If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best water aerobics shoes for women is, then I’d recommend the Ryka Women’s Hydro Sport Water and Cross-Training Shoes as the best one.
Water aerobics is a great way to exercise while also protecting your joints, but if you’re participating with bare feet you could potentially slip, land wrong after a jump, stub your toe or get scratched.
This is why the best water aerobics shoes can be a great investment if you’re planning or are currently participating in this type of activity.
Here are the top water aerobics shoes we’ll be reviewing:
- Aleader Women’s Water Shoes
- Belilent Water Shoes
- RYKA Women’s Hydro Sport Water and Cross-Training Shoe
- Ryka Women’s Aqua Sport Shoes
- Zhuanglin Women’s Quick Drying Aqua Water Shoes
Do You Need Water Aerobics Shoes?
The short answer is probably. They offer a few key benefits that will keep you safe, comfortable, and able to focus on the exercises rather than your feet.
The best water aerobics shoes will be lightweight and comfortable, protect your feet, and keep you from slipping.
Lightweight and Comfortable
Even though exercising should be fun and enjoyable, there’s still a certain level of discomfort that’s expected as you’re sweating, and putting your muscles to work.
However, if you’re experiencing other types of discomfort it can be unnecessarily distracting.
The best water aerobics shoes will ensure that your feet are able to function efficiently so that you can feel the burn where you’re actually supposed to!
If you’ve ever worn an uncomfortable pair of shoes you’ve probably noticed that it can dramatically decrease your motivation to continue doing any activity.
Water aerobics shoes are a lightweight option to keep you comfortable, yet unencumbered while you are working out.
Protect Your Feet
They’re also an effective tool for protecting your feet from impact that could potentially lead to injury. Water aerobics involves exercising while standing in a pool.
You may do things like jumping, running, and changing positions quickly.
The bottoms of pools are pretty hard and sometimes rough, which can cause mishaps if you land wrong.
That’s why it may behoove you to wear a special type of shoe to provide some extra cushion and act as a barrier against rough surfaces you’ll be in contact with.
It’s also nice to have a little support so that when you jump you don’t have to come down on a hard, concrete surface and risk damaging the small bones in your feet.
A good pair of water aerobics shoes can also protect you from abrasions and infections. Not to mention they’re supposed to also keep you safe by preventing you from slipping around.
Things that Differentiate This Type of Workout Gear
Searching through all of the different options available can get a bit tedious and overwhelming. Here are a few key features you may want to focus on in order to narrow your search:
Type of Material
Since water aerobics shoes are meant to protect your feet and keep you comfortable you may want to keep an eye out for shoes made with breathable materials like mesh.
The best water aerobics shoes will have mesh sides and a mesh top layer to promote breathability.
When your feet are wet they’re more prone to blisters, so making sure there aren’t any rough seams is another consideration.
Type of Closure or Laces
You may want to look for water aerobics shoes that have a drawstring closure method to adjust the tightness. This way you don’t have to worry about your laces coming untied during your workout.
It can really hinder your fitness routine if you have to climb out of the pool to adjust your shoes every few minutes.
Quality Insoles
A good insole will provide support and cushion to keep your feet protected against impact.
If they’re removable then that’s even better because it makes them a lot easier to clean, and can help them to dry faster as well.
Non-Slip Outer Soles
One of the main reasons for using water aerobics shoes in the first place is to prevent you from sliding on the slippery surface of the bottom of a pool.
It’s imperative that you look for a pair of shoes with soles that will grip the surface to keep you stable and in control of your movements.
Drainage System
Another important component of the best water aerobics shoes is a good drainage system. This feature allows you to get water out of the shoes quickly so that you don’t feel weighed down.
It also decreases the drying time which is significant for decreasing the likelihood of mildew and other bacteria of forming.
Well-made water aerobics shoes often have perforated soles and drainage holes in the sides to make the drainage process easier and lessen drying time.
Best Way to Use Water Aerobics Shoes
They can be versatile. Many people like to use them for hiking, walking on the beach, and water sports.
However, since they’re specially made for exercising in the pool they may not always be as well suited for other activities.
People often wear them just to walk around because they’re lightweight and easy to travel with.
However, if you’re planning to hike or use them outside of a pool it may be a good idea to be wary of rocks, gravel and other things that could get stuck in the bottoms and cause pain.
Even though they’re made to dry quickly, it makes a huge difference in their durability if you keep them clean.
Taking some time to clean them after each use can reinforce durability and promote their longevity.
Product Review Roundup
Aleader Women’s Water Shoes
These Aleader water shoes are specifically designed for women.
There are a plethora of color options to choose from including 29 different combinations, by far the most offered on this list!
They are constructed with porous fabric and durable air mesh which creates more breathability, especially for the tops of your feet.
The midsoles add a little bounce to your step, which can be really helpful when you’re jumping around in the pool because they add some cushion to your landing while still being lightweight enough not to weigh you down.
Aleader incorporated an outer sole that facilitates water drainage, and extra traction to prevent slipping on wet surfaces. A sock-liner has also been included for more comfort.
It’s a ComforDry liner which promotes coolness inside the shoe while keeping it drier and adding an extra bit of cushion.
Pros
- extremely comfortable, even for out of water activities like hiking
- no uncomfortable rubbing when worn without socks
- provide lots of cushion
- supportive
Cons
- metal grommets around the eyelets may start to rust
- feel really flimsy
- only dry quickly when not on your feet
Belilent Water Shoes
Blilent Water Shoes are some of the most affordable on the list.
Many people often buy a couple of pairs because they’re cute, functional and won’t break the bank compared to some higher-end water shoes.
With 12 different colors and designs to choose from, you could even coordinate them to match your outfits!
Like a lot of the products on this list, they are also made with ComforDry sock-liners for a cooler, drier compartment for your feet.
They also add a bit of cushion to protect you during the impact of jumping underwater.
These shoes have enhanced breathability, which comes from the durable air mesh that surrounds your foot while still allowing a good amount of airflow.
The thick rubber soles are anti-slip which is a great feature to have if you’re going to be walking around on slippery and wet surfaces like the side of a pool.
The special midsole contributes to the lightweight feel and bounciness that these shoes provide.
Pros
- can also be worn just walking around town
- they look like running shoes or Nike shoes
- more supportive than normal water shoes
- they fit true to size
Cons
- not very durable, seams start coming apart after a few uses
- may not have enough arch support for some people
- might develop odor
RYKA Women’s Hydro Sport Water and Cross-Training Shoe
Ryka is a women’s athletic shoe company that also makes water aerobics shoes.
They’re made from 100% synthetic mesh that’s chlorine resistant, an important feature for durability.
I really like that Ryka went the extra mile to keep these shoes from breaking down as quickly.
Chlorine can dramatically decrease the amount of wear you’ll get out of pool clothing because the chemicals in pools can increase the rate of fabric deterioration.
They also feature a removable insole that’s perforated.
As I mentioned above, perforation is a fantastic asset as it aids in water drainage and promotes faster drying times.
These shoes also have drainage holes built into the sides which lend an extra measure of effectiveness.
The sticky rubber soles also help with traction on slippery surfaces.
Plus, the mid-foot cage is made with webbing that adds to the stability of this shoe by creating extra support for the outer sides of your feet and arches.
These features make this a good shoe choice for crosstraining in case you want to wear your shoes outside of the pool.
There are 10 different color options to choose from.
Pros
- true to size when worn without socks
- won’t slip in the pool
- durable and will last for a good amount of time
- have extra heel cushion
Cons
- not very supportive
- some pairs may take a few days to dry
- feet slide inside of shoe and crush toes
Ryka Women’s Aqua Sport Shoes
Ryka also makes women’s Aqua Sport Shoes that have bungee laces.
The best pair of water shoes will often have this type of closure to prevent mishaps such as your laces coming untied while working out and potentially causing a tripping hazard.
The top of the shoe has breathable mesh and synthetic overlays to allow air and water to flow through without bogging you down.
There’s also a padded tongue and collar to make sure your feet are as comfortable as possible.
There’s a pull-tab on the heel to help slip them on and off easily and quickly. And the soft fabric lining helps to prevent blisters from forming.
A perforated mid-sole, with holes in the footbed, helps with water drainage. While the outer sole is made to grip surfaces for more traction.
This company offers the least amount of color choices with Mazarine blue being one, and a combination of blue, light blue, and coral for the other.
Pros
- Fits as expected
- they hold up well after being in chlorine pools regularly if rinsed thoroughly after use
- easy to slip on and off
- great for wide feet
Cons
- started to fall apart quickly
- the coral color may bleed and stain anything it touches
Zhuanglin Women’s Quick Drying Aqua Water Shoes
Zhuanglin makes quick-drying women’s water aerobics shoes. There are 24 style and color options, which gives you a wide range to choose from depending on your style.
Made of 90% fabric, these shoes also have open mesh which adds to breathability and increased drying times.
The cushioned sock-liner also dries pretty quickly which is a necessity for increasing the longevity of your shoes and decreasing the likelihood of bacteria growing and causing odors.
These shoes have a water grip outer sole which increases the traction on wet surfaces. Plus the mid-sole is lightweight and bouncy for additional comfort.
Pros
- great support and shock absorption when jumping in the pool
- versatile
- easy to clean
- extra bouncy insole
- they stretch to fit the shape of your feet
Cons
- outer sole isn’t very durable
- have a chemical smell
- don’t fit true to size
Our Top Choice
We’ve reviewed tons of products and narrowed them down to the top 5.
However, based on the main things you may want to look for, there was one product that stood out among the others.
Ryka Women’s Hydro Sport Water and Cross-Training Shoes meet most of the criteria for the best water aerobics shoes.
One of my favorite features about this shoe is that they’re made to be chlorine-resistant which is imperative for enhancing the amount of wear you’ll get out of a pair of water shoes.
The drainage holes and perforated insoles are a must when it comes to a good pair of water shoes because they allow the shoe to dry more quickly.
I also really like the added support of the extra webbing on the mid-sole.
It’s important to have good support in a pair of water shoes because of the impact of jumping on hard surfaces.
Overall, the Ryka Hydro Shoes seem to be a great potential investment for anyone looking for the best water aerobics shoes.
