What to Wear on Your Feet When Paddleboarding

Choosing footwear for paddleboarding isn't straightforward. You need to keep your feet warm, but you also need to launch from shore without soaking your socks. Bare feet work brilliantly in July. They're useless in February.

The right choice depends on water temperature, launch conditions, and how long you'll be out. Here are eight options, ranked from most to least practical for UK paddlers.

Why Your Footwear Choice Matters When Paddleboarding

Your feet are closer to cold water than any other part of your body when you're standing on a paddleboard. Wet feet lose heat 25 times faster than dry feet. Within 15 minutes in cold water, your toes go numb. Balance suffers. Enjoyment drops.

The challenge is getting from land to board without wading. Most UK launch points involve beaches, slipways, or shallow banks. Unless you're launching from a pontoon, your feet will get wet.

Footwear also affects your paddle. Thick soles raise your stance by 2-3cm. You'll need to adjust paddle height accordingly. Forget this and you'll paddle with poor form for your entire session.

8 Footwear Options for Paddleboarding

1. Bare Feet

Bare feet give you maximum board feel. You can grip with your toes. You can sense weight shifts through the soles. This helps with balance, particularly in choppy conditions.

Pros: Free. Best tactile feedback. No storage needed. Perfect for warm weather.

Cons: Feet go numb quickly in water below 15°C. No protection when launching over stones, shells, or rough ground. Painful on pebbly beaches.

Best conditions: Water temperature above 18°C. Smooth launch surfaces. Short sessions under 90 minutes.

2. Neoprene Boots and Booties

Neoprene traps a thin layer of water against your skin. Your body heats this water, creating insulation. 3mm thickness works for spring and autumn. 5mm handles winter. 7mm is overkill unless you're paddling in near-freezing water.

Split-toe boots give better balance than round-toe versions. You can still use your toes to grip the deck.

Pros: Genuine warmth even when wet. Protects feet during launch. Still allows toe movement for balance. Dries relatively fast.

Cons: Feet eventually get cold on sessions longer than two hours. Boots develop a smell after repeated use. Cost £25-£60 depending on thickness.

Best conditions: Water temperature 5-15°C. Rocky or sharp launch points. Sessions up to two hours.

3. Water Shoes and Aqua Trainers

Proper water shoes have drainage holes, thin flexible soles, and quick-dry mesh. They're different from standard trainers. The sole needs to be 5mm or less so you can feel the board beneath you.

Look for siped rubber outsoles. These provide grip on wet surfaces without the bulk of hiking shoe treads.

Pros: Good foot protection. Drain quickly. Won't waterlog like normal shoes. Thin sole maintains balance. Cost £15-£40.

Cons: Minimal warmth. Feet get cold in water below 12°C. Need to size carefully as wet fit differs from dry fit.

Best conditions: Water temperature above 12°C. Muddy or uneven launch points. Sessions where you need foot protection but not warmth.

4. Waterproof Socks

Waterproof socks use a hydrophilic membrane sandwiched between inner and outer layers. They keep feet completely dry as long as water doesn't come over the top. Sealskinz and Sharkskin both make versions that work.

You can wear them alone or inside trainers for extra protection. Alone, they're vulnerable to punctures from sharp stones. Inside shoes, they provide proper warmth.

Pros: Genuinely keep feet dry up to sock height. Can be paired with any shoe. Work brilliantly for keeping feet warm. Merino wool versions add insulation.

Cons: Cost £30-£50. Puncture easily when worn without shoes. Need a tight fit or water seeps in at the top. Not very durable.

Best conditions: Cold weather paddling (water below 10°C). When paired with old trainers. Launches where you can wade in up to ankle depth.

5. Standard Trainers

Old trainers work if you're willing to accept wet feet. They protect your soles during launch. They provide some warmth if they stay dry. That's a big if.

Trainers with thick soles (over 2cm) make balancing harder. Your feet sit further from the board. You lose connection with the deck.

Pros: You already own them. Decent launch protection. Some warmth if they stay dry.

Cons: No waterproofing. Become heavy when waterlogged. Thick soles hurt balance. Feet go cold once wet. Take ages to dry.

Best conditions: Warm weather with dry launches. Very short sessions. When you've forgotten your proper water shoes.

6. Flip Flops and Sandals

Flip flops protect your feet when getting to and from the water. You can slip them off once you're on the board. They're small enough to tuck under a bungee cord.

Pros: Cheap. Easy to store on board. Good launch protection. Can paddle in them or remove them.

Cons: Zero warmth. No ankle support. Can slip off in surf. Only practical in summer.

Best conditions: Summer paddling. Warm, calm water. Sandy beaches. When you plan to paddle barefoot but need protection walking to the water.

7. Plastic Bags (Emergency Option)

Carrier bags over your socks, then shoved into trainers. It's ridiculous. It works. Your feet stay dry until you step in water above bag height.

This is a backup solution when you've forgotten your proper kit. Or when conditions are unexpectedly cold.

Pros: Costs nothing. Available everywhere. Surprisingly effective for short sessions. Works with any shoe.

Cons: Looks absurd. Feet get sweaty. Bags tear easily. Zero protection once you go over bag height. Not a long-term solution.

Best conditions: Emergencies only. When you've forgotten waterproof socks. Very short sessions.

8. Wellies (Wellington Boots)

Do not wear wellies when paddleboarding. This is critical.

Wellies keep your feet dry during launch. That's where their usefulness ends. If you fall in, they fill with water instantly. They become heavy anchors dragging you down. You cannot swim effectively in waterlogged wellies.

Pros: Keep feet dry and protected when launching up to knee depth.

Cons: Extremely dangerous if you fall in. Thick soles destroy balance. Heavy and cumbersome on board.

Safety rule: If you wear wellies to launch, remove them before you paddle. Store them on the board or leave them on shore.

Choosing the Right Footwear for UK Conditions

Spring Paddleboarding (March-May)

Water temperature: 6-12°C

Your feet will go numb in bare feet within 10 minutes. Neoprene boots (3-5mm) are the minimum. Waterproof socks inside old trainers work better for longer sessions.

Summer Paddleboarding (June-August)

Water temperature: 14-18°C

Bare feet work fine. Water shoes give protection without sacrificing board feel. This is the only season where you can genuinely paddle comfortably without thermal protection.

If you're just starting out, a beginner-friendly inflatable paddle board paired with bare feet makes summer sessions effortless.

Autumn Paddleboarding (September-November)

Water temperature: 10-15°C (dropping)

Start with water shoes in September. Switch to 3mm neoprene boots by October. By November you need 5mm boots or waterproof socks with shoes.

Winter Paddleboarding (December-February)

Water temperature: 4-8°C

5mm neoprene boots are the baseline. Waterproof socks worn inside insulated water shoes work better. Some paddlers use specialist drysuit boots, which seal at the ankle.

Your feet will still get cold after 90 minutes in these temperatures, even with good footwear. Keep sessions short or accept numb toes.

Practical Tips for Keeping Your Feet Warm and Dry

Launch fin-first when possible. Wade out in shallow water, turn the board around, then step on. Your feet stay in ankle-deep water instead of knee-deep. This technique works on most beaches with gentle slopes.

iSUPs (inflatable paddleboards) sit higher on the water than hard boards. Your feet end up 5-8cm further from the water surface. Less splash reaches your feet. If keeping feet dry is a priority, ride an iSUP.

Keep your feet moving during your session. Wiggle your toes every few minutes. Shift your weight from foot to foot. Blood circulation generates heat. Static feet freeze faster.

Carry emergency backup kit. Throw a pair of dry socks and a couple of carrier bags in your dry bag. If your main footwear fails, you have options.

Safety Considerations When Choosing Paddleboard Footwear

Think about what happens if you fall in. Wellies fill with water and pull you under. Heavy waterlogged trainers make swimming difficult. Flip flops fall off.

Safe footwear stays on your feet and doesn't impede swimming. Neoprene boots, water shoes, and bare feet all pass this test. Wellies, heavy trainers, and loose sandals fail it.

Adjust your paddle height whenever you change footwear. Thick-soled boots add 2-3cm to your stance. Your paddle needs to be correspondingly longer. Use the wrist-height-when-standing test to get this right.

Always attach a SUP leash before you launch, regardless of which footwear you choose. Your board becomes a flotation device if you fall in, but only if it stays within reach.

Final Recommendation

For year-round UK paddleboarding, invest in 5mm neoprene boots (£40-£60). They work in all conditions except high summer. Pair them with bare feet or flip flops for warm months. This two-item setup covers you for every season.

Budget option: waterproof socks (£35) worn inside old trainers. Nearly as warm as neoprene boots. Half the cost. Less durable but perfectly functional.

There's no single correct answer. Water temperature, launch conditions, and session length all matter. Start with neoprene boots. Adjust based on experience.

Whether you're paddling a touring SUP for long distances or a kids' paddleboard for family sessions, choosing the right footwear keeps everyone comfortable and safe on the water.