Never liked to go anywhere near the beach with any kind of footwear - always just took off whatever I was wearing and went bare foot.  Not anymore.

When dry, the sand literally just filters right through the mesh upper and out through the sole.  I spent way more time on the beach and in the water than I would have without these.  Walked on the beach, ran through the surf, boarded a fishing boat, spent 5 hours fishing, boarded a dinghy and a sailboat without a single thought about my feet - I felt safe and comfortable at all times.

Pebbles do get caught in the nooks and crannies of the soles, but I never noticed unless they were huge and I went to walk on pavement.  Otherwise, I'd only realise there were things stuck in the sole when I took them off and looked.

I read all the reviews and chose 1/2 a size up - 9 versus 8.5.  You need to know that these are UNISEX European sizes and the "ladies 9" I ordered are tagged size "40".  Further, there are different styles of uppers and this one, with the rainbow logo ribbon detail run large - others might run small.

That said, these are still amazing shoes at a great price and worth buying a couple of different sizes for the right fit - my husband wore them as well and his are a different upper and I ordered a size down for him.