Shoes are an essential piece of equipment for anyone taking a water fitness class. They protect your feet from cuts and scrapes if the pool floor is rough, and help prevent you from slipping if the tiles on the pool floor are slick. You would not think of taking a land aerobics class barefoot; you would want to wear shoes that provide support and stability, and the same is true for pool exercise. Although water aerobics is low impact, there is still impact during jumping exercises, and shoes provide extra cushioning. They also add resistance against the water, increasing the workout for your leg muscles. Shoes are especially important for people with diabetes, neuropathy, arthritis, joint replacements, plantar fasciitis and other foot or leg injuries. See Laurie Denomme’s blog post on wearing shoes. I wear shoes even in my deep-water class because I like the extra resistance they provide for my legs, and they make using the pool ladder so much easier on my feet.
Water shoes have come a long way since the days we bought water socks from the discount store. They now come in a wide variety of styles and colors. When looking for shoes to wear in your water fitness class, you want to make sure they are comfortable, have a good grip on wet surfaces, and provide support for your feet and ankles. They should be made of quick drying materials. Many manufacturers advertise that you can wear their shoes for a variety of water sports and take them from the pool to the beach to the trail. You do not want to do that with your water aerobics shoes. Put them on at the pool and remove them after your class. Wearing the shoes to the beach or the trail or the parking lot means that they will pick up dirt, grass, oil, grease and who knows what else that you don’t want contaminating the pool water. Well known brands include Ryka, Speedo, Addidas, and Aleader. There are many other brands and styles available at a wide variety of prices. Look for water shoes on the brand’s website, or on Amazon.com, Swim Outlet, H20 Wear, or Lands’ End. If you order online, be sure you can return the shoes if they do not fit properly. Here are four of the more popular brands:
RYKA
Ryka makes the Hydro Sport Water Shoe in 5 colors and sizes 5-12. They cost $69.99 on their website, and all 5 colors are in stock. You can get them on Amazon.com for $69.95. They are suitable for all water activities including water aerobics because they have multi-port drainage systems, quick-drying fabrics, and sticky rubber soles for extra traction on wet surfaces. Plus they are machine washable. They were the first brand to create athletic shoes specifically for a woman’s unique foot shape, muscle movement and build. They have a wider forefoot for extra stability, a narrower heel for a more secure fit, and shock absorption meticulously tested for bounce, flexibility and energy return, as well as cushioning fine-tuned for a woman’s body weight. I wear Ryka shoes because I love the fit. They are rated 4.5 stars.
SPEEDO
Speedo makes the Women’s Surfknit Pro Watershoes in 11 colors and sizes 5-11. They cost $45 on their website, but as of this writing only the gray (pictured) is in stock. However 8 colors are available on Amazon.com for $31-$45 depending on the color. I’ve actually had more luck ordering Speedo products on Amazon rather than on their website. The Surf Knit Pro features advanced technology resulting in a more comfortable, breathable upper with plenty of support where needed. A water-resistant insole is combined with a unique outsole that disperses water flow for extra traction so you can safely perform in and out of the pool. They are rated 4 stars. Speedo also makes a Surfknit Pro Watershoe for men with limited availability.
ADDIDAS
Addidas makes the Terrex Boat Slip-On Climacool Shoes in 2 colors. They are unisex, and sizing runs 5.5-15 for women and 4.5-14 for men. They cost $80 on their website and $79.95 on Amazon.com. They are advertised as amphibious, meaning they are designed for water sports or hiking or even everyday wear, but of course if you are wearing them for your water fitness class you will not use them for everyday. They are made of CLIMACOOL material that wicks sweat. They are slip-ons with a snug, sock-like fit with a quick drying upper and grippy outsole for confident grip on slippery surfaces. They are rated 4.5 stars.
ALEADER
Aleader makes the Xdrain Fresh slip on water shoes in a sporty style that comes in 4 colors and sizes 6-11. The price is $29.99 on their website and $19.99-$24.99 on Amazon.com, depending on the color, and not all sizes are available. Aleader also has another style called the Xdrain Classic Knit for $26.99. These come in 5 colors and sizes 6-10. Both shoes feature a cushion Xdrain midsole and a water drain outsole designed for excellent drainage, breathability, and non-slip flexibility. The upper is made of quick dry mesh. All that breathability makes the shoes extremely lightweight. They are rated 4.3 stars.
These are some of the other options that you can find on Amazon or at Lands’ End:
- Suokeni quick drying slip on water shoes for beach or water sports $19.99 Rated 4.5 stars.
- L-Run Barefoot aqua swim walking shoes for men and women $25.49 rated 4.4 stars.
- Simari water shoes for men and women, $21.98-$24.98, rated 4.5 stars
- Columbia women’s Drainmaker XTR water shoe, $80.00 rated 4.2 stars
- Frogg Toggs women’s short fin premium water draining quick-drying sport shoe, $39.12-$49.99 rated 4.4 stars
- Yalox Water Shoes for swimming and Yoga, $19.96 rated 4.5 stars
- Hiitave women’s water shoes quick dry barefoot, $26.99 rated 4.5 stars
- RocSoc women’s summer barefoot woven fabric water sport aqua shoes, $31.41-$32.00 rated 4.1 stars
- Lands’ End women’s sport slip on water shoes, $39.95 rated 4.6 stars
That is a lot to choose from! If you have a favorite water shoe brand that I have not included, let me know!
See you in the pool!
