Or if you are running or hiking through a few streams without your feet being wet all the time, consider a pair of the best trail running shoes or one of our favorite hiking boots]. We have graded the fit of all our shoes from 1 to 5 to make it easy for you to find the perfect fitting shoe. And considering your extremities feel the cold first, that includes seeking out a pair of the best water shoes or swim socks. We've noticed that shoes built for smooth surfaces have smaller lugs, soft rubber, and razor sipes (or tiny slits).

The larger mesh openings are also prone to taking on small rocks or sand, and we also noted that these are not as supportive as some of the more structured shoes in our tests. If your swim socks are particularly thick it might be worth sizing up — particularly if you're between sizes.We purchased some wellies for staff at our small education charity and the wellies perished across the toes with very little wear after 8 months. The 103 third parties who use cookies on this service do so for their purposes of displaying and measuring personalized ads, generating audience insights, and developing and improving products. The Eden features an adjustable heel toggle that ensures a secure fit and protects against losing shoes. If walking if the priority, and you'll just be tackling puddles and showers, head to our best walking shoes for men and best women's walking shoes roundups instead. But if you like to spend your days hiking along waterbodies, seek out a more rigid and protective outsole.

Along with determining what type of water shoe you need, there are attributes for each shoe type to consider before your purchase. If you're into boat sports or won't be on your feet as much, a less protective, more flexible shoe is better than a rigid, more protective shoe.

As a result, if you're planning on doing a lot of water-based hiking, consider a shoe with a thicker and more supportive outsole instead. There are generally two types of water shoe on the market – aquatic shoes and aquatic sandals or 'shandals'. Designed to protect your feet from abrasions, cuts and stitches and make walking on the pebble beach much more comfortable.

The flex-grip outsole sticks well to all surfaces, including slippery rocks, and offers enough support for strolls on the beach or around the town. The only downsides were that these do have a tendency to feel a bit sweaty when worn on hot days (although that's not such an issue if you're hopping in and out of water regularly), and sand can get clogged in the drainage ports – although it's easy to rinse it out.If you're looking for another versatile favorite, the Chaco Canyonland is great for water excursions and hiking, along with the Astral Brewess 2. The special rubber and outsole will give you confidence on slippery surfaces, while the water's insulating properties will help warm your feet. Yes, these water shoes are designed for aqua fit classes, but they also offer great freedom of movement when swimming.