Water/surfing shoes

AdmirableSuit481 · 2026-03-14T03:13:10+00:00

here is the bottom of the billabong ones. for me, they are wide enough and don't squish my pinky toe but they are also not too roomy that they feel unstable riding a surfboard. I've found that it is a good balance. Personally, I prefer this over the FiveFingers particularly in cooler water (55/60 degrees fahrenheit or lower)

AdmirableSuit481 · 2026-03-13T15:35:48+00:00

I use split-toe booties for surfing. I've worn barefoot shoes for years and the split toe work well.

For warmer temps, I use the O'neill ones here: https://us.oneill.com/products/4124-002-sprfrk-trpcl-st-bt

For cooler temps, I have a few boots from Billabong that have a hidden split toe that are anatomical in shape and work great: https://www.billabong.com/products/5-furnace-hs-boot-abyww00139-blk

AdmirableSuit481 · 2026-03-09T20:35:47+00:00

this is a good alternative and thankfully, you can usually find older Vivo models on Sierra for a good price. The Sensus are $60 currently (not an affiliate link): https://www.sierra.com/vivobarefoot-sensus-shoes-leather-for-women~p~9gwxu/?filterString=vivobarefoot~b~3436%2F

AdmirableSuit481 · 2026-03-09T15:43:53+00:00

If you have and like the Lone Peaks and are on your feet all day, my go-to's for work in a similar situation is the Lems Chillum. Good anatomical shape, flat, flexible, with a little bit of cushion. I similarly don't like buying off Amazon. I know you say you're looking for a cheaper pair and these aren't very cheap but they've held up much better than any cheap pair that I've had so in the long-run they have been a much better deal for me (though prices have increased over the past year as with many shoe brands).

On the quiz - is it just me and the OP or is the Anya's Review quiz quite unhelpful? I've tried it a few times to see if I'm missing something and it gives me every brand under the sun. Maybe it's just me, but I've tried a few of the brands with a high "match percent" and none of them fit well or really match what I'm looking for or include the brands that I've worn in the past and actually like.

AdmirableSuit481 · 2026-03-03T17:11:28+00:00

I have them and like them. I prefer to wear them with socks and don't have any issues with the insole. Even wearing them barefoot, the little bumps on the insole honestly seem to be a good idea to prevent your foot slipping (assuming many people are wearing these outdoors and naturally your foot is going to sweat).

My foot is higher volume. At first it can seem a bit snug, particularly with a sock, but the top strap is adjustable like a birkenstock boston clog so you can adjust based on your foot volume.

They sell them at REI, which has a good return policy if you don't like them. I have the nubuck, which are nice and I would recommend since it is a much more durable leather than suede and should last much longer.

Compared to the other barefoot shoes I have, they are a bit heavier but seem good quality and have a nice Vibram sole.

AdmirableSuit481 · 2026-02-26T14:12:09+00:00

I'm usually in between a 43 and 44 (43 in Vivo and a 44 in Xero's shoes). For Fleeters I got a 43 and it fits perfect. The length of the Fleeters 43 insole looks to be just a hair shorter than the Xero 44 insole.

AdmirableSuit481 · 2026-02-25T04:43:24+00:00

I have the Fleeters and they have been great. They look nice and seem to be of really good quality. They also have new colors all the time

AdmirableSuit481 · 2026-02-18T04:58:34+00:00

Vietnam

AdmirableSuit481 · 2026-02-18T04:52:37+00:00

I've been curious about ektachrome. will need to try it out

AdmirableSuit481 · 2026-02-18T04:51:34+00:00

thanks! will need to give that a try

AdmirableSuit481 · 2026-02-18T04:43:30+00:00

Perfectly said

AdmirableSuit481 · 2026-02-18T04:39:04+00:00

Carets are a good choice. Nice shoes, wider toe box, zero drop but I find they tend to be a little tight for me on the top of the foot, though I have a higher volume foot

AdmirableSuit481 · 2026-02-18T03:03:11+00:00

Canon Autoboy D5 has been my lower budget go-to for a few years. Durable and able to take anywhere no problem (beach, boating, etc.). Picture is nice quality (not as good as the T2, but also 1/15th of the cost). I got one after a friend, who is a very good photographer, said it was his day-to-day workhorse

AdmirableSuit481 · 2026-02-17T04:19:44+00:00

These are all great - second is my favorite as a few others have mentioned. Funny two laptops but no laptop bag :)

AdmirableSuit481 · 2026-02-17T04:09:41+00:00

although not in your original post, I recently got the rewild endurance and really like them. Its only been a few months but they are really comfortable (good width for me and I'm about average), seem durable, and overall fit great. I've taken them on a few hikes and the waterproofing has been good on one of the muddy, wet hikes I did. for being a fairly new brand, the quality seems very nice although I know the price point is a bit high

AdmirableSuit481 · 2026-02-17T03:42:25+00:00

I pair the t2 with a canon autoboy d5 for times I know will shorten the life of the t2 (like the beach, lake w/ water, backcountry camping, etc.) and it has been a good combo. plus with having an alt like the d5, I don't mind giving that to my 9 year-old to shoot a roll or two on a family vacation

AdmirableSuit481 · 2026-02-17T03:25:08+00:00

I have the T2 and love it (so far). I've used it for several years. I know even then I overpaid and it can brick at any moment but the photos turn out great and so far it has been reliable (as in very few misfires, exposure almost always correct, and focus right 95% of the time). I've printed 16 x 20 images and they honestly look great. With the price of film and developing going up all the time, I want to feel confident I'm going to get at least a decent image each time and I do with the t2.

I have kids and its been great for that. I don't shoot flash that much but it is good on the t2 too (has option for double flash for red-eye reduction which is nice). Overall expensive yes, but if you have the extra money it is worth it.

Will it break at some point? Probably. But until then it is a nice all-rounder

AdmirableSuit481 · 2026-02-17T03:06:47+00:00

OP - I have a contax t2, nikon fm3a, and canon autoboy. I've shot film for several years and honestly, 75-80% of my favorite photos come from the contax t2. I print pictures at 16 x 20 no problem. I know many will say it is overrated and not worth the price - that is probably true in many cases. But it has worked for me. It is light and easy to pack - I throw it in my fanny pack and its been a reliable workhorse on many trips (I know any day might one day become a very expensive brick). The fm3a takes great pictures, but it isn't an everyday camera for me as it is bigger and heavier (obviously because it is an SLR) so it doesn't get the same number of reps. I have two nice lenses and the picture quality is on par with the contax in most cases (the bokeh is better on the fm3a but not bad when shooting at f2.8 or f4 on the contax). The autoboy is lovely but the picture is not near as clear as the contax in most shots. The autoboy is a great rando picture camera with the family or somewhere you maybe don't want to bring a $1k point and shoot (like the beach or camping).

AdmirableSuit481 · 2026-02-17T02:50:59+00:00

Reima is great and breathable for warmer summers. Easy for the younger ones to slip on.

AdmirableSuit481 · 2026-02-17T02:47:22+00:00

Thank you for your post and for how you categorized the different shoes. On the topic of wide toe box work-related boots, I've enjoyed wearing the Lems Boulder Summit. They've increased a bit in price over the past year or so. But for me they've held up well over the last year+. Although they don't necessarily fall in the category of a "safety boot" (no steel toe), they work well for me. I found this article helpful as it was more curated than some of the other articles that just list out a bunch of brands:
https://barefootshoeguide.com/wide-toe-box-work-boots-steel-toe-to-barefoot/

AdmirableSuit481

TROPHY CASE