Best Water Sandals for Hiking: Open-Toe and Closed-Toe Picks

Our verdict

Water Hiking Sandal Top Picks

A water sandal for hiking has two jobs that pull against each other: hold your foot on wet rock in a creek, then carry you down a dusty trail without rubbing. The r/hikinggear thread that ranks for this search starts from exactly that problem: a hiker who clipped water shoes to their pack found “Trying to put on and take off cold, wet water shoes that were nearly useless if I wasn’t in the water was awful.”

So this guide looks for sandals you can keep on through the crossings: outsoles testers found grippy when wet (one light pair aside), straps that stay put when soaked, and uppers that drain. We compare eight sandals from six brands, five open-toe and three closed-toe, with what RunRepeat, Switchback Travel and Field Mag found, downsides included. For boots, packs and the rest of the trail kit, browse our hiking footwear and pack guides.

Compare the picks

Compare the 8 Water Hiking Sandals

Each row names the gender, colour and size the link opens; switch to your size on Amazon. Weights are left out because makers and testers weigh different sizes and genders.

How We Judged Wet Grip, Drainage and Fit

What each sandal had to show

• Wet grip, as someone else measured or reported it. RunRepeat’s lab uses the SATRA TM144 method and reports a friction coefficient (higher is grippier). Without a lab figure, we quote field testers and say so.
• A fit that stays put when wet. RunRepeat lists a “Customizable closure system (buckles, Velcro, or bungee) that allows you to achieve a perfect lockdown” among the features a water hiking sandal needs.
• An upper that drains and dries: synthetic webbing, quick-dry straps or open mesh, per each maker or a tester.
• Toe protection, as a choice. Open toes drain and shed grit; a closed toe guards against rocks.
• The exact Amazon listing, checked on the day of writing: gender, colour, size, stock and seller.

Sources and how independent they are and what hikers on Reddit say about sandals in water

Sources and how independent they are

• RunRepeat’s water hiking sandal guide and its lab reviews of the Teva Hurricane XLT3, KEEN Newport H2, Teva Hydratrek, HOKA Hopara 2 and KEEN Hyperport H2, all men’s pairs.
• Switchback Travel’s hiking sandal guide (men’s and women’s) and Field Mag’s women’s hiking sandal test.
• Maker pages from KEEN, Chaco, Xero Shoes and Astral. Teva’s and HOKA’s sites did not load for our reader, so their features come from the Amazon listing or a tester.

The three publishers earn affiliate commissions but do not sell the sandals, so we treat them as independent. Maker and Amazon claims are quoted as claims.

What hikers on Reddit say about sandals in water

The r/hikinggear thread splits into camps. One poster: “Chacos are popular for a reason.” Another, who has “fished and waded many sierra streams in my Keens,” wrote: “A bit heavy but the added toe protection makes them my top choice.” A poster who owns Bedrocks prefers “a lightweight mesh pair of running shoes with neoprene socks underneath.” To keep feet dry instead, see our waterproof walking sneakers.

Water Hiking Sandals: Detailed Reviews

Teva Hurricane XLT3, Cushioned Open-Toe Sandal

Evidence: Independently reviewed, exact model. RunRepeat: Hurricane XLT3, men’s.

RunRepeat tested the men’s XLT3: “A high friction coefficient of 0.69 confirmed that the Hurricane XLT3’s outsole traction remains strong and tacky for various outdoor obstacles, including wet rocks and boulders.” The costs, from the same source: it “Got heavier than average,” and “its thick platform added stiffness to the sandal.”

Teva’s Amazon listing describes a topsole “with 5mm more EVA than the previous XLT2 model,” quick-dry recycled straps and “3 points of adjustability.” Sold by Brothers 441 Brands on Amazon at the time of writing.

Specs (linked: men’s Hurricane XLT3, Dark Olive, size 9 Medium)

• Toe and closure: open toe; 3-point hook-and-loop strapping, FuseLock (Teva, per Amazon listing)
• Outsole: updated lug pattern (Teva); lug depth 3.7 mm (RunRepeat)
• Wet traction: 0.69, SATRA TM144 method (RunRepeat lab, men’s)
• Price tier: $$ (live Amazon price in the table above)

KEEN Newport H2, Closed-Toe Hybrid Sandal

Evidence: Independently reviewed, exact model. Switchback Travel: Newport H2, men’s and women’s.

KEEN calls it “Part water sandal, part hiker. The original hybrid sandal,” with a “Multi-directional lug pattern with razor siping for better grip on wet surfaces,” a bungee lace, quick-dry webbing and a rubber toe bumper; Switchback notes its “drainage ports for dumping water.” Sold by Amazon.com at the time of writing.

RunRepeat (men’s): “We are impressed with the sandal’s high level of traction, whether on wet surfaces or dry terrain.” Switchback Travel warns “the Newport H2 runs small” and “tends to hold onto a stink”; KEEN says it is machine washable. Field Mag found it “seems to run a little narrow.” A former canyoneering guide on r/hikinggear: “pebbles like to go in them, but not shake out of them.” Anglers should also see our fly fishing wading shoes.

KEEN Newport H2 or Teva Hurricane XLT3? The KEEN for rocky water, accepting grit inside; the Teva for open-toe drainage, with no toe protection.

Specs (linked: women’s Newport H2, Monochrome/Safari, size 8)

• Toe and closure: closed toe with KEEN.PROTECT rubber bumper; bungee lace (KEEN)
• Outsole: non-marking rubber, multi-directional lugs with razor siping (KEEN); lug depth 4.1 mm (RunRepeat, men’s)
• Upper: washable polyester webbing, quick-dry lining (KEEN)
• Price tier: $$$ (live Amazon price in the table above)

Chaco Z/1 Cloud, Repairable Z-Strap Sandal

Evidence: Independently reviewed, exact model. Switchback Travel: Z/Cloud, men’s and women’s.

Chaco describes “the same ChacoGrip rubber outsole with an added top layer of ultra-soft polyurethane (PU)” and a strap that “wraps around the foot and through the midsole.” Its page gives the lug depth as both “3.0 MM” and “3.5mm”; the Amazon listing says 3.0 mm. Sold by Amazon.com at the time of writing.

Switchback Travel found “Excellent durability, support, and traction over a wide variety of surfaces,” but “A little heavy and bulky-feeling,” and notes that “Chaco offers an in-house repair service (called ReChaco)”.

Chaco Z/1 Cloud or Teva Hurricane XLT3? The Chaco has one threaded strap and can be repaired; the Teva has hook-and-loop straps and RunRepeat’s wet-traction figure.

Specs (linked: men’s Z/1 Cloud, Solid Black, size 11)

• Toe and closure: open toe, no toe loop; one adjustable webbing strap with buckle (Chaco)
• Outsole: ChacoGrip rubber; lug depth 3.0 mm and 3.5 mm both stated by Chaco
• Repairs: repairable through Chaco
• Price tier: $$ (live Amazon price in the table above)

Xero Shoes Z-Trail EV, Minimalist Packable Sandal

Evidence: Independently reviewed, exact model. Switchback Travel: Z-Trail EV, men’s and women’s.

Xero describes “an updated 11 mm FeelLite sole with a middle layer of TrailFoam and an updated dual chevron lug pattern.” Switchback Travel adds: “The sandals float, making them suitable for kayaking or paddleboarding.” Sold by Orva Stores on Amazon at the time of writing.

The sources agree it is light-duty. Switchback found it “Loose and sloppy-feeling” and reported “considerable wear along the thin midsole” within months; Field Mag (women’s) saw the toe edges wear “pretty quickly.” A poster on r/hikinggear who owns Xeros (model not named): “I will admit they are pretty limited in the traction department.”

Specs (linked: men’s Z-Trail EV, Steel Gray/Asphalt, size 12)

• Weight: 5.4 oz per sandal, men’s 9 (Xero)
• Sole: 11 mm FeelLite with TrailFoam layer, dual chevron lugs, zero drop (Xero)
• Floats: yes, per Switchback Travel
• Price tier: $ (live Amazon price in the table above)

Teva Hydratrek, Flexible Wet-Deck Sandal

Evidence: Independently reviewed, same series. RunRepeat: Hydratrek, men’s.

RunRepeat tested the men’s Hydratrek: “the reimagined traction pattern showed an even stronger grip on wet terrain,” and its 2.6 mm lugs “proved to be an ideal setup for wet rocks, slippery decks, and light trails.” The downsides: “dirt tends to get stuck in between the lugs,” it is “Fiddly when putting on (pads fold over),” and those who need more coverage “should find a closed hiking sandal.” Sold by Zappos on Amazon at the time of writing.

Teva Hydratrek or Teva Hurricane XLT3? The Hydratrek for wet decks and smooth rock; the XLT3, with a thicker platform and deeper lugs, for mixed trail.

Specs (linked: women’s Hydratrek, Neon Coral, size 8 Medium)

• Toe and closure: open toe; adjustable padded straps (RunRepeat)
• Outsole: lugs with air channels, 2.6 mm deep (RunRepeat, men’s)
• Price tier: $$ (live Amazon price in the table above)

HOKA Hopara 2, Mesh Shoe-Sandal Hybrid

Evidence: Independently reviewed, exact model. Field Mag: Hopara 2, women’s.

HOKA says it “Feels like a sandal, functions like a hiker.” Field Mag (women’s) found “an adjustable heel strap and shock cord to tighten the fit and the rubber outsole was surprisingly sticky on slick ground,” but “the mesh upper traps sand like a trail runner” and it “does run a little wide for my feet.” RunRepeat (men’s) agrees: “the sandal kept us surefooted even on wet rocks and grass!”, with “Traps sand easily” and “Not for narrow feet” as cons. Sold by Voadera on Amazon at the time of writing.

Specs (linked: women’s Hopara 2, Alabaster/Snow Melt, size 6 Medium)

• Toe and closure: closed toe, Cordura mesh upper; shock cord and adjustable heel strap (Field Mag)
• Outsole: rubber, 3.0 mm lugs (RunRepeat, men’s)
• Price tier: $$$ (live Amazon price in the table above)

Astral Webber, Wide-Strap Paddling Sandal

Evidence: Independently reviewed, exact model. Switchback Travel: Webber, men’s and women’s.

Astral says the Webber “pairs the adjustable fit of Astral’s award-winning life jackets with the stability and grip of our world-renowned Loyak water shoes,” with a zero-drop footbed and “wider toe box.” Switchback Travel found “a tacky and flexible outsole that nicely conforms around rocks and other obstacles in the water or along the trail,” but “the full toe exposure doesn’t bode well for direct hits,” and the forefoot buckles are “susceptible to catching on tree roots.” Sold by Backcountry on Amazon at the time of writing.

Astral Webber or Chaco Z/1 Cloud? The Webber’s wide straps cover more foot on a flat footbed; the Chaco has a cushioned footbed and one strap.

Specs (linked: men’s Webber, Stealth Black, M 10)

• Toe and closure: open toe; wide webbing straps with buckles (Astral, Switchback)
• Footbed: zero drop, wider toe box (Astral)
• Weight: 1 lb. 1.4 oz. per pair, men’s (Switchback; size not stated)
• Price tier: $ (live Amazon price in the table above)

KEEN Hyperport H2, Cushioned Closed-Toe Hybrid

Evidence: Independently reviewed, exact model. Field Mag: Hyperport H2, women’s.

KEEN describes “maximal cushioning from the high-rebound insole and extra thick midsole,” “Aquagrip rubber for better traction on wet surfaces,” a toe bumper and a quick-dry lining. Sold by Amazon.com at the time of writing.

The sources disagree on grip. Field Mag (women’s) found it “not as grippy in water as Vibram Megagrip but had more traction than the Newport.” RunRepeat’s men’s lab test found grip on wet concrete “acceptable but not outstanding, with a friction coefficient of 0.47” (its average across 6 hiking sandals: 0.65), said it “belongs to light and hard-packed terrain only,” and called it “the stiffest of all closed-toe sandals we’ve tested.”

KEEN Hyperport H2 or KEEN Newport H2? Field Mag found the Hyperport lighter and more cushioned; RunRepeat measured shallower lugs on it (2.6 vs 4.1 mm, men’s). Hyperport for easy trails, Newport for rockier ground.

Specs (linked: women’s Hyperport H2, Chipmunk/Birch, size 7.5)

• Toe and closure: closed toe with KEEN.PROTECT bumper; bungee lace (KEEN)
• Outsole: Aquagrip rubber (KEEN); 2.6 mm lugs (RunRepeat, men’s)
• Wet traction: 0.47, SATRA TM144 method (RunRepeat lab, men’s)
• Price tier: $$ (live Amazon price in the table above)

Open-Toe or Closed-Toe: Choosing the Best Sandals for Water and Hiking

Five picks are open-toe; the KEEN Newport H2, KEEN Hyperport H2 and HOKA Hopara 2 cover the toes; Switchback notes the Newport’s drainage ports, and RunRepeat found the Hopara 2 drains well. Switchback Travel notes that on rocky creeks and shorelines “stubbed toes are par for the course with an open-toe shoe.” The cost of a closed toe is grit: a Reddit poster found pebbles get into KEENs and stay, and Field Mag and RunRepeat both found the Hopara 2 traps sand. Open-toe sandals shed sand and gravel but leave toes exposed.

Women’s water hiking sandals

Four links open women’s listings (Newport H2, Hydratrek, Hopara 2, Hyperport H2) and four open men’s; each model comes in both, so search the name with “women’s” or “men’s” on Amazon. Field Mag, testing on women’s feet, found the Newport narrow and the Hopara 2 wide. For shoes that keep water out, see our waterproof women’s shoes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Look for tester-checked wet traction, a fit you can tighten when wet and an upper that drains. The Teva Hurricane XLT3 has RunRepeat’s lab figure, the KEEN Newport H2 adds toe protection, and Switchback Travel picks the Chaco Z/Cloud overall and the Astral Webber for water.

No source we read tested them head to head under one method, so we cannot rank them. RunRepeat measured the Teva Hurricane XLT3 at 0.69 wet traction; Switchback found the Chaco Z/Cloud’s traction excellent “over a wide variety of surfaces.” Teva uses hook-and-loop straps; Chaco, one threaded strap and a repair service.

Some are. The original poster in the r/hikinggear thread found their water shoes “nearly useless if I wasn’t in the water.” Hybrids such as the KEEN Newport H2 and HOKA Hopara 2 are pitched by their makers for land and water, with covered toes. Thin neoprene water shoes are a different category that this guide does not cover.

For long days in rivers and canyons, posters in the Reddit thread split between sandals and mesh trail runners worn with neoprene socks. If you choose a sandal, a closed-toe hybrid protects toes; if you choose a shoe, our value trail running shoes guide covers mesh trail runners.

No. Water sandals let water in and drain it out rather than keep it out. As one r/hikinggear poster put it: “No shoe is waterproof if the water is deeper than the part of the shoe where your foot goes in.” Look for synthetic straps or webbing that drain and dry.

The bottom line

Final Verdict

For day hikes with creek crossings, start with the Teva Hurricane XLT3 (check price): RunRepeat measured its wet traction, at the cost of a stiffer, heavier build. For rocky rivers, the KEEN Newport H2 (check price) covers your toes but can trap pebbles. The Chaco Z/1 Cloud (check price) suits hikers who want one strap and a repairable sandal; the Astral Webber (check price) suits paddlers who walk to the water. The Teva Hydratrek (check price) is the flexible option for wet decks; the HOKA Hopara 2 (check price) is a shoe-sandal hybrid for trail-runner wearers that lets sand in; the KEEN Hyperport H2 (check price) adds cushioning for easy trails; and the Xero Shoes Z-Trail EV (check price) is the light pair to carry for camp. Try any of them with the straps or laces cinched, since every pick relies on them when wet.

Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.com at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.