The Best Water Shoes for Women of 2024

One of the best aspects of the DLGJPA Women’s Leisure Sport Shoes ($30) is the low price tag. This water-specific shoe quickly drains water and boasts a flexible construction with a foam sole. But it’s not the highest-quality shoe we’ve ever worn. If lost in the ocean or river (as we all know happens sometimes), it won’t be heartbreaking (or break the bank, either), as these shoes already have a short lifespan.

We hiked along a sandy shoreline for our first outing in these shoes. The DLGJPA is easy to slip on and adjust snugly to the foot. A unique feature of these shoes is that the sole drains via small holes throughout the bottom of the shoe. No other shoe had this feature, so we were not surprised that the DLGJPAs were the quickest to drain compared to the others on the list. (Putting the shoes in the sand was also a bit of a goofy experience, as the sand just drains straight through the holes).

Despite minimal material used in construction, the material did not dry quickly (nor does the product website state what specific materials comprise the upper). In our hour-long comparison test of dry times, the DLGJPA ranked in the bottom four next to the more sneaker-like shoes: Astral Brewess 2.0, Astral Loyak W’s, and Teva Women’s Outflow Universal Sandal.

A peculiar aspect of the DLGJPA is the mesh pattern, which imprinted on our tester’s foot after just a short duration of wear. This happened during a short hike along a sandy shoreline. Though it wasn’t a dealbreaker, while wearing shoes over a longer period of time (specifically, on a 3-mile hike along a creek in the Pacific Northwest) we began to notice some discomfort from the material on the upper. The shoe base also did not provide enough support for our tester’s arches, which led to achy feet. 

While we wouldn’t anticipate a pair of the DLGJPA Women’s Leisure Sport Shoes to last for years to come — if you’re on a budget and need a pair of shoes for a holiday to a waterpark or light use on a tropical vacation, these would be easy to stuff into a suitcase to do the trick. They’re flexible, low profile, and get the job done.

The Astral Brewess 2.0 ($125) is a versatile water shoe with a sneaker-like design made by Astral Designs, a reliable and popular brand with whitewater enthusiasts. These shoes are made specifically with river activities in mind and are an excellent choice for rafting, kayaking, and SUPing from hot temperatures in the Colorado River to the cold glacier-fed White Salmon River. Design-wise, the Brewess 2.0 offers a quick-drain system, 3D air mesh to reduce sandy feet, and a step-down heel for easy foot entry.

Our thorough test of the Astral Brewess 2.0 began during an overnight rafting trip down Ruby-Horsethief, a scenic section on the Colorado River. Our crew battled less-than-ideal March weather conditions in the high desert, and we encountered freezing temperatures, torrential rainfall, and sporadic bursts of sunshine throughout the journey.

These shoes held up well on the trip through the mud, cold, and rain. Despite the harsh environment, they rinsed off quickly and didn’t have any notable signs of wear. We also found that the Brewess 2.0 fits well with socks, without socks, or with a drysuit/sock combo. This versatility is a crucial feature we look for in a water shoe because, in colder climates, it’s common to layer up.

There were some drawbacks, as these shoes did not dry out overnight. While the problem was exacerbated by the weather, in the later quick dry test under the hot desert sun, the Brewess 2.0 tied for last place with the Teva Women’s Outflow Universal Sandal.

Since the overnight rafting trip, our tester has been wearing the Brewess 2.0 as one of the shoes she swaps in and out of while commercial raft guiding. Despite being in the immediate sun, they continue to struggle with quickly drying. If the shoes are wet, it’s highly highly highly recommended not to leave them inside a car or else they will begin to smell – they need time outside to air dry.

Regardless, due to their versatility off the river, and how they can visually pass as regular sneakers, the Astral Brewess 2.0 has become our tester’s regular shoes for whitewater kayaking and other river sports in cold and hot temperatures. In a testament to their versatility, they’re also hardy shoes for hiking, traveling, or wandering around town.

Cute as a button is how our tester described the colorful Xtratuf Women’s Kiata Drift Sneaker ($115), a delightful turquoise and pink shoe design that contrasts the typical waterproof rubber boots Xtratuf is known for. Thanks to the upper’s unique, flexible, and unlined fabric, the shoe fits like a glove and slides on easily.

We first took these shoes out in the dry shrublands in Nevada, working long days in the backcountry, which is quite devoid of water (unfortunately). They held up as hiking, walking, and running shoes, proving support and comfort to our feet, but since Nevada isn’t known for its water features, we quickly jumped ship and headed north to the Pacific Northwest.

There, the Kiatas began to show some issues with athletic performance. While the shoes fit snugly with socks, once the upper material stretches out, it doesn’t snatch back up (even when dunked in water). Part of that problem could be the lace system design itself — the placement of the threading doesn’t seem wide enough, with no extension to the sides of the foot. The other issue is that the eyelets have a lot of friction against the laces themselves — so a tug on the laces doesn’t extend to the full length of the threading.

The fabric used in the upper construction is a textile fly knit mixed with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU), which can best be described as some sort of soft, thin-woven yarn mix. While we aren’t able to create the same conditions to include the Kiatas in the quick dry ranking list, after leaving them out in the summer sun for less than an hour, they were surprisingly dry (significantly more so than the Astral Brewess or Teva Outflows, the other sneaker-like water shoes in that same timeframe).

Overall, we felt they drained at a moderate rate compared to the other shoes. Water didn’t get stuck in the shoe, a problem we saw with other thickly-soled water shoes.

Regardless, we love the Kiatas and are excited to see what Xtratuf thinks of next. We’d best describe the Kiatas as hiking shoes that can definitely get wet thanks to their unlined quick-drying fabric, but we will likely use these more on drier trails. They find their stride without socks – providing all-day foot comfort while looking stylish on the trails.

The Astral Loyak W’s ($95) is a fashionable, low-profile footwear option that seamlessly blends into any occasion — from a day outside to a social hour at night. These shoes are great whether you’re on a sailboat, wading through small creeks, or traveling through countries from adventure to adventure.

While our tester doesn’t have the luxury of owning a sailboat, she can’t help but envision how great these shoes would look on them. The Loyaks’ real-world testing took place on hikes on the muddy trails in the Pacific Northwest. With cold feet and wet socks, the shoes turned the color of dirt, so perhaps that was a less-than-ideal situation for the Loyaks.

Along a warm desert river, these shoes worked much better, however, after months of testing the once-white shoes, they are now a permanent shade of gray. Friends are surprised to hear they started with a crisp white color.

We enjoyed the Loyaks while traveling on road trips. The low profile is comfortable with breathable fabric for a very extended time. We noted that they held up on a 15-hour road trip from Ft. Collins, Colo., to Marfa, Texas. The stylish versatility of the shoes makes it easy to change from travel clothing to normal clothing without needing a change in footwear. While the shoes don’t have a strong amount of foot support (a trade-off for how lightweight they are), they’ve proven to be a great daily driver.

In the quick dry and drainage test, these ranked mid-pack with no significant results. Nevertheless, there are still lots of positive aspects about the design that make our tester keep wearing the pair. The Loyak is bendy and compressional, which makes it easy to squeeze into the last couple of open spaces in a travel bag or suitcase. The shoe is also stylish and available in colors beyond white.

While these shoes are charming, they lack the ruggedness and durability required for more demanding environments and outdoor pursuits. While Emma was scouting a rapid in her Loyaks, the water caused her feet to slip around from the wet rubber insole. She tied the laces tighter, which helped a bit, but is hesitant to continue using them for river-specific activities.

Another thing to note is that the Loyaks do not offer half sizes. If you’re a half size, we recommend sizing up if you plan to wear socks or size down if you’re going barefoot. These shoes are not compatible with a dry suit or neoprene socks and aren’t generally recommended for hardshell kayaking (but might be a good option for a small old-school playboat in which you’ll either wear low-profile shoes or go barefoot).

Despite these considerations, the Astral Loyaks find their niche in casual settings. A night out dancing? Walking down a boardwalk? A 15-hour road trip? These shoes are a cute addition to any outfit. We highly recommend looking elsewhere for more supportive shoes for burlier outdoor adventures.

The Merrell Women’s Hydro Moc ($60) reminds us of those hairless cats — so strange-looking that they’re kind of cute. Crafted as a comfortable slip-on, the Hydro Moc is constructed from lightweight foam and has a locked-in heel design that makes it perfect for wearing 24/7.

Our tester’s initial experience with the shoes left a lasting impression, to say the least. So much so that she wore these shoes for consecutive days without wanting to switch out for another pair. Sitting in a coffee shop? They’re fabulous. Walking down the block to the post office? They’re a crowd pleaser. Even on short walks in the park, the Hydro Moc makes its mark. They’re comfortable, easy to put on, and, due to their unique holes, were quite the topic of conversation among friends and strangers.

The thoughtful design of the Hydro Moc includes a convenient foam heel strap that makes it easy to take the shoes off and on and secures the foot in place. However, the additional heel piece means the shoes are always in “sport” mode without a convenient way to slip them on like clogs.

These shoes are comfortable because of the unique combo of materials used to make them. The Hydro Moc utilizes BLOOM Performance Foam, an algae biomaterial, and EVA foam (often seen in yoga mat materials) to create the shoe. This combination ensures a comfortable fit that’s quick-drying since the material does not absorb water.

Emma, our lead tester, even ran around town in the pouring rain with the Hydro Moc. While she was initially concerned that the holes would lead to wet socks, she stayed dry walking from the car to the store a couple of times. (Just watch out for puddles, since socks will immediately get wet.) However, if she were outside for a significant amount of time, the story might differ.

Our tester also brought the Hydro Moc on an overnight rafting trip as day sandals, and they slayed. They were super quick to dry and clean, easy to squish into the drybag, and stayed on her feet with no problem. A downside is these shoes are not meant for swimming, as they fall off in record time once you enter the water.

Overall, the Hydro Moc shines for short walks, errands around town, or relaxing around the house. They work well with or without socks, are lightweight and squishable, and are easy to clean off. For more intense outdoor activities, even if there’s a hike with loose rocks on a path, there are many better options than these shoes. The Hydro Moc is meant for casual, not climbing mountains.

With a snug and comfortable fit, the Xero Shoes Aqua X Sport ($130) is a unique low-profile water shoe ideal for someone looking for a pair of “barefoot shoes.” These are flexible, bendy shoes meant to move harmoniously with your foot’s natural curves.

When our tester opened the box, she had reservations about the Aqua X Sport. This was an unknown brand, and the shoes seemed minimalist in both coverage and foot protection. She changed her mind after one hike in the Aqua X Sport shoes. The design immediately fit snugly and comfortably against her feet with one point of adjustment — the quick lace system, which worked great to snatch up the foot shape.

The low-profile design made it easy to squish the pair in a backpack and contributed to the overall lightweight design. These were also the third fastest in the quick dry test, just behind the Techamphibian 5, which has a similar snug-fitting, high-performance design.

In the drainage test, these ranked in the middle of the pack. But, while wearing the shoes through the creek, the tight fit prevented water from getting into the shoe, which was a welcome change of pace compared to other bulkier shoes we tested.

While our tester wouldn’t categorize herself as a dedicated runner, she noticed that these shoes worked great for trail running. Generally, she uses shoes that offer more support, so this was her first experience with “barefoot shoes.” While we can’t speak to the long-term differences between using these barefoot shoes versus regular runners, it will be an exciting endeavor to continue trying these shoes out on soft trails.

On the downside, the small toebox on the shoe gave our tester some difficulties due to some toe deformities thanks to her ski boots, worn almost daily in the winter. The tightness of the design led to some blistering of the toes, which stuck out more, an average, a bummer, since it’s otherwise a stellar shoe.

The Xero Shoes Aqua X Sport are great for someone looking for a high-performance, low-profile design for low-impact hikes, jogs, and trail runs. From their snug fit to quick-drying capabilities, the Aqua X Sport would be a great addition to any quiver of shoes.

Upon first sight, the NRS Women’s Kicker Wetshoe ($58) is a familiar pair of water shoes. The design is completely specialized for running rivers in a raft, kayak, or canoe — and not at all versatile for hiking on trails or walking. They pair well with a dry suit or wetsuit, and thanks to the cushy, comfy neoprene, socks are optional.

We threw on the shoes for a quick dip in the pool-like desert creeks outside of Moab. While our feet stayed warm thanks to the 3mm-thin neoprene insulation (no other pair of shoes on the buyer’s guide is made from neoprene!), the shoes weighed even heavier when wet, as the fabric absorbs water. Is it possible to swim in the shoes? Yes. Is it enjoyable? Not so much.

The Kicker Wetshoe is easy to slip on, with Velcro straps allowing the user to tighten it quickly. But there will be some wiggle room, especially without socks or a dry suit. This extra space is a partial reason why the shoe is difficult to hike around and leads to some discomfort. The other reason is likely due to the lack of foot support in the design.

Thus, they don’t perform well on hikes, walks, or burlier portages on the river. While the shoes have a low-profile design, they weigh a pound and can drag down the feet while swimming. When wet, the neoprene insulation provides warmth — a contrast to the many other water shoes tested in the cold Pacific Northwest.

When we tested which shoes dried the fastest, the Kicker Wetshoe won by a landslide and was completely dry in the direct desert sun within a half-hour. However, if not given time to dry and thrown directly into the back of a car or bag, the neoprene bag held on to a wet-dog mildew-type smell.

Our tester has raft-guided and been around whitewater for some time and recognized these shoes as the “booties” given to customers to wear down the river. They last a long time, and she can speak highly of their durability from years of professional use.

While the shoe excels at day trips for aquatic activities, there are better options for multisport adventures (or even walking around town). Our tester is a true size 8, and these shoes ran a little big on her, making walking awkward.

For someone with limited space in the different variety of shoe options she can bring with her, the NRS Women’s Kicker Wetshoe wouldn’t quite make the cut. This product is best for day trips on the river or a lake.

Fun! Xtratuf is diversifying its shoewear line-up with the Riptide Sandal ($55), a one-piece foamy slip-on sneaker. While the holey design of the construction might be a familiar sight (look at the Hydro Mocs), the tighter fit and toebox of the Riptide means these shoes will stay on your feet better than their similar counterparts during casual creek crossings.

Constructed out of BioLite foam, the material boasts that it is more eco-friendly than regular EVA foam. We couldn’t find additional information on the BioLite textile other than on Xtratuf’s website, which states that the shoes will break down in a bioreactor landfill. According to the EPA, this type of landfill uses a liquid that helps bacteria break down waste — luckily, this means the shoes won’t randomly begin to decompose if left outside.

We first decided to wear these shoes on a short hike, where they proved themselves to be an easy and comfortable fit. The design is well-thought-out to keep the shoes on the feet, but these likely won’t be a pair we take while on the river with strong currents (otherwise, they might be floating downstream without us).

Xtratuf is known for its fishing-friendly shoes, which are popular in Alaska, especially on summer fishing boats. We theorize that the Riptides are meant to be breathable, easy-to-slip-on shoes during boat downtime. Again, we do not own a boat to test this theory, but we can imagine these would do just the trick as an extension of the iconic Xtratuf rubber boot line. The rubber is grippy, wet, or dry, and the material is water-resistant, meaning it repels, unlike other materials used in shoe construction.

The Riptides are best used in more casual, downtime settings—from a quick hike with a creek crossing to road-tripping up the coast or just to let your feet relax (and breathe) after a hard day’s work.

With the KEEN Women’s Hyperport H2 Sandal ($120), we were keen to get that spicy pink camo print out of the box and tested in our outdoor adventures. The hybrid sandal design brings the best of both worlds: A supportive sole with closed-toe construction like a typical sneaker water shoe and breathable open construction of the upper, in tune with a sandal.

We sent our tester stand-up paddle boarding down the Deschutes River in Bend, Ore., as the first outing for the Hyperport. The shoe is easy to slip on, so we wanted to test just how well they stayed on in light river currents. We also wanted to gauge just how quickly the polyester webbing dried in comparison to the other water shoes (though we are unable to replicate the conditions of the first quick dry test) and if the outsoles continued to maintain friction while wet.

The Hyperports started out strong, allowing for an easy grip on the SUP board while moving in casual current downstream. While there are many holes in the construction, no small peddles or rocks got into our tester’s shoes, however, the same can’t be said about sand. There was a lot of sand in the shoes.

It was difficult to gauge just how quickly the polyester webbing dried, as the shoe is mostly rubber. After an hour in the evening sun, the fabric was still wet, but the impact was more minimal than that of a sneaker-like design, as it doesn’t fully encapsulate the foot.

Now, we all know the saying that beauty is in the eyes of the beholder, and our tester noted that in her eyes, these shoes weren’t quite the style she was looking for. The pink camouflage color (called Nostalgia Rose) sticks out like a sore thumb in casual settings and against most outfits, though by the water, they blend in quite a bit better.

That being said, the KEEN Hyperport thrives in most river activities like short hikes through creeks or to waterfalls where you need a bit of extra shoe grip. They’re also ideal for hanging around the house where nobody else will see the shoes since, regardless of looks, they are quite comfortable.

Out of all the water shoes featured, the Teva Women’s Outflow Universal Sandal ($110) stands out for the greatest sole support, characterized by thick rubber at the base. While the shoe’s design is cute, the overall experience left much to be desired from an athletic water shoe.

This shoe offers an appealing design complimented by modern, chic color options. The grippy rubber sole provides the necessary traction for navigating across the rocky and dirt terrain along the trails of the desert southwest … or just to the grocery store. While not quite as grippy or lightweight as a climbing shoe, the shoes handle the sandstone without a hitch, but that’s about where the positive aspects end.

However, we found three major design flaws that created significant drawbacks in the Teva Women’s Outflow Universal Sandal.

One of those is the Velcro straps, meant to create a tight fit around the foot. Each shoe uses three straps (two on the front and one encircling the heel), but our tester could not tighten any of them enough to fit her foot shape. If she had sized down, the shoe would be too small and cramp her toes. 

Secondly, the shoes performed poorly in terms of drying capabilities. They tied for last in the quick dry test with the Astral Brewess 2.0. An hour in, there were still puddles of water on the rubber sole of the shoe. The upper mesh was also still wet to the touch.

Lastly, in the drainage test, the Teva Women’s Outflow Universal Sandals scored in the bottom three, only slightly better than the Astral Brewess 2.0. The nonabsorbent nature of the rubber material led to increased water sloshing within the shoe. That same rubber material is bulky, heavy, and difficult to pack down for travel.

Despite the shortcomings, we recommend the Teva Women’s Outflow Universal Sandal for day hikes in which the extra shoe weight won’t hinder your fun or basic water activities, like lounging next to a river or lake.