Reef/Water Shoe Recommendations

[cmdubois]

After reading many reviews it seems like a good pair of reef or water shoes are a must for any PG cruise to avoid slips, falls, and sea urchins. Does anyone have any good recommendations, or any stay away from recommendations, when it comes to purchasing a pair of men or women's water shoes?

 

Also for past guests, would you recommend a water shoe that you can also wear and walk in on land or do you carry them with you to use when you are in the water only?

[Emdee]

I have the cheap walmart type ones. I dont wear them for trips ashore but I do wear them all day on Motu Mahana or the bora bora motus. They are usually good for three trips to FP. If I see a good quality one I may spring for them. There a number of different kinds and some can be used on land or water.

[Tikiintahiti]

If your going to use often then buy a good pair of water/walk shoes like a Ryka. If no an old pair of running shoes you don't mind tossing when the trio is over is a great way to go. Don't use a cheap pair, they offer very little protection from the real nasty stuff ......... like a stone fish ...... though rare they are there

[Sophia4]

We got O' Neill Reactor Reef Boot from Zappos. They seem like they will work well, had good reviews. Will be trying next week!

[Benita]

Water shoes from Columbia- they double as sneakers

[NJBeaglemom]

We got ours from Land's End oxford water shoes. I also bought a 3/4 sleeve zip up rash guard from them and loved it.

[Escriteur]

I bought a pair of Land's End mary-jane-style reef shoes; they worked well in the water, though sand often accumulated in the front/bottom of the shoes when walking around on the beach. (My reef shoes are enclosed along the toe and lower edges, and have mesh on the sides/upper.) So I found it better to take off the reef shoes when I was done snorkeling/wading and rinse all the sand out, then switch to a pair of Teva flip-flops so that I wouldn't have sand rubbing against my feet the rest of the day. You might not have that problem with a different (sandal-style) shoe that has more/larger openings around the toes; it's just something to keep in mind when comparing different styles.

 

However, I second NJBeagleMom's recommendation for the Land's End zip-front rash guard. It offers UPF 50 sun protection, and helps prevent coral scrapes. I'd never used a rash guard before visiting French Polynesia, but I was glad I had it because my shoulders/black tend to sunburn very easily.

[trk_koa]

I had a pair of Lands End Mary Jane reef shoes that I wore in a pool to protect my feet during aqua aerobics class. Apparently the pool water wasn't good for the soles. They had been stored in our closet and I just put them in the suitcase without looking closely. Well, at Motu Mahana, the soles crumbled. I ended up buying a pair of crocs from the PG store on board to use for the rest of the trip. The soles might be too soft to protect much from spiny urchins, but it was better than bare foot.

[avalong]

I bought a pair of Land's End mary-jane-style reef shoes; they worked well in the water, though sand often accumulated in the front/bottom of the shoes when walking around on the beach. (My reef shoes are enclosed along the toe and lower edges, and have mesh on the sides/upper.) So I found it better to take off the reef shoes when I was done snorkeling/wading and rinse all the sand out, then switch to a pair of Teva flip-flops so that I wouldn't have sand rubbing against my feet the rest of the day. You might not have that problem with a different (sandal-style) shoe that has more/larger openings around the toes; it's just something to keep in mind when comparing different styles.

 

 

However, I second NJBeagleMom's recommendation for the Land's End zip-front rash guard. It offers UPF 50 sun protection, and helps prevent coral scrapes. I'd never used a rash guard before visiting French Polynesia, but I was glad I had it because my shoulders/black tend to sunburn very easily.

 

I second that, but I would recommend that you NOT buy the white one. Mine yellowed very easily & I wished I'd bought the turquoise one.

[Ahab10]

We use Teva's.:)

[cmdubois]

Thanks for all of the input! I have seen many versions of those "reef boot" or cheap big box store brand water shoes that I'm sure work fine in the water, but they seem useless on land. I prefer to pack light and the thought of carrying around 2 sets of shoes seems like a burden. I remember wearing these growing up on the lake and they constantly fell off, got ripped up, and stuck in the muddy bottom of the lake.

 

We have been gravitating towards the sneaker looking versions, and while they are more expensive it seems like that would be useful for land excursions as well (and perhaps slightly more attractive looking).

 

I had not checked Land's End and their version is half the price of some of the others we've seen so thanks for the tip! For now the search continues...

[Escriteur]

I second that, but I would recommend that you NOT buy the white one. Mine yellowed very easily & I wished I'd bought the turquoise one.

 

Good to know about the white Land's End rash guard, in case I ever decide to purchase another. I have the black one. So far, it's held up nicely.

[Escriteur]

I had a pair of Lands End Mary Jane reef shoes that I wore in a pool to protect my feet during aqua aerobics class. Apparently the pool water wasn't good for the soles. They had been stored in our closet and I just put them in the suitcase without looking closely. Well, at Motu Mahana, the soles crumbled. I ended up buying a pair of crocs from the PG store on board to use for the rest of the trip. The soles might be too soft to protect much from spiny urchins, but it was better than bare foot.

 

That's a good point you bring up; I'm sure salt water and chlorine do a number on foam insoles if left to dry on them. I always rinse my water shoes in the sink (using fresh water) after each outing, and so far they've held up well. It's also a good idea to give waterproof cameras a rinse in fresh water after snorkeling or swimming, so the salt won't dry out the rubber seals around the battery and memory card compartments.

[CIRCUSGIRL]

This is DH posting, if anyone is on the TM in Croatia you can get some decent reef shoes for about 5 euros we bought a couple of pairs and used them in FP( you could have retreaded a Mercedes Benz with the soles and would have stopped an anti tank round) with no probs,also my wife bought some crocs from UK that she wore a few times.

[Emdee]

Thanks CircusGirl DH ( Steve?) I will keep that in mind when we go to Croatia.

[HanaleiSailor]

Aloha All,

 

Please remember, even, or especially, with "reef shoes" on, please try not to step on the reef. Coral is a living organism and stepping on the coral with reef shoes damages or kills the organism.

 

Aloha from Hanalei,

 

Mark

[Familygoboston]

Water shoes- I use keen sandals because we are very active so they double as biking shoes/hikers etc. they go everywhere and allow me to pack lightly. But I think what you get really depends on what you will use them for. If this is really the only time you will use, them go with the "reef runner" slipper style that you can get cheaply at any department store like Walmart. If you will be using your shoes more amphibiously, (wearing all day for other activities and in the water) you should try on a few pairs of different brands to see what's comfortable. Tevas, keens and the like are about 10 times the cost of the reef runner type, so you want to make sure you'll be happy with your investment!

 

Any type of shoe you don't mind getting wet will do! I agree about walking on the coral, just tonight, I attended a lecture by a couple who spent 7 weeks in HI and did plenty of snorkeling. They took a photo from above of one lagoon and literally dozens of people were standing on coral in the water- they and we, were horrified!:( But even if you plan to try to avoid stepping on coral, this invasive spiny urchins turn up even in the sandy spots...:eek: