15 Best Water Shoes for Women
The onset of warmer weather means more opportunities to spend time outside — and that includes water excursions like swimming, surfing, boating, or tubing. But as fun as those activities are, you’ll want to be sure you’re protecting your feet whenever you find yourself out on the water. And that’s where water shoes come in, which are equipped to protect your feet from the likes of sand, shells, rocks, waves, and nearly everything in between.
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15 best (and stylish) water shoes for women
Water shoes come in a variety of shapes and styles to accommodate your preferences and/or whatever activities you have planned. Whether you need a sturdy option for making your way across a creek, or a stylish pair that can be worn for an evening out, we’ve got you covered with our list of the 15 best water shoes for travel.
1. Best overall water shoe: Crosskix Tetra Closed Toe Dri-Fit Water Shoe
Crosskix’s Tetra Closed Toe Dri-Fit Water Shoe is designed to provide unmatched comfort, versatility, and performance for active individuals. These innovative shoes are constructed with lightweight, breathable materials, allowing for maximum airflow and moisture-wicking to keep your feet cool and dry. With their unique one-piece construction, customizable fit, and slip-resistant outsole, the Women's Tetra Shoes are perfect for a wide range of activities, from water sports and outdoor adventures to casual everyday wear.
Price: starting at $100
Read our full review of Crosskix’s Tetra Closed Toe Dri-Fit Shoe here.
2. Best affordable water shoe: ANLUKE Barefoot Aqua Socks
These aqua socks from ANLUKE are made of lightweight, yet durable materials that’ll support your feet while you’re out enjoying the water. They come with anti-slip soles, breathable insoles, and shock absorption performance for added comfort. They’re also quick-drying and have a smooth, sleek design that helps prevent chafing and makes them easy to pack.
Price: starting at $14
3. Best stylish water shoe: Sea Star Beachwear Espadrille Flat
This pick from Sea Star Beachwear is so stylish, it’s hard to tell it’s even a water shoe. The classic espadrille has been re-imagined in a water-friendly, neoprene flat that’s ready to join you for an aquatic outing — though it’s probably best suited for a pool, a beach, or a boat. Choose from several fun and summery colors that’ll make a nice complement to your travel wardrobe.
Price: starting at $25
4. Best lightweight water shoe: Aleader Women's Water Shoes
These water shoes from Aleader are about as lightweight as it gets, thanks to their air mesh upper and breezy midsole with exceptional bounce-back and durability. In addition, their outsole is specifically designed for water drainage and superior traction. But although these shoes have solid construction, they’re still flexible enough to accompany you anywhere you want to go.
Price: starting at $30
5. Best sandal water shoe: TEVA Casual Sport Sandal
It’s pretty hard to go wrong with TEVA sandals, since they’re known for being incredibly durable but comfortable enough for all-day wear. This casual sport sandal has a water-ready polyester upper that dries quickly when wet, plus an easy hook-and-loop closure to get just the right fit. Wear these sandals while you’re fishing, tubing, boating, or even biking on a rainy day.
Price: starting at $47
6. Best sneaker water shoe: Ryka Hydro Sport 2-W
These sneakers from Ryka are versatile, functional, and come with tons of impressive details that’ll help you out on the water. This design has a compression-molded EVA foam with multiple drainage ports, a webbed midfoot cage for lateral support, and a highly flexible outsole for better traction on wet ground. It’s safe to say these shoes are an upgrade from your typical trainers.
Price: starting at $70
7. Best hiking water shoe: KEEN SOLR Closed Toe Water Sandal
While these shoes from KEEN are technically a water sandal, many of its features are similar to a hiking boot. This style is high-performance where it counts — it has a plastic webbing that is water- and abrasion-resistant, as well as a quick-dry lining for active use. Plus, there’s an EVA midsole for enhanced cushioning, and a special outsole for maximum grip on slippery terrain.
Price: starting at $66
8. Best slip-on water shoe: L-RUN Barefoot Water Shoes
If you want to opt out of tying your shoelaces (or eliminate the risk of tripping over them), then these barefoot water shoes from L-RUN would make a great choice. These slip-ons are made from lightweight, breathable Lycra materials, and are equipped with cross ventilation, durable soles, and a ‘honeycomb’ insole to protect your feet against rocky surfaces. Pair it with a rash guard and you’ll be prepared for a full day of adventure in the sun.
Price: starting at $33
9. Best quick-drying water shoe: SIMARI Quick-Dry Water Shoes
Rest assured that pretty much every style on our list is quick-drying, considering that’s sort of the hallmark of a good water shoe. Still, we love this pick from SIMARI for its upper mesh material — with added elastic — that’ll fit as snug as your favorite socks. These shoes are also super breathable for a quick-dry experience that pairs well surfing, sailing, kayaking, and more.
Price: starting at $24
10. Best antimicrobial water shoe: JBU Mermaid III Water Sandal
This streamlined design from JBU is the ideal accessory for your favorite water sports. That’s because these shoes are treated with an antimicrobial coating that’ll prevent odors from forming as you toggle between wet and dry environments. What’s more, this pick is also made using vegan materials — i.e. a quick-drying, water-shedding neoprene that has a sock-like fit.
Price: starting at $20
11. Best non-slip water shoe: Merrell Waterpro Pandi 2
Merrell’s Waterpro Pandi 2 has all the durability you need for hiking wet trails or wading through a creek. These shoes are highly breathable and feature a Vibram® sole for non-slip traction in any and all conditions. They also have a special cushion in the heel to absorb shock (and add stability), as well as a nylon mesh lining to control moisture and keep your feet nice and dry.
Price: starting at $90
12. Best adjustable water shoe: DOUSSPRT Women's Water Shoes
Adjustable features are super handy on any type of footwear, but they’re especially nice for shoes you plan on getting wet. This design from DOUSSPRT has an elastic shoelace that makes it easy to adjust their tightness and prevent them from slipping off your feet. Plus, their mesh upper provides better drainage and improved flexibility for comfort you can count on.
Price: starting at $16
13. Best supportive water shoe: Astral Loyak Minimalist Sneakers
If you need solid arch support from your water shoes, these sneakers from Astral might be just the thing. They have a level footbed that promotes balance and provides medium arch support for better agility in (and out) of the water. Other notable features include the grippy rubber outsole, drainage holes at the front and back, and wide toe box for enhanced stability.
Price: starting at $90
14. Best slingback water shoe: REEF Water Vista
How cute are these slingback sandals from REEF? Aside from being aesthetically pleasing, these shoes have water-friendly straps (with an espadrille texture) to ensure they dry quickly if/when they do get wet. There’s also a dual density footbed to boost your stride, a hard outsole that’ll stand up to all kinds of terrain, and a velcro backstrap to help you secure the perfect fit.
Price: starting at $50
15. Best comfort water shoe: Chaco Mega Z/Cloud
We couldn’t leave Chaco off our list of the best water shoes, considering they’re such a noted leader in outdoor footwear. Their Mega Z/Cloud sandal is definitely a classic style, due in large part to its Cloud cushioning that’s been designed for active comfort. These shoes are also optimized for wet traction, meaning they’re ready for whatever water activities you dive into.
Price: starting at $100
FAQs about water shoes
Do any water shoes have arch support?
These days, water shoes are equipped with a number of technical features to help you tackle all different sorts of terrain. These features include things like proper arch support, underfoot traction, and water venting or drainage to keep your feet dry as you’re on the go.
How much should I spend on water shoes?
While you can find quality water shoes for under $20, name brand footwear usually runs between $75 and $100. In that way, there are water shoes out there to satisfy every budget.
What are the best hiking water shoes for women?
KEEN makes some of the best hiking water shoes for women, specifically their SOLR High Performance Sandal. This shoe has a water- and abrasion-resistant webbing, an EVA midsole for enhanced cushioning, and a special outsole for maximum grip on slippery surfaces.