Sockwa 2013 Playa Lo - Comfortable, Stylish, Durable Beach Sock (W8/M7, Navy)

I have a genuine disdain for footwear -- if it were socially acceptable to walk around barefoot 100% of the time, I would do so. Until that day comes, however, I'll have my Sockwas. These are basically neoprene socks for beach use. In fact, were it not for the exterior seams where the pieces of the shoe are sewn together, they might actually be mistaken for socks by a casual observer. In defiance of the manufacturer's guidance for appropriate use, I do not restrict my use of these to the beach. I wear them everywhere -- around the house, running errands around town, at work, etc. They are as close to being barefoot as I'm going to get without worrying about being asked to leave retail establishments.PROS:- Ridiculously comfortable. No structure, virtually weightless. Seriously - these wear like socks.- Material is stretchy without being uncomfortable - they don't slide around as you walk.- Inexpensive - many 'minimalist' shoes are capitalizing on the barefoot trend and charging exorbitant prices. These are the opposite. At around $25, I've bought three pair already.CONS:- These have absolutely no structure. You'll feel every texture, crack, pebble, etc -- you can even feel the temperature of the ground through them. If you aren't conditioned to walking on a variety of surfaces sans footwear, these might not be a good place to start- Durability may be a concern. Though not the fault of the manufacturer (they tell you specifically not to use these on hard surfaces), you'll want to be aware if you plan to use them to skirt social norms like I do. My oldest pair has started to become frayed around several high-friction spots (ball and big toe area) after a few months of use.- They are somewhat warm. I find myself a bit less likely to wear these for an extended period of time on warm days, as they can become a bit uncomfortable due to their lack of breathe-ability.- They are a bit slippery when new. Again, not designed for use on surfaces other than sand, so there's no tread or traction. I slid around like crazy on my hardwood floors at home the first time I tried them on.Would I recommend these: absolutely! While I can't speak to the viability of these shoes for their intended purpose (I live 1500 miles from the closest beach, and my volleyball game is abysmal), I can tell you there is absolutely nothing better out there for situations where a non-shoe wearer needs to wear shoes.

I purchased these for use on the beach when walking over rougher terrain when going into the water for snorkeling. OK, this is a bit of a niche use, but here goes: I dislike walking on rough surfaces when I am carrying my fins, wearing a mask/snorkel, etc. Even some lovely beach entrances to snorkeling sites can have rougher beaches edges (old coral, rocks). So I purchased these to wear into the water and then use under my fins (mostly just to keep from having to take the socks on/off). They worked well for me. While they are not the thing to wear if you are walking on rough lava or hot coals (!) they did make it more comfortable for me walking down into the water or on rough steps, etc. They seemed to fit easily in my fins (my fins are the fitted shoe-type---made of flexible/stretchy rubber). A quick rinse in the ocean or foot shower gets rid of the sand (but when they are wet they will attract sand, of course, like any similar shoe). I may actually try wearing these around the house -- but otherwise, I don't think of them as something to wear outside for any extended period. The sole is really just a semi-tough fabric---and would not likely hold up on concrete surfaces. It is that flexibility that allowed them to be used for this purpose.

I play recreational sand volleyball and these are just what my feet need. My feet get dry and sore from the coarse sand we usually play on. The Sockwas keep the sand out while still allowing for good traction and movement. I have a much better time playing now that I have my Sockwas - LOVE THEM!!!I ordered smaller than I normally would since they emphasized to follow the sizing chart. They fit perfectly (tight enough to keep the sand out but not too tight) but my feet are very wide. I wonder if they will wear and age well with my wide foot or if the larger size would have been better. I'll just have to see how that goes.They clean up easily and dry quickly. I haven't had any odor problems but I make sure to let them dry out after wearing/cleaning.Their customer service is top notch! I had a glitch in Amazon's ordering system (shipping fees) and Sockwa insisted on refunding my shipping cost to be sure I was 100% satisfied. It had nothing to do with Sockwa, it was an Amazon problem. A teammate just ordered a pair after seeing mine and hearing my experience. He ordered directly from Sockwa with no problems and super fast shipping too. He is happy with his purchase as well.

I needed some river shoes for when we went on our float trip. Having water shoes for getting in and out of the water on beach fronts in sand and loading docks would make it nicer. First thing you need to know is THEY RUN SMALL just like everyone says. I ordered a FULL SIZE larger than I normally wear and those just fit. They feel great, just like socks, no complaints there, doesn't let the sand in. The issue I have with these is, like socks, you feel almost everything. Step on a small rock, you feel it. The bottoms are the same fabric as the top and sides, I should of expected that. You can feel the HEAT if its hot enough. We were out in Laughlin Arizona during August and it was around 104 degrees and the concrete was HOT. Felt it through my socks, not enough to be dancing to the next spot, but enough to not wanna stand on it for certain periods. I think for next year I will be getting something with a more sturdy bottom.