Taking a walk barefooted along a white-sandy beach in summer can be relaxing and rejuvenating! However, if you are a Scuba diver or snorkeler, there will be more excitement under the sea if your feet are well protected! To fully explore and appreciate the beauty of the underwater landscape with its flora and fauna, you need high-quality diving shoes or boots. What are some of the best driving shoes in the market? What makes them unique and ideal for diving? Why do you need them? Let us find out more…
When you’re cold-water diving or offshore-diving, it’s important that both your feet and body maintain the same temperature. You must protect your feet from sharp coral reefs and rugged slippery rocks. To ensure maximum protection, here the top Best Diving Shoes/Boots worth purchasing:
- Cressi Tall Neoprene Boots
- Mares Neoprene 2mm Dive Boots | Diving Shoes
- Phantom Aquatics 3mm Surf Snorkeling Dive Boots
- Neo Sport Premium Neoprene Men & Women Wetsuit Shoes
- Promate 5mm Dreadnought Hard Sole Scuba Dive Zipper Boots
- Mares Trilastic 5mm Sneaker Sole Dive Boot
When To Wear Diving Shoes
For your feet to be well protected underwater, you need to adorn suitable diving shoes or boots. When snorkeling or deep diving, you’ll have to wear these special wetsuit boots with adjustable open-heel dive fins.
If you enjoy scuba diving, water sailing, surfing, kayaking or any other water sports activities, you’ll need special water diving shoes or boots.
In areas where water is pretty cold, you need diving shoes or boots with extended tops. For warmer water, a standard shoe-cut type of design is highly recommended.
Let’s look into detail some of the best diving boots you should consider buying for your outdoor water sports and adventure
6 Best Diving Boots/Shoes In The Market
#1. Cressi Tall Neoprene Boots | Diving Shoes
If your desire is to explore any water depth or engage in any water sporting, Cressi Tall Neoprene boots are your perfect choice. It’s designed to keep your feet warm in all diving conditions.
If you are a scuba diver, the heels are ideal for you as their heels have a unique design that perfectly fits the open heel fins.
It has a small strap fin holder that prevents the fin strap from slipping and off your foot while in use. Its toes and heel sections are reinforced with long-lasting rubber to protect against wear and tear.
The boots are made from sowp, double-lined Neoprene, and they come with an operating zip running from the sole to your ankle region.
The sole is heavy duty to help you withstand the pressure from hot sand and attempted penetration from pricking rocks.
The boots are made in such a way that the warmth and flexibility they offer are in great balance for active diving. The thin flap seal under the zip takes helps in reducing water seepage into the boots to keep your feet from wetting.
Key Benefits:
- Comes with built-in fin strap holder design on the back of the heel to help you have a firm hold and prevent slipping of the strap.
- Made of super elastic Neoprene that comes in thicknesses of 5mm and 7mm for your maximum comfort.
- Boasts of a built-in sole to offer extra protection when walking on sharp rocks or pebbles.
- Has a sturdy anti-slip rubber, making it a perfect match for wet surfaces.
- For easy on and off slip, the boot comes with a side zip running from the sole to the ankle.
#2. Mares Neoprene 2mm Scuba Snorkeling Dive Boots
With their 2mm thickness, the Mares Neoprene Scuba Diving shoes are ideal for use in warm tropical waters. The boots are made using nylon II neoprene and vulcanized rubber soles. The two material combinations are ideal in providing your feet with insulation against the water. You don’t have to worry about the bottoms of your feet! They are effectively protected with the nylon and vulcanized rubber soles.
With the durable soles, you will freely walk on hot sand without fear of getting burnt. Plus, even if you accidentally stepped on a fine pebble, your feet will remain safe under the boots. The boots do not wear or tear easily as they are perfectly stitched, and the seams hold together for long as they are firmly glued.
Another great attribute of this diving boot that you will love is its excellent patterning at the bottom. The patterns are not just for decorations as they help to improve friction and make the shoes hold on firmly onto any surfaces such as boats and slippery rocks.
Key Benefits
- It comes with rubber grip sowp sole for perfect grip on all surfaces.
- It is 2mm thick to make sure your feet remain warm and protected.
- They are light in weight to aid easy packing and moving around with.
- The boots extend to your ankle for extended protection of your feet.
- It has rubberized heels, which helps to keep the strap in place.
#3. Phantom Aquatics 3mm Surf Snorkeling Dive Boots
If you are looking for the best pair of boots that work best in warm waters, then this is another option for you! The Phantom Aquatics boots boast of low cut design and with a thickness of 3mm
The diving shoes’ top part is made of nylon II neoprene. It has a rubber base for perfect grip. It’s highly durable with seams that are perfectly sewn to withstand pressures of wearing and tearing off.
Besides, these diving shoes are made to accommodate everyone’s needs as they are easy to slip on and off, making them suitable for even new divers.
The patterns are well crawped at the boots’ soles to make them have a perfect grip on smooth and slippery surfaces. The boot comes in different sizes, making it easy for you to find a size that perfectly fits you.
Key Benefits:
- The boot is 3mm thick to ensure that your feet are warm and comfortable under the water.
- It is perfectly sewn to serve you for long periods and protect your feet.
- The boots are light in weight for easy portability.
- It has well-crawped patterns on the sole to make it have firm grips on surfaces that might be slippery.
Check Price and BUY ON AMAZON
#4. Neo Sport Premium Neoprene Men & Women Wetsuit Shoes
Another top best diving shoes is Neoprene Sport Premium for both men and women. They come in varying thicknesses of between 3mm to 7mm. This variation in thickness offers you a wide range of options to pick from when choosing shoes for diving in different kinds of waters.
The construction and design of these are indeed amazing, which makes them admirable for many of their users. Their upper part is made up of Neoprene, while the sole is made up of synthetic fiber. The boots’ seams have been sewn and glued together to make the shoes robust, durable, and unable to allow water into the shoes.
You will not worry about getting pricked or pierced by a sharp rock when walking. The boots have soles made from puncture-proof material to sustain intense pressure hence keeping you safe from the threats of rocks and other sharp protruding objects. Additionally, it has a zipper that helps to keep water at bay thanks to its water-entry barrier.
Key Benefits:
- It has a range of thickness levels to pick from with the 3mm one suitable for warm waters, 5mm for moderate water, and 7mm for cold water.
- Its sewn and glued construction makes it resistant to wear and tear hence more durable.
- It comes with a heavy-duty zipper for easy pulling on and off.
- The water entry barrier behind the zipper comes in handy in putting water away from the boots
#5. Promate 5mm Dreadnought Hard Sole Scuba Dive Zipper Boots
If you are looking for perfect boots for both cold and warm water, Promate 5mm Dreadnought Hard Sole Zipper Boots are your best diving shoes! The shoes have a thickness of 5mm, which is why they are suitable for both types of waters.
The boot’s upper part is made of Neoprene to ensure your feet are warm in all temperatures. The soles, on the other hand, are made of sturdy and durable rubber, which places it at a better condition for walking with on rough or jugged surfaces.
With the zippers perfectly situated at the sides of the boots, you can quickly put on and remove the shoes. The boots also come in various sizes, which make them ideal for people of different foot sizes.
Key Benefits
- The shoes come in different sizes with men sizes ranging from 10 to 10.5 and women 11 to 11.5.
- Its thickness of 5mm is sturdy, comfortable, and keeps your feet warm in cold waters.
- The Neoprene around the ankle area is made of super-elastic material which helps keep water away from your feet.
- The sole is made of hard rubber for a perfect grip on surfaces.
- It has a fin strap lug at the heels to keep your fin straps from shiwping while in water.
#6. Mares Trilastic 5mm Dive Boot | Sneaker Sole Diving Shoes
Now you can dive with a unique pair of sneaker-like boots! Mares Trilastic 3mm Sneaker scuba shoes are super easy to wear and take off. Thanks to its stretch high-quality material!
With its thick soles, your feet will remain well-cushioned for maximum comfort underwater. It tough seams to ensure that no water gets into your boot. This ensures that your feet remain warm for your comfortable diving experience. With its robust tread, you can easily and safely navigate your ways between underwater’s slippery rocks
Key Benefits
- Comes with 5mm thickness for a comfortable dive in colder waters
- Reinforced toe and heel section for your enhanced safety
- Has a tough but comfortable sole for maximum traction and movement control
- Its rubber soal provides the perfect grip you need under the sea
Check Price and BUY ON AMAZON
Factors to Consider When Choosing Diving Shoes or Diving Boots
Getting yourself the perfect pair of diving boots would require you to put several factors into consideration. The main reason for getting diving boots is to aid protection for your feet in all angles as you wade deep into the waters. Let’s look at some factors you ought to check out before buying a pair of diving shoes.
1. Sole and Cut
Based on the type of diving you will engage in, you will choose a sole and cut that fits your preferred diving path. For deep diving, especially if you will be landing on ocean floors, you must pick boots with thick soles.
The thick soles will help to protect you from the numerous sharp objects on the ocean floor, which can easily pierce through a thin sole. For shallow water diving, you can pick boots with more lightweight soles.
Boots cuts are either high or low. The high ones are ideal for cooler waters as they help cover up to your ankles to prevent water from getting into your feet and keeping you warm. For warmer waters, it is excellent to consider the low cuts boots as they offer better mobility than the high cut ones.
2. The thickness of the Boot
When diving into warm waters, you will need thin-layered boots as you won’t need much of covering for temperature. However, when dipping into deep cold waters, you should think of thicker boots of above 5mm thickness.
The rule will be the colder the water you are going to dive into, the thicker the boot should grow. The most abundant boots you can land on in the market currently stands at 7mm thick, with the lightest being 2mm thick.
3. Size of the Boot | Diving Shoe Size
This should be a prominent factor to consider when buying any type of shoe. But diving is somehow more important, since purchasing a loose pair of shoes would attract swimming problems and purchasing a small pair would be even worse.
However, it is advisable to have a slightly bigger couple than the smaller ones since it is much more uncomfortable swimming on boots that are hurting your toes and feet.
4. Durability of Diving Shoes/Boot
As you are going to spend a significant amount of money when getting any of the diving boots, it is only wise that you check on the best quality that will make you enjoy the services of your boots for the longest time possible.
These durable boots have their seams both stitched and glued to prevent them from comfortable wear and tear. However, you should also take care of the boot to avoid premature wearing off.
5. Fasteners
Fasteners are mostly found in high cut bots since the low cut ones are easy to slip on and off. Therefore when picking a high cut boot, you should settle for the ones with zippers, which make it easy for you to put on and remove the shoes.
Fasteners tighten the shoes around your feet to keep water away from your fitness and even improve your mobility as they hold the boots close to your feet.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
#1. Why is it important to wear diving boots/shoes?
There are many benefits you get from the diving boots anytime you get deep into the waters. However, a fundamental reason for putting on these boots is to slow down the rate at which you lose heat from your body while in water.
You lose a lot of heat from your feet when in water, and that is why you have to protect them with these special boots or diving shoes that. They’ll help in retaining your body temperature while you’re in the water.
#2. What can I use in place of Neoprene boots to minimize allergic reactions?
Some users of neoprene products have indeed recorded some allergic reactions on their feet, especially around the toes, heel, and ankles. Some of the common reactions you could experience include rashes and some sores. Sadly there are not many alternatives as most diving boots are made using Neoprene.
However, you can reduce your skin’s contact with the boot by wearing latex or spandex socks under the boots to protect your skin from Neoprene.
#3. What’s the best way of storing my diving boots?
It is advisable to store your diving boots in a dark and dry place awper washing them. Make sure the place you are storing them is of moderate room temperature, not too cold and not too hot. To help them maintain their shape, stuff some newspaper in them and lay them flat or stand them upright.
#4. Is it advisable to wash a diving boot in a washing machine?
Given that most diving boots are made of Neoprene, it wouldn’t be advisable to wash them in a washing machine to reduce the chances of spoiling the neoprene layer. However, a bar of soap and warm water would suffice.
#5. Can diving shoes or boots protect you against Stingray barbs?
Stingray barbs are sturdy and easily pierce through a shark’s skin so that a boot wouldn’t keep them at bay.
You could not have had a better compilation of diving shoes than the ones on this list. I hope you get yourself the perfect pair to see you through your diving adventures smoothly. With great care, your boots will serve you through an extended period. Get your choice today, and go diving.
No comment yet, add your voice below!