8 Best Water Shoes of 2023, Reviewed by Experts

Jun 13, 2023

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Keep your feet comfortable and protected with these top-rated picks.

Heading to a waterfall, kayaking trip or a rocky beach? Water shoes can keep your feet comfortable and safe while engaging in some of your favorite activities. When it comes to picking out the right water shoes, there are a few things to consider aside from just fashion and fit. The right water shoes should be comfortable, lightweight, easy to get on and off and have a sturdy enough sole to protect your feet and provide a good grip. Finding a pick that works well for you can be as essential as finding a good swimsuit or beach towel. Whether you need some extra protection against hot sand and sharp shells, good traction while paddle-boarding or something comfortable enough to wear while hiking miles through wet terrain, these top picks can do it all.

The experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab regularly test all types of footwear, from hiking boots to walking shoes. To choose our favorites, we test a variety of shoes both in-Lab and at home with consumer testers, considering factors like durability, cushioning, comfort and specific brand claims (like how waterproof or moisture-wicking they may be). We also consider how well they hold up to cleaning, the grip and traction of the outsoles and more. Our picks for the best water shoes include products that earned high scores in our in-Lab and consumer tests, picks from brands we know and trust and popular shoes with five-star reviews.

After our picks, read on for more information on how to pick the right water shoes for you, how we choose our favorites and why you can trust Good Housekeeping. Looking for a few other essentials for your beach-bound trip? Check out our favorite sunscreens and sunglasses.

This pair of water shoes by Speedo earned our top spot for its versatility and design. Budget-friendly and easy to slip on and off, this shoe does everything you need when it comes to protecting your foot underwater and maintaining traction on wet ground. The sock-style construction doesn't require any shoe tying, making it great for those of all ages. (They're available in men's, women's and kids' sizes!) Like many other water shoes of this style, you can remove the insoles if you'd like to speed up their drying time. Online reviewers found them sturdy and comfortable and particularly liked that they can squish down to pack easily. Keep in mind that some reviewers found that they can be difficult to remove once they're wet since they stick to your feet like a second skin.

Size Range: Women's 5-11; Men's 7-14; Kids' 1, 3, 4, 6, 12 and 13

Nab these thin and minimal sport shoes for a wallet-friendly price. Since they're about as close as you can get to not wearing shoes while still having some protection, this pick is great for the pool. They have over 85,000 five-star reviews on Amazon, and online reviewers appreciate that they have fairly good traction, fit comfortably, dry quickly and feel extremely close to being barefoot. They did note, however, that getting the right fit can be a little bit tricky since they're not adjustable. Available in 44 colors and seven unisex sizes, you won't have any trouble finding the right styles and fit for the whole family.

They're also incredibly versatile, and online reviewers found them great for a variety of activities where you don't want to be barefoot (but hope to get pretty close) like kayaking, showering in a locker room and gardening.

Size Range: Unisex sizing equivalent to Women's 4-13.5; Men's 3-12

Land's End's classic sock-style design incorporates mesh side panels and an adjustable bungee cord on the heel for a comfortable, lightweight fit. According to the brand, the addition of mesh windows and vent holes in the footbed and sole help encourage drainage to keep them light and flexible both underwater and on land. Online reviewers particularly like the fit of these shoes, noting that the adjustable bungee cord helps keep them snug on all foot sizes. They also appreciated that these shoes dried quickly and felt sturdy and functional. A few noted that while somewhat anti-slip, the sole where the ball of your foot sits can be slippery on hard surfaces.

Size Range: Women's 6-11; Men's 8-13

Sports enthusiasts will appreciate these water shoes from Body Glove that protect your feet while still letting you engage in all your favorite activities from kayaking to snorkeling. Our testers liked that this pick was sturdier and offered a bit more support than other options. "It felt like a real shoe, and not like your typical water shoe," one shared. They also noticed that the design of this shoe, with stretch around the ankle, did a great job of keeping out small shells and rocks. The addition of laces allows you to adjust the fit and keep the shoes snug on your feet while engaging in more strenuous activities, but some reviewers noted they took a bit longer to get on than traditional slip-on water shoes. Overall, the thicker soles meant for exceptionally grippy bottoms that gave great traction, and easy-to-adjust laces meant this pick felt pretty close to a traditional sneaker.

Size Range: Women's 5-11; Men's 7-13

Want the freedom of a sandal with the protection of a closed-toe shoe? This water shoe by Keen has the best of both worlds, keeping your feet cool with an open sandal design while still protecting your toes when hiking or walking. We found that the outsoles offer great traction and a wider, more generous toe box to avoid cramping your toes. Online reviewers did note that since the heel strap is not elastic or adjustable, it can be more difficult to get the shoe on and off. Available in 23 colors, everyone in the family will be able to pick their favorite style. We appreciate the sturdy rubber soles that make it comfortable and easy to walk over just about any terrain. We also like that, while they're more substantial than many other water shoes, they're still machine washable and easy to clean.

Size Range: Women's 5-11; Men's 6-17

These closed-toe sneaker-style shoes by Salomon are great for hitting the trails and not letting a couple of streams slow you down. Since they cover almost all of your feet with a closed-toe design and mesh around the sides, they're a more protective style so you won't have to worry about cuts and scrapes from rocks or branches. We particularly like this brand for its sturdy hiking shoes and hiking boots, and its water shoe line is made with the same durability. "There's quality construction with a performance-centric design," explains Grace Wu, product reviews analyst in the Textiles, Paper & Apparel Lab. Available in three colors and men's and women's sizing (including half sizes), these shoes boast grippy rubber soles for a no-slip walk, a collapsable heel so you can easily slide them on, quick laces so they'll never come untied and an adjustable heel strap for optimal fit.

Size Range: Women's 5-11; Men's 7-14

Teva is a legendary sandal brand for a reason. These sandals ranked as one of our top picks for the best walking sandals thanks to their durable rubber outsoles, adjustable Velcro straps, sweat-wicking material and sturdy design. Our experts and testers both particularly liked how the contoured footbed helped support your arch and the bottom of the shoes had great traction on different terrains. The 14,300+ five-star reviews on Amazon certainly don't hurt, either. Some online reviewers did note the shoes sometimes needed a little bit of time to break in.

Whether you're planning on jumping into the lake for a quick swim or looking to hike a few miles, these shoes will help keep you comfortable through a bunch of different types of activities.

Size Range: Women's 5-12

Kids (and the whole family) will adore these popular shoes by Native. Not only do they come in a wide array of colors, but they are made in sizes for toddlers, kids and adults. Perfect for waterparks, pools, beaches and spray parks, these sturdy shoes will protect your feet while keeping them cool and stylish. "They're really sturdy and feel like a real shoe that you can wear on concrete," explains Marisa LaScala, Good Housekeeping's Senior Parenting and Relationships Editor. They're durable enough to hold up well over time so you won't have to keep buying new pairs every summer, plus they're cute and functional enough to work as regular shoes outside of the beach. Keep in mind: They're not as soft and stretchy as some other options and therefore take a bit of getting used to. They may not be a perfect fit for hiking or long walks.

Size Range: Women's 5-12; Men's 3-13; Kids' C4-J6

The experts at the Good Housekeeping Institute Textiles Lab test and vet all types of footwear, from your favorite socks to the best walking shoes, and of course the best water shoes. To evaluate water shoes, our analysts are constantly looking at new styles and shoes from popular brands with rave reviews. We consider things like how moisture-wicking and water-resistant shoes are, how durable they are, their cushioning, comfort level and more. We also test our shoes at home with consumer testers to get additional data on how well they perform day-to-day.

Before picking the right water shoes for you, here are a few things you may want to consider:

✔️ Style and Purpose: For those that are planning on engaging in a lot of active sports, opting for a more substantial sneaker-style water shoe may be a better fit. If you’re just looking for a shoe to easily slip on and off before you head to the beach, a sock-style water shoe can be just as effective. If you’re planning on wearing the shoes for hiking or walking, you’ll want something with a little more support and traction.

✔️ Durable materials: Since you’ll likely be wearing these shoes both in and out of the water, you’ll want to make sure that your shoes are made of durable materials so they won't fall apart during use.

✔️ Outsole traction: One of the most important things to consider when picking the right water shoes is great traction to help you avoid slipping and falling. Look out for options that have grippy rubber outsoles.

✔️ Fit: To find the right fit, make sure your toes aren't cramped while trying on the shoes. While many water shoes (especially sock-style shoes) may fit a bit differently than regular shoes, it's still important they’re snug so they don't slip off or cause blisters once they get wet.

Grace Wu is a textiles product review analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute. She oversees a variety of testing for the textiles team, including footwear-focused testing like hiking shoes and socks. Grace has a master's degree in materials science and engineering and a Bachelor of Science degree in fiber sciences from Cornell University.

To complete this guide, GH Institute analyst Jamie Spain worked with Grace to compile research and vet picks for the best water shoes.

Jamie (she/her) is a parenting and pets reviews analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute, where she spends her time testing, researching and writing about pet and family products. Prior to starting at GH in 2021, she worked at BuzzFeed and People, covering a combination of product reviews and lifestyle content. She's a graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism, with a bachelor's degree in journalism and psychology and a master's degree in journalism.

Grace Wu (she/her) is a product reviews analyst at the Good Housekeeping Institute's Textiles, Paper and Apparel Lab, where she evaluates fabric-based products using specialized equipment and consumer tester data. Prior to starting at Good Housekeeping in 2022, she earned a master of engineering in materials science and engineering and a bachelor of science in fiber science from Cornell University. While earning her degrees, Grace worked in research laboratories for smart textiles and nanotechnology and held internships at Open Style Lab and Rent the Runway.

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