18 Quick-Drying Water Shoes for Women, Men, and Kids
SmarterTravel
There's a 95 percent chance Senior Editor Christine Sarkis is thinking about travel right now. Follow her on Instagram @postcartography and Twitter @ChristineSarkis.
Christine Sarkis is an SATW-award-winning journalist and executive editor at SmarterTravel. Her stories have also appeared on USA Today, Conde Nast Traveler, Huffington Post, and Business Insider. Her advice has been featured in dozens of print and online publications including The New York Times, Conde Nast Traveler, and People magazine. She has also shared travel tips on television and radio shows including Good Morning America, Marketplace, and Here & Now. Her work has been published in the anthologies Spain from a Backpack and The Best Women's Travel Writing 2008. She is currently working on a travel memoir.
The Handy Item I Always Pack: The Trtl Pillow. It's easy to pack and comfortable, and makes it so I can actually sleep on flights.
Ultimate Bucket List Experience: Seeing the Aurora Borealis from the comfort of somewhere warm, like a glass igloo or hot spring.
Water shoes—shoes that are meant to get wet and dry quickly—have come a long way. No longer are your only water-friendly shoe options neoprene socks or flip-flops. Instead women, men, and kids can find water shoe styles to fit every adventure. From immersion-ready hiking shoes to footwear that blends in seamlessly at the beach and in the city, there are more options than ever.
Ready for Adventure: Water-Friendly Hiking Shoes
These quick-drying shoes look like sneakers but are sturdy enough for trail adventures.
For Women: Chaco’s Outcross Evo 2 Hiking Shoe
amazon.com
Chaco’s Outcross Evo 2 Hiking Shoe provides both good coverage and drainage for hikes that include rough trails and water crossings.
Merrell’s Hydro Choprock Sandal offers slip-on ease and hiking-shoe features that boost traction, grip, and stability. The soft EVA footbed is gentle on feet, and the quick-dry lining keeps kids comfy.
These shoes are versatile enough to wear throughout the day.
For Women: Sea Star’s Beachcomber Espadrilles
seastarbeachwear.com
Style and performance meet in Sea Star’s Beachcomber Espadrilles. These shoes look like classic espadrilles but can be worn in water and dry quickly. Or opt for Land’s End’s Mary Jane Water Shoes, which deliver water-ready casual style whether you’re brunching or boating.
Columbia describes its Dorado CVO PFG Shoe as “part shoe, part fish.” It looks nice enough to wear on vacation but has serious water-shoe cred. Vivobarefoot’s Ultra III Bloom shoes are made using an algae-based foam that dries fast—and can be rolled up for easy packing.
Stride Rite’s Made2Play Phibian series of shoes offers sneaker styling and slip-proof, water-friendly support (sizes for little and big kids are available). Plae’s Mimo line is constructed to allow water to flow in and out while protecting little feet. And Native’s water-friendly shoes for kids include the crowd favorite Jeffersons, which come in a kid-pleasing array of colors and prints.
These classic water shoes will protect your feet on boats, in lakes, or just about anywhere else.
For Women: Speedo’s Women’s Zipwalker 4.0 Water Shoes
Speedo
There’s a wide range of classic and new Speedo water shoes, including the Women’s Zipwalker 4.0 Water Shoes, which have a water drainage system in their no-slip rubber sole.
Follow Christine Sarkis on Twitter @ChristineSarkis and Instagram @postcartography for more advice about making every vacation the best vacation.
Some review products are sent to us free of charge and with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions, positive and negative, and will never accept compensation to review a product.
We hand-pick everything we recommend and select items through testing and reviews. Some products are sent to us free of charge with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions and do not accept compensation to review products. All items are in stock and prices are accurate at the time of publication. If you buy something through our links, we may earn a commission.