What are Water Shoes Good For?

Introduction

Water shoes are shoes that are designed for participating in water sports, walking on the beach, exploring rivers, lakes or dams, as boating shoes, or simply walking around the mall. They are extremely versatile shoes that can be used in almost any environment. Made to be breathable, flexible, comfortable and most of all designed for you to use when walking in water.

What is the Difference Between Water Shoes and Water Socks?

Water shoes are designed for you to use when walking in water, or hiking trails where you will be faced with water hazards. They are great for walking along the beach, through rivers, swimming in the sea, dams, rivers or lakes and a whole lot more. They have thick, hard and flexible soles to enable you to protect your feet from sharp rocks, gravel, sand and the like. They are perfect for most water sports and are the best shoes to offer you the protection you need when walking in water, where you cannot see the dangers beneath the surface of the water.

The main purpose of water socks is to keep your feet warm and dry. They are the perfect complement to water shoes and will prevent any chafing you might get, especially when walking on sand or gravel. Water socks are usually one size fits all but you also get them in a design with a fitted heel. The tube design is similar to standard socks and is usually made of a neoprene rubber material or lycra. These socks are designed to cushion the foot and prevent the shoe, or if you are wearing fins, the fin from chafing your foot.

They also add some insulation to the foot, keeping them warm when swimming in colder waters. Many people who participate in water sports that involve wearing fins elect to use water socks instead of water shoes and the reason for this is that they offer a higher level of protection from rubbing and chafing that your water shoe will provide. Chaffing will usually occur where the foot and ankle joins, and this area is particularly vulnerable when wearing fins.

The other area that is vulnerable is the heel area and the sock is usually padded in this area as well. They are designed to stop your foot from blistering which is caused by constant rubbing either from the fin or from a water shoe. Water shoes are designed to allow the water in and then drain quickly, water socks are designed to keep the water out and keep your feet dryer. They are perfect for people who suffer from an allergic reaction to rubber and act as a barrier between your thick rubber soles found on water shoes.

Water socks are a good idea if you are going to be hiking with your water shoes to protect your feet from sand and gravel that may get into the shoe while you are hiking. They are also a great addition to your water shoe when walking in water, swimming or kayaking to prevent any chafing that might occur when wearing your water shoe.

Related: Men’s water shoes.

How to get sand out of Water Shoes?

There is one big downside to going to the beach and that is getting sand in your shoes. Often sea sand will get stuck to almost anything and it is very difficult to get out. So how do you get this pesky sand out of your shoe so that you don’t get the gritty feel of the sand when you want to wear them again? There is a simple procedure to follow which will allow you to rid yourself of any residual sand in your shoes after your trip to the beach.

First, if there is not a lot of sand in your shoe you could just turn it upside down and shake it out. This will get rid of much of the sand if the sand is dry and does not stick to your shoe. It will definitely get rid of most of the sand, however, it will not get rid of the stubborn sand that is lodged in areas of your shoes. Always remember to do this exercise outside as you don’t want sand all over your floors either. To get rid of the stubborn grains left behind after shaking your shoe you can try knocking them against a hard surface such as a wall, or countertop.

You can also knock the soles together and this will generally dislodge any residual sand you have in your shoe.

The next step is to give them a wash. You can do this by throwing them into the washing machine, first check if your water shoe is machine washable, and this will definitely get rid of any small grains of sand still left in your shoe after shaking them out. Another great trick to removing sand from your shoes is to use a vacuum to suck it away.

This is especially useful if you are wearing the sneaker style water shoes that are closed. Use the nozzle in your vacuum that allows you to reach those difficult areas and then simply vacuum up the stubborn leftover sand in your shoes. Water shoe is generally easy to wash and rinse off as they are designed to cope with water. So simply rinse them down with a hosepipe and wash away that irritating grains of sand out of your shoe. Remember to leave the shoe in a ventilated area to dry to avoid picking up any bad odors.

How to dry Water Shoes?

The best way to dry your water shoes is to leave them out to air dry. This way you will also help to prevent odors in your shoe, which water shoes are prone to. If you want to dry them out quickly you can also use a hairdryer, however, make sure that the dryer is set to the lowest heat possible when you do so.

Conclusion

When walking in the water you never know what could be found on the river bed, at the bottom of the lake or on the seabed and having a shoe that is designed to be used in water and offers you great protection from rocks, sand, gravel and other hazards is essential to your feet. Whether you enjoy water sports or like to hike trails where you will be braving river crossings and more, water shoes are your perfect choice for comfort and protection.