out of the box, with no break-in time required.

They’re the fastest-drying water shoes we recommend. In our tests, the LiteRide 360 Pacer pair took just 1 hour 15 minutes to go from soaking wet to bone dry. This is because their foam material doesn’t absorb water; they would have been dry even sooner, were it not for their fabric laces and tongue.

The uppers are well ventilated, with ample drainage holes at the toe and heel. However, the curious placement of those holes—at the tops of the shoes, rather than lower and on the sides, where gravity could do its thing—sometimes requires you to be an active participant in helping the water find its way to the nearest exit. When you’re wearing the shoes, that can mean kicking or tilting your feet; when you’re not, it’s giving them a brisk shake.

Keep in mind that you should only air-dry these shoes, as too much heat may cause their foam to shrink or warp.

They’re way cushier than most water shoes. The LiteRide 360 Pacer pair is far comfier than the average thin-soled water shoes or aqua socks. Their footbeds have a bubbled texture that makes them feel soft and bouncy, and their sturdy rubber outsoles provide extra support.

Flaws but not dealbreakers:

• These are essentially slip-on shoes with decorative laces, as you can’t tighten the laces to adjust the fit.
• Some reviewers have complained that these shoes cause blisters on the ankles and the sides of feet. We didn’t experience this issue, but if you’re between sizes, consider sizing up to avoid it.
• Because the drainage holes are concentrated at the top of the shoes (rather than low and on the sides), water tends to collect inside them. You’ll probably have to shake them out once you’re on dry land.

Shoe sizes: men’s 4 to 13, women’s 4 to 11
Color options: over a dozen colors

The Astral Loyak Water Shoes (men’s and women’s) aren’t really water shoes in the traditional sense—they’re more like wearable equipment for people with intrepid, water-adjacent lifestyles. These grippy, tough, and water-resistant canvas kicks are ideal for activities such as sailing, kayaking, white-water rafting, hiking across mixed terrain, and river walking. And since they look like regular lace-up shoes, you can walk them straight from the dock to dinner.

They’re long-haulers. The Astral Loyak shoes are built for heavy use, specifically made to be especially durable. And though they’re pricey, they should last a long time. Their craftsmanship is of high quality—we found tight stitching throughout—and they’re covered by a lifetime warranty.

They’re functional. These shoes are easy to pop on and off thanks to stretch mesh at the opening, and they provide a secure fit. Despite closely hugging our feet, the water-resistant canvas uppers didn’t rub against our feet or become painful.

They have a hard, durable outsole that is less cushioned than that of our Crocs water-sneaker pick but better suited to scrambling over sharp rocks, with plenty of traction and grip on the bottom.

They totally pass as “real” shoes. The Astral Loyak pair presents as standard, inoffensive casual lace-up shoes with mesh netting, angular stitching, and a prominent stitched logo. They’re available in a range of subdued color options (navy, cedar) that should appeal to a variety of tastes. They also come with a couple of different-color laces, so you can switch up the look.

They’re slower to dry than most water shoes but still comfy when wet. The canvas Astral Loyak shoes took 5 hours to dry—longer than any of our other picks. (Our Crocs water-sneakers pick dried in a quarter of the time.) They have two small holes on each side for drainage, as well as removable insoles.

That said, this pair stays comfortable when wet, as confirmed by many REI customers. And because you’d likely be wearing them in more-extreme circumstances, in contrast to any of the other shoes we recommend, it probably wouldn’t be a big deal if they stayed damp in between repeated river crossings.

Flaws but not dealbreakers:

• While the Astral Loyak shoes took far longer than our other picks to dry, requiring 5 hours, they remained comfy even when wet.
• These shoes don’t come in a huge range of sizes: Whereas most of our picks start at both men’s and women’s size 4, the Astral Loyak shoes begin at a men’s 8 and a women’s 6.
• Since they’re more like standard shoes, these shoes are clunkier and less portable than some of our other picks. If you don’t need a sturdy, grippy, water-resistant shoe, you may be better off with a more lightweight, standard water shoe.

Shoe sizes: men’s 8 to 13, women’s 6 to 11
Color options: six colors

The Sea Star Beachwear Beachcomber Espadrille was previously available in a men’s version, but Sea Star discontinued it and replaced it with the Men’s Mariner Slip-On. Like the Beachcomber Espadrille, it has a neoprene upper and a rubber sole, but it is a loafer rather than an espadrille. We have not tested this model.

The Sea Star Beachwear Women’s Beachcomber Espadrille is a water shoe for someone who doesn’t want to look like they’re wearing a water shoe. With espadrille styling (crocheted toe caps, jute-like soles), these shoes fly completely under the radar, except they’re fully waterproof, made from sleek neoprene uppers and rubber bottoms.

They’re the cutest water shoes we found. The Sea Star espadrilles look just like a pair of timeless summer slip-ons; their refined, versatile profile can pair with a wide range of outfits and silhouettes (shorts, tank dresses), and they come in a myriad of solid colors as well as some prints. But unlike with real espadrilles, you can frolic right into the waves without fear of ruining them forever.

They’re lightweight. The midsoles are made with EVA (ethylene-vinyl acetate) foam, which is soft on the foot and extremely light. The shoes’ grommets—hidden on the inside, right by the arches—circulate air and quickly drain water.

They’re not ideal for heavy-duty water sports. The Sea Star espadrilles are more suited to a beach day than a backpacking trip. Though they’re well made, they lack the hardcore stitching or secure lacing that would make them feel more sturdy and durable, so we wouldn’t put them through the wringer. Similarly, the bottom of the soles is lightly ridged to keep them from being overly slippery, but they’re far from rugged.

They dry pretty quickly—and don’t feel squishy when wet. The Sea Star shoes took 2 hours 20 minutes to dry, less time than most other water shoes we tested. Also, we found that their neoprene uppers (the same material as wetsuits are made from) remained soft and comfortable when wet—far less squishy and slick than many other water shoe materials.

They fit snugly and run small. We didn’t find our Sea Star shoes difficult to get on and off, and the band around their openings loosened up a bit over the few weeks of our testing, but they’re not as quick or easy to don as some other styles, such as the Speedo Surf Knit Pro pair. Some online reviewers have complained that these shoes have an overly snug fit and can be particularly uncomfortable around the heels. We’ve also seen multiple comments about the Sea Star shoes running small; since they come only in full sizes, we recommend sizing up.

Flaws but not dealbreakers:

• Because the Sea Star shoes fit too snugly for some people’s tastes (especially around the heel area) and run on the smaller side, we suggest ordering one size up.
• These shoes aren’t as easy or fast to slip on and off as some of our other picks.
• These shoes typically cost more than $100, but to our disappointment, they aren’t covered by a warranty and have only a 30-day return window when you purchase them directly from the Sea Star website (which has a vague “Please notify us immediately ... if items appear to be damaged” notice).

Shoe sizes: women’s 6 to 12
Color options: nine colors

If you want comfy, well-priced water shoes with an adjustable heel fit (and if you can tolerate a slow drying time): The Lands’ End Slip On Water Shoes (men’s and women’s) are comfortable, a good value, and—thanks to a drawstring bungee cord that you can secure at each heel—easier to fit if you’re between sizes. You’ll have to look past the 4 hours it took for their jersey and mesh uppers to dry in our tests, though.

If you want a pair of cute and extremely quick-drying water shoes made from EVA foam: The attractive Native Shoes Miles slip-ons dried completely in just one hour—faster than any other water shoes we tested. (We also like that the company offers a free recycling program for customers to send in their retired shoes.) But we found the material to be stiff-feeling, even though we’ve heard plenty of folks praise Native shoes specifically for their comfort. This style runs short but wide, so we recommend sizing up.

If you want attractive, sneaker-style water shoes with a drawstring closure: The Xtratuf Riptide Water Shoes (men’s and women’s) are good-looking and low-profile—a bit like a sneaker and Top-Sider hybrid. They have breathable mesh uppers and would look and feel at home in a variety of water sports and activities, but they’re not as durable as our pick that ticks the same box, the Astral Loyak Water Shoes.

To find the best water shoes, we began by scouring social feeds, customer reviews, and best-seller lists on various websites. For the first edition of this guide, we researched 76 different pairs in men’s, women’s, and unisex sizes across a variety of styles, considering size ranges, availability, price, color options, and overall aesthetics. We cut any shoes that we considered ugly, came in limited sizes, or had terrible reviews.

This process left us with 15 pairs of water shoes to try out in person. The first author of this guide ordered each pair of shoes in his regular size, men’s 11, and wore them for a day of dry testing and then a day of wet testing in Brooklyn, New York.

For a later update to this guide, we tested the Crocs LiteRide 360 Pacer pair, which is the updated model of our previous Crocs water-sneaker pick.

Throughout testing, we looked for the following criteria:

Protectiveness: We wore the water shoes, wet, around Prospect Park in Brooklyn, walking over rocks and uneven ground.

Comfort: We paid close attention to how comfortable the shoes were. What did it feel like to slip them on and off? Did they retain water and drag our feet down, or did they drain seamlessly? We also made sure to note how aggressively the shoes squished and squelched.

Drying time: We wet the shoes completely under a faucet and then left them out to dry in the sun, setting a timer and checking the shoes for dryness every 15 minutes.

Style: We assessed the shoes’ overall aesthetics. Did they have a water-specific look? Would we be comfortable wearing these to a restaurant or bar? Ideally, we wanted understated water shoes that were available in several different color options.

Inclusivity: We prioritized water shoes that came in a wide range of sizes, and we made sure to include options that would be easy to slide on, forgoing straps, buckles, or ties.

Price: We focused on water shoes in the $40 to $60 range, since that seemed to be the sweet spot for getting a pair that could deliver both style and function, but we also included some higher- and lower-priced options.

The Barerun Barefoot Quick Dry Water Sports Shoes and the Vifuur Water Sports Shoes looked almost identical to our cheapest pick in this guide, the DigiHero Water Shoes. They’re all generic knit slip-ons from Amazon, with tens of thousands of positive customer reviews. But the Barerun and Vifuur pairs took 35 minutes longer to dry than the DigiHero shoes, and unlike the DigiHero pair, they didn’t come with a reusable zippered bag.

The knit Easy USA Water Shoes (men’s and women’s) seemed poorly constructed, with threads coming loose after a single wear. They were also unattractive and took forever to dry, requiring 5 hours 10 minutes.

The Mayzero Water Shoes had drawstring closures with no end caps, causing the slide toggles to pop off during testing.

The North Face’s lace-up mesh Skagit Water Shoes (men’s and women’s) performed well in testing—they were comfortable and dried in a quick 2 hours 30 minutes. But they’re most comparable to the Astral Loyak Water Shoes, which are a little cheaper and have a better and tighter fastening system.

Justin Krajeski contributed reporting to this guide. This article was edited by Ingela Ratledge Amundson and Jennifer Hunter.