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The 5 Best Women’s Water Shoes of 2024, Tested by PEOPLE

The DLGJPA Women's Water Shoes are so comfortable and dry lightning-fast

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Nov 7, 2024 - 04:07

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The 5 Best Women’s Water Shoes of 2024, Tested by PEOPLE

The DLGJPA Women's Water Shoes are so comfortable and dry lightning-fast

If you’re an avid summer traveler, you know the importance of a good pair of water shoes. They’re great for beach walks, potentially wet hikes, tent camping trips, and even water aerobics.

Experts Say

“Water shoes should drain and dry quickly, be very flexible to move with your foot, and have a good nonslip sole. They are a great added level of protection for swimming, crossing or wading in shallow or moving water… even playing in the sprinklers with little ones.” — Dr. Brad Schaeffer, board-certified podiatrist, foot surgeon at Central Park Sole, and star of TLC’s My Feet Are Killing Me

We tested 17 pairs of water shoes and chatted with experts to help guide you on your journey to your next pair of adventure-ready shoes. After testing water shoes on different terrains and in various activities, we evaluated each pair based on durability on wet and dry land, speed of drying, traction, comfort, and value.

Keep reading for the best water shoes that PEOPLE Tested.

Best Overall Water Shoes: Dlgjpa Women’s Quick-drying Water Shoes

Buy at Amazon.com

Star Qualities

Snug, comfortable fit
Anti-slip soles provide great traction
Whole shoe dried extremely quickly in testing
Lightweight upper

Red Flags

None we can think of

The DLGJPA water shoes look and feel like regular sneakers or walking shoes, but they dry in an instant after getting wet. They’re extremely comfortable and snug-fitting, so they’re great for walks and hikes. Plus, they protect your feet on sand and concrete, with excellent traction that allows you to walk on almost any terrain. And they’re great quality for the price — only $30 (and worth every penny).

Honestly, there’s nothing bad to say about these shoes. They’re stylish and functional and come in 32 colors to fit your fancy. The adjustable elastic was super easy to use, too — we just pulled, and they stayed in place throughout all of our activities in the ocean, on concrete, on the beach, and more. It’s safe to say that these are great shoes for anyone who spends any significant time outside, regardless of your terrain. If you need one pair of do-it-all water shoes, we really can’t recommend these enough.

Sizes: Women’s 6-11 | Material: Mesh and elastic upper, rubber sole | Weight: 7.05 ounces

Best Budget Water Shoes: Aleader Women's Mesh Slip-on Water Shoes

Buy at Amazon.com

Buy at Aleadergear.com

Star Qualities

Look and feel like athletic shoes
Able to handle different terrain
Bouncy midsole provides great shock absorption

Red Flags

Took longer to dry than others we tested

If you want your water shoes to double as everyday slip-on shoes, we don’t blame you — and we think the Aleader Women's Mesh Slip-Ons are not only cute, but practical (and totally budget-friendly). We loved the look and feel of these, which seem more like regular sneakers than water shoes. They were super comfortable, fit well, and seemed very well-made, especially for the price. What really made our experience with these shoes, though, was the comfortable, bouncy insole and high-traction outsole that made everything from swimming to running ultra comfortable.

The only big drawback was they seemed to dry slowly, and they held on to more water than other similar models we tested. Despite that shortcoming, this is still a great option, especially for the price. If your style leans sporty, these are an excellent choice.

Sizes: Women’s 6-11 | Material: Mesh upper, EVA sole | Weight: 7.05 ounces

Best Espadrille Water Shoes: Sea Star Beachwear Beachcomber Espadrille Water Shoe

Buy at Amazon.com

Buy at Seastarbeachwear.com

Star Qualities

Neoprene fabric means these dry incredibly fast
Fashion-forward design
Non-skid rubber soles

Red Flags

Considerably more expensive than others we tried

Some water shoes can even evoke a royal-approved style — case in point, the Sea Star Beachwear Espadrilles. These woven-accented water shoes don’t look like water shoes at all, meaning that they’re stylish enough to wear to dinner yet water-resistant enough for frolicking on the shoreline. The quick-drying upper material is made from neoprene, so they dried in a flash during testing. The fabric also pulled the water away from our skin while we wore them, which made the wear test that much more comfortable.

We found that the sturdy sole was great for walking on sand and pavement, but we don’t think that these should be your all-day-outdoor-activity shoe of choice (more like great beach shoes that you can wear in the water). The biggest downside is the price: since these are more of a specialty shoe, it feels extra-steep to splurge on them when they don’t have a ton of uses. Still, they’re so cute (and simply begging to be brought on your next beach vacay).

How They've Held Up

After six months of testing, we continue to be blown away by the appearance and performance of these shoes. They dry quickly and never irritated our ankles, even when we walked at a quick New York City pace. These are definitely a good pair to have in your suitcase if you’re planning to go to a beach with rocky shorelines, as the thick sole will keep you protected from the potentially jagged rocks below the sandy surface.

Sizes: Women’s 6-12 | Material: Neoprene upper, rubber sole | Weight: 1.5 pounds

Best Rubber Water Shoes: Merrell Women's Hydro Moc Water Shoe

Buy at Amazon.com

Buy at Zappos.com

Star Qualities

Water drains out effectively
Design makes it easy to shake out dirt and pebbles
Lightweight body is great for swimming

Red Flags

Open design not ideal for longer walks and hikes

First, the good: these shoes are great to walk in if your feet are dry. They keep out small rocks and sand and are very comfortable. We also found these to be great swimming shoes, as water poured out immediately (thanks, rubber!). They held their grip when we wore them while trying to exit a rocky river bed, which thankfully protected our feet from the bottom of a lake.

Now, the issue: if you’re doing a wet/dry combo activity — say, a hike where part of the walk is submerged in water and part is not — they don’t perform as well. When our foot was wet, it slid around in the shoe, a sensation that irritated our heels after a while. And as any open shoe like this does, this design doesn’t feel as protective as actual shoes or sneakers do, so they're not ideal for extended periods. At the end of the day, it really depends on what you’re using them for. However, if you find yourself drawn to the water, then they might just be the right shoe for you!

Sizes: Women’s 5-11 | Material: EVA rubber | Weight: 2 pounds

Best Sandal Water Shoes: Keen Women's SOLR High Performance Water Sandal

Buy at Amazon.com

Star Qualities

Odor-resistant
Bungee capture design keeps feet locked firmly in place
Machine-washable

Red Flags

Small rocks and pebbles were able to get in (but not many)

To us, these are the ideal water shoes. Start with the open structure of incredibly comfortable sandals which let some water out through the sides, then add quick-drying fabric (you can go from wet to dry in as little as 15 minutes). The rubber soles provide lots of arch support on different terrain (they’re great for rocky river beds, bottoms of lakes, and slippery submerged rocks), and feel similar to standard hiking shoes. They’re also machine-washable. That pretty much covers it, right?

We had two small complaints: the open sides did let pebbles, some sand, and other small rocks through, and the only way to get them out is to take the shoe fully off. And they’re not cheap, but we were very impressed with the quality, and felt they’ll last for several seasons. These run a bit large, so we’d suggest sizing a half-size down for the best fit.

How They've Held Up

Over six months of long-term wear, we found ourselves falling in love with these shoes' protective, reinforced toes that come in handy when chasing little ones or hiking. We found them comfortable over extended periods thanks to the EVA insole (even with our high arches). They were extremely easy to clean because of their water-friendly material, and they dried off quickly after a quick hose-down. (We also appreciated the odor-resistant fabric.)

Sizes: Women’s 5-12 | Material: Recycled plastic upper, rubber sole | Weight: 1.5 pounds

Add to Cart

All our recommended products go through rigorous testing in our NYC lab and at home, so while you’re shopping for women's water shoes, consider adding one of our other PEOPLE-Tested favorites to your cart.

What to Know About Water Shoes

Function

What will you use them for? For light strolls along the beach, a pair of flip-flops will suffice. “Water shoes, or aqua socks, are made to provide extra protection to keep your feet from cuts, bruises, and slipping in wet environments — fishing, boating, at the beach, even around pools, for example,” says Dr. Schaeffer. They’re not meant to be your official hiking shoes, but they’ll get the job done and keep you safe while your feet are submerged.

Jacqueline Sutera, DPM, a board-certified podiatrist, recommends water shoes with "fast-drying material, adjustability, comfortable insoles (preferably with an arch), and some openings for ventilation.” Our best overall pick, DLGJPA Women's Water Shoes, meets her shopping criteria.

Alternatively, if you just want a casual pair for walks on the beach, we love the Sea Star Beachwear Espadrille Water Shoe, which would also be great if you want something to take you from beach day to seaside dinner.

Weight

If you’ll be swimming in them frequently, look for a lighter-weight shoe, like the Aleader Women's Mesh Slip-On Water Shoes, which weigh around half a pound. On the other hand, shoes that are a bit heavier may be better for hikes, assuming the sole has good traction and the shoes don’t cause irritation against wet feet. Dr. Schaeffer points out that the lighter your pair is (and the material it’s made of — he suggests mesh, rubber, and natural fabrics), the less likely you are to develop blisters.

Ease of Cleaning

Machine-washable fabric is always a plus, especially if you're planning to hike in your water shoes. (We love the Keen SOLR Sandal for this reason!) Shoes that are solely rubber are easy to wipe down if they get muddy, too, like the Merrell Hydro Moc.

When to Buy

Summer products often go on sale in the off-season, so look for deals as peak beach season nears a close. It’s worth noting, however, that buying at the end of the season may mean there’s less selection.

Behind the Scenes

Terrain Test: We tested 17 pairs of women's water shoes by first taking them on four designated walks, each 30 minutes long (at least), to accurately evaluate each pair. We started with a dry land walk, where we got a sense of the support, comfort, and protection supplied by each shoe in a dry setting. In this walk, we experienced how the shoes felt on pavement, dry stones or pebbles, and dry sand, to fully judge each terrain.
Water Test: Then we moved on to the “wet walk.” Here we got to experience what each shoe felt like in the water. We accomplished this by walking in pools, lakes, rivers, oceans, or whatever wet area was safe and available to us.
Traction Test: The next walk was on textured wet ground like you’d encounter on a hike. In order to test the shoe’s protection, traction, grip, and durability, we tested these shoes on inclines, slippery surfaces, rocks, and more.
Combined Test: Afterward came another dry walk, but we timed this for right after our wet walk to get a feel for how these shoes would fare during a day of wet and dry activities.

We evaluated how our feet felt throughout all of these tests, whether the shoes fit snugly, were irritating, and if they dried and drained well. We considered everything and recorded our assessments for our writers to compile and analyze later. Taking it a step further, we tested several pairs of these shoes for up to six months and will continue to update this story with long-term insights.

Frequently asked Questions

Do water shoes need to be machine-washable?

Water shoes don’t need to be machine-washable, although it’s definitely a plus, especially if the shoe material is difficult to wipe off dirt by hand (like shoes that are solely made from rubber). Be sure to check that the manufacturer states the shoes are indeed machine-washable before putting them in the washer or dryer.

Are more expensive water shoes worth it?

It depends on how often you plan on wearing them, especially if you need a pair of water shoes that double as hiking boots, which may cost more money for that extra utility. The Keen SOLR Sandal is one of the most expensive water shoes on our list, but they were rated high for comfortability and dried quickly; they’re also machine-washable. If you’re looking for all of the above in a water shoe, it’s worth the steeper price.

Should I size up or down in my water shoes?

Water shoes are a little different than your average shoes, so they may fit a bit differently than your favorite pair of walking shoes. Dr. Sutera advises sticking to your normal size, and Dr. Schaeffer adds that you should look into the measurements and material used in the pair you’ve been eyeing.

“They are going to feel tighter when dry because you have to try them on with socks, but remember that our feet get slippery when they are wet, and if water is cold, they are going to contract a little, too,” he says. “You definitely don’t want to buy a pair that is too big.” He adds that you can even use your insoles in water shoes for a bit more stability, which several of his patients have done in the past.

Why Trust PEOPLE?

Sara Gaynes Levy is a freelance writer for PEOPLE, Real Simple, and InStyle, covering a range of topics within the lifestyle realm. For this piece, she analyzed the insights given by our real-world testers who wore several pairs of water shoes in different types of terrains and gave their honest thoughts and opinions on the products. Alyssa Brascia, a staff commerce writer at PEOPLE since 2022, updated this story with our testers’ long-term insights on standout pairs after six months of use (with more feedback on the rest of the products to come). She tapped board-certified podiatrist, foot surgeon at Central Park Sole, and star of My Feet Are Killing Me on TLC, Brad Schaeffer, and Jacqueline Sutera, DPM, a podiatrist at City Podiatry in New York City, for expert opinions on what makes or breaks a good pair of water shoes.

Our Expert Panel

Brad Schaeffer, DPM, is a board-certified podiatrist, foot surgeon at Central Park Sole, and star of My Feet Are Killing Me on TLC.
Jacqueline Sutera, DPM, is a podiatrist at City Podiatry in New York City.

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