I love photographing waterfalls, rivers, and seascapes. Those subjects make up almost 50% of my portfolio. And when taking those photos, I needed to have the proper standing posture to move freely and focus on the subject and composition. So the topic of this article is the right water shoes that I finally found after testing several brands over the years.
I know this isn’t the typical gear review you’d expect here as it’s not about a new camera, some fancy lenses, a tripod or a camera bag. But for me, water shoes also fall under the category of essential photography gear. Without those, it would have been difficult to take some of the photos where I had to be in the water.
Take this photo of La Fortuna waterfall in Costa Rica. I was standing right in the middle of a river on a mixture of sharp and slippery rocks when I took this photo. I’ve done such photo sessions barefoot, but it was never a pleasant experience. In the end, I focused so much on my foot placement that the photos I took would often fall short.
Requirements for water shoes
To find the right waterproof shoe, I had to set a few requirements:
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As with all shoes, they should be comfortable to wear. That’s what my previous waterproof shoes lacked. I used a pair of Vibram FiveFinger shoes with seams on the inside, which cut into my feet when sand and water got into the shoe.
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They should be easy to put on and take off as I usually wear water shoes in my backpack when I go hiking to a photo location. Once in place, I didn’t want to fumble with my water shoes. I wanted to get in and dive headfirst into the water.
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Water shoes need to sit firmly. If the shoes slip off while wading through a fast-moving river, they will be lost. This requirement contradicts the previous one. Usually, if shoes are easy to put on, they are not particularly sturdy. As for my Vibram shoes, it’s the opposite: They sit very firmly but are complicated to put on.
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I want lightweight shoes for my travels and I find that barefoot shoes with thin soles are often the best choice given their low weight and small pack size. In the past, I even used Dyneema socks. It’s from FYF and is a bit too minimalist for my taste.
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Water-soaked shoes must dry quickly. If I put them in a warm room overnight, they dry out the next morning.
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A good handle is required. But often a compromise is made. Some shoes use hard rubber to have a firm sole, long time use. They slide more easily on wet surfaces. On the other hand, there are shoes with softer soles. Although such a sole wears out much faster, it generally provides better friction. For me, the sweet spot lies somewhere in between. Preferably I can also use my water shoes for short to medium hikes, so they need a good profile and durable soles.
Now looks like a list. Until recently, I wasn’t sure if I could find a shoe that met all of those requirements. I ordered a few different shoes to test out, a new pair from the Kickstarter campaign. None of them feel right. But after I returned from Costa Rica a few weeks ago, I finally found a good solution.
Xero Aqua X Sport Shoes
After some research, I ended up Home Shoes Xero where I find a wide selection of barefoot shoes, including Aqua X Sporta shoe made for water activities.
What I Like
By going with the gray version, I now have a water shoe, which looks like normal shoes. And they are super comfortable to wear. I wore them on my trip to Venice, where I walk more than 10 kilometers a day. Plus, I’ve had them on several trails where they’re very well organized.
The shoe has many tiny holes in the upper fabric to let water drain out quickly. Those holes also provide ventilation on warm days when I wear them for activities outside in the water.
The elastic laces allow me to put the shoes on and off quickly and I can secure them properly for water activities. Once the ropes were tightened, I didn’t need to worry about losing them in a fast-moving river. They also sit tight around the heel, providing additional stability. For a snug fit, I find that going with my typical shoe size works pretty well.
Weighing in at just 7.5 ounces per shoe for a size 10, the Aqua X Sport is also very light. Therefore, taking them with me on my travels doesn’t add much weight to my luggage.
And what about their quick drying? They come with a removable insole that dries quickly, as well as the thin, breathable mesh that makes up the majority of the shoe. Only on the heel pad did I notice that the shoes were still a little damp after sitting all night – but a few minutes in the sun usually resolves that.
Now let’s talk about how to hold the racket. First of all, the shoes have a fairly sturdy sole, which gives them good grip on the trails. But how do they walk on wet rocks? I tested them out during a day of shooting waterfalls with a variety of surfaces, and they give me the right foothold in most situations. However, slippery and wet rocks are a problem and I would experience more friction when barefoot. As I wrote above, there is always a compromise. But for me, the Aqua X Sport still scores well.
In addition to all that, I can use thin neoprene socks with the Aqua X Sport if I remove the inner sole. And this was a game changer for me as I could endure freezing water much longer and take my time composing my photos.
What can be improved
It would be nice to have a version with a different base configuration to increase the surface area the base connects to the ground. It can increase friction. On the other hand, it may come at the expense of the shoes’ ability to hit the trails.
Inference
At $130, the Xero Aqua X Sport Shoe is one of the more expensive water shoes you can buy. But considering their features and versatility, I think they are great value for money as they are more than a waterproof shoe. I will also use them for exploring cities, short to moderate hiking in warm climates, and even when going to restaurants during my travels. Plus, with the ability to use them with neoprene socks, taking pictures in cold water is now much more pleasant.
