Customer Reviews Xero Shoes Aqua X Sport

These are way too narrow if you have 2E wide feet. These are advertised as having a "wide toe box," so I was hopeful they might work for someone with wide feet, but they definitely do not. The toe box is only just slightly wider than standard pointy-toe shoes (and much narrower, than, say, Altras), and the midfoot is quite narrow. They seem like they'd be really great if they came in wide. They're very breathable and I like the design, but they're definitely designed for someone with narrow feet.

Started ocean swims in December and wear these everyday. Super lightweight and comfortable !!! Have to walk over lots of rocks, big and small, sharp and barnacled. No issues whatsoever.

I really like the shoes, they just run small. I base everything off the Prio. If you wear a 13 in the Prio like me grab a 14 in these.

I ordered a pair of the Aqua X Sport water shoes from Zappos back in mid-April, and everything about the buying experience was simply fantastic—until recently. Firstly, the good: the shoes showed up in no time flat, which is par for the course with Zappos, and arrived in excellent condition. I really, really like this new design from Xero. They felt great right out of the box and required next to no breaking in to get to the point where I didn't even notice I had them on. It's easy to cinch them up nice and tight prior to more vigorous activity thanks to the convenient speed-lace system, but since they have a natural foot shape, you never feel squeezed, constricted, or rubbed raw. They allow your forefeet to stretch out and connect with the ground the way they're supposed to, which is one of my favorite things about the Xero's shoe design in general. The Aqua X Sports in particular also feature a thin and unobtrusive yet impressively rugged outsole that's nice and grippy on a wide variety of surfaces, from asphalt to muddy trails to wet docks. I've worn these on several short hikes on both dry and wet terrain and never once felt like my footing was less than secure. They do take a longer-than-average time to dry after being totally immersed, but they shed water extremely well, so it's unlikely to cause any issues aside from pruny toes. Overall, I would say the Aqua X Sports offer a ton of value given their high manufacturing quality and long list of performance-focused features. Now for the not so good: unfortunately, one of the textile loop eyelets that holds the speed laces in place on my pair has come completely unstitched after only a few short weeks of sporadic wear. As a result, the shoe no longer cinches up the way it's supposed to. It's still wearable, but it feels loose and unstable compared to the other intact shoe, and frankly, I'm not sure I would trust it on a long trek, whitewater rafting trip, or any other demanding recreational outing—the exact kind of activity that these shoes were made to handle. I thought about taking them to a shoe repair specialist to have the loop resewn, but between the consequent fraying and the fact that the stitching site is situated deep inside a narrow slit that makes it all but inaccessible without disassembling the rest of the shoe, I'm not sure whether this would be a viable solution. Until I figure out how to fix the problem, the only thing these will be good for is casual walks on warm days, sadly. In summary, I'm quite pleased with the shoes themselves but more than a little disappointed that a component as important as the eyelets would fall apart after such a brief period of relatively mild wear. They could be a worthwhile purchase if you're in the market for some high-performance minimalist footwear that's suitable for amphibious use and don't want to drop a grip, but buy with caution if durability is near the top of your list of priorities.

Full disclosure: I tried these shoes on tested them in my home on carpet but immediately made the decision to return them. They are very comfortable and have a generous toe box. However the potential durability of this shoe is going to be quite limited due to the materials it is constructed with. Other than the generous toe box the materials and construction are also similar to literally hundreds of cheaper water shoes that are 1/5 the price. I ordered several other pairs of water shoes at the same and they are of similar or better quality in terms of material. I need wider toe box shoes and will try other Xero shoes for that reason but the price in this case is not justified. People may use this as an ultra minimalist running shoe but I think there are others better (and more durable) for that as well.

May not reverse years of squished toes, but it's a start.

I'm really happy with these so far. I can't really speak to how durable they are, but I just wore them for three weeks swimming in the Mediterranean and I loved them. I also think that as far as water shoes go they're one of the best looking ones.

Fit great! Just what I wanted, a shoe to walk in the water with.

Normally size 13 sneaker. 12.5 was best fit with these. Amazing on waterfalls in Jamica. Secure grip when walking on wet rocks and on rocks under water. Feel light even in water (definitely NOT heavy and sloggy). Comfortable right out of the box. Not one blister.

The best water and boat shoe I have owned. Grip is fantastic! I could walk up a wall with this shoe!! It’s wide so it really feels comfortable while moving on the boat & great arch support! Highly recommend.

The fit and size was good, especially since my feet are different sizes. This kind of water shoe is flexible and elastic from top to bottom, and that makes a difference for my different size feet. The tighteners are easy to use, and the treat is sturdy and good on gravel, wooden dock, river rocks, boat deck, and kayak inner. The shoes did have a musty smell from the sea container. Cleared up easily after first use and wash. Would buy again. Sole is light and flexible, but not as thin as a moccasin or thin like no-tread beach swim shoes.

It's a beautiful, well-made shoe, but felt a half-size small for me. A great shoe for walking laps in an exercise pool or just hanging out.

Great shoe, exactly what I need for water activities

First pair was 1/2 size larger but return for one size smaller was easy abs fast. Shoe is perfect for what I needed it which is walking on rocks at beach and dries off fast.

Well, I bought these shoes in hopes that my boyfriend would like them for our upcoming trip to Hawaii. He didn't like them, he said they felt like "paper." Which, after putting these shoes on myself, I was envious that I didn't order these shoes in my size! Even though they were two sizes too big for me personally, I found them to be quite comfortable, especially having a wide foot. They are very nice and light, secure on the feet. I'm just going to have to return these and get a pair for myself

Based on reviews here that said they run small, I ordered a size up (I normally wear an Altra Lone Peak shoe Size 11.) The 11.5 was WAY too big, so then I ordered an 11. They were still too big, and I ended up very happy with the 10.5. Of course, one tends to wear Altra's big and a water shoe should be form fitting, but my advice is to get your true size or one size smaller.

To market these shoes as water shoes is a massive undersell. These are legitimate shoes, actual shoes that you can wear casually, running, hiking, and yes, in the water. But by no means are these shoes the equivalent of those flimsy neoprene things that are sold as water shoes. No. These are real shoes that are good for a lot of things.

These shoes are what they claim to be and more. With a good tread, I can walk around in them on a beach day, without having to have an extra pair of something to wear. Well made, and functional.

Perfect - it avoids me anke injuries while delivering food in town where there are many stairs and many quick direction changes all the time.

These shoes are the most comfortable pair of summer shoes I've ever had, especially when wet, but happy to wear them all day. I've gotten compliments on their looks from my friends. I had already adjusted to ground xero's low profile, arch strengthening, shorter, springy stride. But the new naturally ventilated, lightest-of-weight grip on the ground was a nice touch. Makes me feel a little like spider man on a wall when on the trail on way to water. Thanks for the killer shoes!

These shoes are equally great for walking along a rocky shoreline, walking in the water or heading along a trail. They have a sturdier (but still flexible) sole than some, so you dont feel every pebble when you walk, but still let your feet work.

I love these water shoes! I can wear them for working out or casual and they survived a 20 ft jump into the water!

Great fit and feel

These are by far my new favorite shoe!

This shoe is working out great, it is used for everything. Running hiking Taiji kettle bells.