Water shoes

[Dartful Dodger]

I'm going to Mexico for a week and the white sand is going to be like hot charcoal.  I need to get beach footwear.

I could get a pair of sandals, but I'll need to take them off when I go in the water, which means I'll be hopping down to the water and I'll probably step on a jelly fish or a broken Corona bottle in the water. 

I'd like a pair of shoes I can walk around in too. I've gotten cheap water shoes before and they aren't good for anything outside of the beach, barely good for anything on the beach.

I saw these (FiveFingers ),  they're over 70 bucks, but they are getting incredible reviews.

I can't find a place near me that sells the KSO ones, or the ones with the material over the top.  I'm not sure if it's worth driving far to look at them.  I can’t just order a pair without trying them on because they are oddball, they may not even work for me.

[Zero_Hour]

The problem with any footwear + ocean + sandy beach, is that you'll come out of the water, sand will get in between your skin and the footwear, and it will basically wet sand your flesh slowly away. Just walk on the hot sand for a bit. You'll get used to it. I walk barefoot on the cement around my pool in Phoenixall summer, which is a hell of a lot hotter than any beach I've ever been on, and it doesn't take that long to adjust to the heat.

Also, those things you linked to look absolutely ridiculous.
Regardless, enjoy the Beach.

[SavannahLion]

I could get a pair of sandals, but I'll need to take them off when I go in the water, which means I'll be hopping down to the water and I'll probably step on a jelly fish or a broken Corona bottle in the water.

I had the same problem (except for that jelly fish thing) when I was a budding lad. I tried sandals (fell off), then I tried those silly water shoes (sand, grit, crap). Final straw was incuring an injury on both my big toes that would not properly heal for the next twenty years. My mother found a pair of Tevas that was just hitting the market. These things were awesome! I could walk around in the water and any grit that got in there, I could just "flick" them out. I didn't really wear them for swimming though, which seems to be your intent. I went in the water, ie rafting, boating, walking, relaxing, but never actually swam with them on. I'm not a professional swimmer by any means though, I don't really like deep water much.

I had my pair for about fifteen years or more until they finally fell apart. Teva changed their design since then. The pair I had were more like a pair of sandals with the flat bottom. Teva now sells their sandals with form fitting soles, kind of like what Birkenstock does.  I bought a knock off two years ago, and they fell finally fell apart just last month. Back to Teva for me I guess.

The brand you linked to looks weird, but functional. Getting sand in there would be the biggest deterrent for me.

[shardian]

Don't they make non-leather sandals anymore? I always had a pair of sandals that were a standard rubber bottom, and that thick nylon strapping for the straps. I've never liked all leather sandals - they make my feet stink.

[2600]

Some beaches I've gone to the sand has been hot, but I've never had a problem with the heat from the sand in Mexico and I've been to a few different beaches.  Where are you going?  Is it on a resort?  Have you been there before?

[Dartful Dodger]

I forgot about the sand in the water shoes.  Not only was it uncomfortable, but it was also a pain to clean out.
 

Don't they make non-leather sandals anymore?

That's what I thought when I clicked on SavannahLion's link. 

My gf is a bit of a Europhile, she hates that my gym shoes are my casual foot wear.

Nothing says you're an American like a pair of white gym shoes and khaki shorts.

She wants me to get a pair of sandals for the trip. 

I never liked sandals, but those sandals look better than the last set of sandals I had(in H.S.). I guess it's been a while since I've shopped for summer foot wear.

I'll go to a local shoe store and see what they have to offer and I'll keep an eye out for that Teva brand.

those things you linked to look absolutely ridiculous.

You're bringing me down man.  I like the way they look, plus they're functional. 
Although a buddy of mine said they reminded him of the multi-colored striped socks little girls wear.  Not really the look I'm going for.



We're going to a resort near Cancun, but far enough away from it to avoid the partying teenagers.  According to the blogs I've read about the resort, it's a European destination spot and the people staying there will tolerate Americans, as long as they're not fat.

I don't think my p90x once a week body is going to cut it, so hopefully new sandals will help me blend.

[CCM]

I don't think my p90x once a week body is going to cut it, so hopefully new sandals will help me blend.

Just make sure you wear socks with your sandals and you'll blend just fine....

And I have to agree with Zero_Hour, those FiveFinger things look completely ridiculous!

[ChadTower]

Oh come on... a pair of FiveFingers and a pair of Hulk Hands and he's the life of the party!

Dartful, ever had a monster sunburn on your feet?  That's what happens when you go on a tropical beach wearing your first pair of sandals in ten years.  I assume you'll want to be able to walk past day one.

[whammoed]

You're bringing me down man.  I like the way they look, plus they're functional. 
Although a buddy of mine said they reminded him of the multi-colored striped socks little girls wear.  Not really the look I'm going for.

Yeah, toe socks!  LOL  I Bought the wife a pair, they make me laugh.   

[SavannahLion]

You're bringing me down man.  I like the way they look, plus they're functional. 
Although a buddy of mine said they reminded him of the multi-colored striped socks little girls wear.  Not really the look I'm going for.

Yeah, toe socks!  LOL  I Bought the wife a pair, they make me laugh.   

Buy the TEVA's, you won't need special socks.

[kingflynn]

These look like a good balance between sandals and a sneaker.

http://www.rei.com/product/783847

REI has lots of options besides those awful toe things.  Some look like regular cross trainers.

http://www.rei.com/search?query=water+shoes&button.x=0&button.y=0

[Ummon]

I have some just like the first link above, but from Walmart and cost $15. I use 'em in the pool. Of course, you could get some REAL pool shoes, that arguably you might need a shoe horn for, but they stay on when wet and DON'T let stuff in, at least in my experience. Again, I got some for maybe twenty bucks at Big 5 or something. In the second link, those feeties are just weird. But the cross-trainers look good.

[boykster]

I have a pair of speedo water shoes that are great - more rugged than your plain old aqua socks, and are fine and comfy for walking around town in.  Sure, you're gonna have to rinse the sand out of them though.  I have yet to find a shoe/sandal that wont' trap sand.

 

[danny_galaga]

Aren't people really cheap in Mexico? Just get someone to carry you to and from the water...

[ChadTower]

If he busts out those sandals on a tropical beach after ten straight years of not exposing his feet he'll end up with a feet sunburn so bad he'll spend the rest of his trip in a chair crying.

[Dartful Dodger]

The last water shoes I had/have are Speedos.  I went to there page and it looks like Speedos has redesigned their shoes.  The ones I have are flat and were useless for walking on anything but sand.

My gf is adamant about me getting a proper pair of sandals for walking around.  She tolerates my American white trash wardrobe, so for this trip I'll make her happy and pretend to care about what I wear.

For footwear I'll bring a pair of hiking shoes for jungle sightseeing, my $5 rubber flip flops for the beach, and for walking around town I'm going to buy theses: Dockers® Hogan Sandals

They're 35 bucks.  I went to a DSW and looked at and tried on a bunch of different sandals, I hated all of them.  She saw this pair in a Kohl's advertisement and said they were nice.  I hate these too, but I've realized I hate all sandals so if I'm going to have to wear sandals for her benefit, I might as well wear the sandals she wants.  These are reasonably priced and at least this way one of us will be happy.

Besides unlike those big toe hoop sandals, if I start to burn the tops of my feet I can always wear socks with this pair.

[Hoopz]

Besides unlike those big toe hoop sandals, if I start to burn the tops of my feet I can always wear socks with this pair.

Take pics of you wearing the socks with the sandals and post them please.   

[ChadTower]

if I start to burn the tops of my feet I can always wear socks with this pair.

Clearly someone who has never had that sunburn.  Once you have it socks, shoes, air, gravity, thinking, existing will make your feet blister.

[JMB]

Check out Keen's  http://www.keenfootwear.com/  The most comfortable/functional pair of sandals I have ever owned.  They are expensive but I have worn mine non stop for 4 years and I am finally looking for a new pair now.

[ChadTower]

I have never in my life had a sunburn on my feet and I have spent at least 10 hours a week in the sun without sunscreen for over 20 years.  Must be a Canadian thing.

(built up large tolerance over long period of time) (never gotten the sunburn)

Well duh.

Now spend ten years without any exposure there and then go sit on a tropical beach for ten hours.  Can happen to anyone not accustomed to that exposure.

BTW, this is probably a good time to mention we should avoid jim's jacked up feet.   

[Dartful Dodger]

Getting a sunburn on the fleshier parts of your body doesn't feel as bad as getting a sunburn were the skin that got burnt is rubbing up against bone.  I'd imagine the only burn worse than the tops of your feet would be a bald guy getting a burn on the top of his head. I'm excluding the crotch, because if you're in a situation where you're getting sun burnt there, you have bigger problems.

In college I used a stand up tanning booth.  I didn't realize you had to keep feet together, because of how I was standing I got burnt on my shins.  That really suk'd.



I wouldn't mind those gym shoe/sandals, I even suggested a pair of Keen’s, but she didn't go for it.

She said you can't wear that type of shoe with shorts.

Not that you guys have any more style sense than I, but is that true?

Either way it's a no.  I like those shoes better than sandals, but she doesn't like them and since I don't really want them it's not worth the compromise.

[JMB]

She said you can't wear that type of shoe with shorts.

Not that you guys have any more style sense than I, but is that true?

Sounds like she couldn't come up with a good reason to say no and made that up.  I didn't know there were sandals made to only be worn with pants.    Guess I'm committing a fashion crime.

[ChadTower]

Dartful is definitely toeing the "I spent too much time thinking about footwear" line.

[Dartful Dodger]

I haven't spent enough time, so now I'm trying to catch up.

[ChadTower]

I haven't spent enough time, so now I'm trying to catch up.

Is that your wife or the 4th wine cooler talking?   

[boykster]

My favorite pair of sandals ever is Born Hamlin

http://www.bornshoes.com/Product.aspx?ProductID=4414



super comfortable, cover most of your foot (and toes) so you don't have to disgust the rest of the world with your nasty toejam....

I'm sure I'll get flamed because they're $100, but c'est la vie.  I've had my pair for about 4 years, worn em on 4 vacations and summers and they're still in great shape.  Great beach shoes, as well as all around summer footwear.

Don't wear socks with them though, that's just wrong.