Water Sandals

A typical Water Sandal- Good but Not Great for Active Watersports

Water Sandals, as you now know If you've read the Water Sandals article, are far better to wear than your typical "lifestyle" sandal when engaging in active watersports. While a water sandal is generally not as good as a water shoe in terms of foot protection and traction, some sandals (Keen's in particular), do come pretty close.

So let's start looking at what brand/style of water sandal you might want to get, what features to look for and where to get them.

Shop & Compare Water Sandals

Compare styles and prices among a wide variety of sandals. For serious use in water sports, my suggestion is to go with one of the styles from Keen. They are the BEST sandal for active water sports use.

Water Sandals for Women

Water Sandals for Men

Recommended Features on Any Water Sandals You Buy

The following features should be found on any water sandal you get, no matter who makes it and where you get it from.

Toe Guard - This should be standard on any water sandal and is what seperates a true water sandal from your run-of-the-mill sandal for city/backyard use. Why do you want a toe guard? Once you smash your toe into an underwater obstruction (like a rock) or into the side of a canoe, you'll understand.

Top Foot Protection - Very few sandals, beyond those designed for limited hiking and water use, provide top of the foot protection. Protection for the top of the foot isn't as crucial as a toe guard. However, the next time you drop a paddle or something relatively sharp onto the top of your foot, you'll understand why having at least some foot protection on the top of the sandal can be a handy thing to have.

THICK Sole - Similar to a water shoe, any water sandal you get should have a thick sole. If you stick with water sandals made by Teva or Keen, you'll have no worries. The thick sole serves two functions - better traction on slippery surfaces and protection of the bottom of your foot from sharp, protuding things (such as sharp, underwater rocks).

Other Places to Buy Water Sandals Online

If you haven't figured it out by now, I really like Zappos, due to both their superb support, excellent prices and truly massive selection. However, there are other places where you can buy water shoes online, too. Listed below are some places you may wish to check out.

Teva

Teve, the manufacturer of Teva Sandals, as their own online shopping site. They carry the full line of current Teva Sandals, which is nice. However, they do tend to charge "full price."

• Teva Home Page

ShoeBuy.com

I've never ordered anything through ShoeBuy, however they do have an excellent rating. They also have very similar return policies to Zappos as well, so I suspect they are a trusted and respected merchant.

• Shoe Buy Home Page

Shoes.Com

Shoes.Com is another major retailer of shoes on the net. They seem to focus more on shoes, but they do have a small selection of water shoes/sandals available.

• Shoes.Com Home Page

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