Water Shoes

I have to confess that I had never heard of these until the last couple of months.

We are doing a short cruise to the Caribbean with just 3 stops, the Princess private island, US Virgin Islands and St Maarten. Do I really need these shoes or can I manage with strong walking sandals. I have terrible feet and the walking sandals suit me better than the more flimsy type or even flipflops.

Given what you said I would go with them.

They are much easier to walk in then say flip-flops.

Keith

They don't give you support like sandals, and they can be tight to put on or take off.

They're absolutely brilliant to use in the water (especially if there's shingle along the shoreline that you need to cross, or hidden rocks or debris) or for scrambling over rocks (the grip on wet & slimy rock is amazing).

But for walking along sandy beaches there's no need.

A cheap pair (will only survive a few days' use) only cost $10 to $15, and weight practically nothing. So take a pair with your towel & swim-gear, & use if required.

JB :)

JB, I like them in the sand and the water.

One thing I am reminded about is that we all have different feet so probably some like these while others might not think they are good on sand.

We have had ours for many years.

Keith

For the ports you are visiting, sandals will be fine. All have decent sandy beaches and paved walkable streets.

Walking barefooted in the sand isn't what it used to be:

https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/couple-gets-parasitic-hookworms-in-feet-beach-vacation-dominican-republic/

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Noticing that OP is from UK. If you can, would pick up a cheap pair of water shoes here prior in the US prior to cruise - might be cheaper than UK. I am thinking at. Target/Walmart type store.

Water shoes are great for on the beach - walking on pebbles, broken bits of coral, etc. Regular sneakers (trainers) or good strong, comfortable sandals are fine for on shore excursions. Keep in mind that streets will be rough, perhaps cobblestone, etc., not the smooth paved streets of a city.

I have to confess that I had never heard of these until the last couple of months.

 

We are doing a short cruise to the Caribbean with just 3 stops, the Princess private island, US Virgin Islands and St Maarten. Do I really need these shoes or can I manage with strong walking sandals. I have terrible feet and the walking sandals suit me better than the more flimsy type or even flipflops.

Princess Cays is rocky in the water so it's good to have water shoes there.

We wear regular flip-flops/ sandals and only put our water shoes on when actually in the water.

I have to confess that I had never heard of these until the last couple of months.

 

We are doing a short cruise to the Caribbean with just 3 stops, the Princess private island, US Virgin Islands and St Maarten. Do I really need these shoes or can I manage with strong walking sandals. I have terrible feet and the walking sandals suit me better than the more flimsy type or even flipflops.

I recently read an internet news story about some Caribbean island beaches having parasites that can burrow under the skin when coming into contact with unprotected skin (bare feet).

My wife picked up a pair of Speedo water shoes at Costco that lace up like regular sneakers, but are waterproof. So, they are good for on the beach or in the water.

She loves them.

I recently read an internet news story about some Caribbean island beaches having parasites that can burrow under the skin when coming into contact with unprotected skin (bare feet).

 

My wife picked up a pair of Speedo water shoes at Costco that lace up like regular sneakers, but are waterproof. So, they are good for on the beach or in the water.

 

She loves them.

See my post above (#6).

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See my post above (#6).

 

 

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Yup...

That's the news report I recall reading.

Pretty disgusting.

I love Keen, I wear them all the time, not just in water.

We don’t usually use them, but I’ve read that the islands that got hit with the hurricanes had a lot of debris of all sorts washed or blown into the water. Now that the tides are bringing the sand back to the beaches, the debris is just under the sand and hidden.

We picked up a couple of cheap pairs just for this cruise from eBay [emoji16]. If we like them we’ll invest in better ones.

I plan on throwing them in my bag and just wearing them for the water. I’ll have good sandals for other excursions. Hope this helps you decide.

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You can also get water socks, made of neoprene and velcro above the ankle. You could wear those under shoes if you were alternating walking and swimming. Can order from amazon.

My wife and I each bought a pair of Columbia water shoes. They look like regular sneakers, but are made to wear in the water. They're great for a day at the beach, when canoeing or kayaking, or any time you want to protect your feet while in the water. You'll find them on Columbia's web site and on Amazon. Also, some department stores carry them.

I use them in the water even at pools to protect my feet as I am diabetic.

After I read that article, I am glad that I chose the excursion I did for our upcoming cruise.

We picked up some Crocs water sandals.

Dual use.

I got these:

https://www.crocs.com/p/mens-swiftwater-leather-fisherman/204562.html?cgid=water-shoes&cid=02S#start=3

I wear them walking around and in the water.

I bought a pair of water shoes at Walmart yesterday for $9.88. May not be the best but good enough for a couple of days on the beach and in the water. ☺And...size 13-14 which are hard to find! Our first cruise in 4 days and can't wait. This board has been so helpful with ideas and suggestions for what to pack. Thanks to everyone.

We got them for the times when we use to do the beaches.

Agree about Princess Cay being rocky.

The problem with cheap Walmart water shoes is the liners inside are not sewn in, and they bunch up and fall out in water, very uncomfortable. If you think you might wear them more than once or twice, its worth buying a good brand with the insoles sewn in. I shopped long and hard for mine, as I use them for jet skiing, and Body Glove make some great ones for a good price ($30-ish on Amazon, sometimes under $20 at Dicks). If you only think you will need them a cpl times, then buy some diving booties. They have sewn insoles and very light weight, perfect for beach walking and only around $10 on Amazon.

After reading that article about the Canadian couple, I went out and bought a pair of Fit Kicks, don't know much about them but they look comfortable and are very light weight. We don't go on our cruise till Dec 2018, so I will try them out ahead of time. If anyone has any info on Fit Kicks, I would be glad to hear it. Thanks.