I like these for kayaking and I wear them swimming in lakes or rivers where I have to walk on rocky shores. The soles have excellent traction on gravel or muddy shores, very important when hiking down a steep slope to a lake to go swimming. I'd like to add a quick release buckle though, the velcro is very secure but it gets algae caught in it, etc, and it's harder to get these on and off than another pair I have that has quick release buckles.