RAYVE SPLASHSAFE Review: Water shoes that protect little feet at the pool and by the sea

We tested the Rayve Splashsafe children’s water shoes – reliable protection for little feet at the outdoor pool, on the beach and by the swimming pool. The shoes were tested by paediatric physiotherapist Bc. Marie Langová with her children.

For children, water shoes are one of those things that are pretty much a summer must-have, especially if you’re going on holiday. I mainly bought them because we often go to our local outdoor pool, where there’s a lot of concrete and it really burns little feet.

We tried them with both children at the outdoor pool, where there are concrete paths, areas covered with pebbles, a playground and a large campsite, so we managed to test them on different surfaces. I also tried them on my daughter in the sports hall for an exercise class.

At the outdoor pool, the children wear them basically the whole time, except when they’re on the blanket. They’re not afraid to run on dry grass or in areas where there are fallen pine needles under the trees, they can dash across gravel without any issues and, most importantly, the hot concrete or playground sand doesn’t burn their feet. They don’t mind them when swimming and splashing about in the water either – they practically forget they’re wearing them.

Main pros:

• very packable – tiny, lightweight, they’ll fit even in a small bumbag
• the fabric and lining are pleasant to the touch and comfortable to wear
• they protect the foot perfectly well, even though the sole is thin and soft
• several colour options, so your child can choose a design they like
• they fit brilliantly despite being multi-size – they work much like socks with a sturdier sole
• very flexible, they don’t get in the way of movement; instead, they adapt beautifully to the foot
• easy to care for – just rinse and leave to dry, no detergent needed

Main cons:

• the elastic around the ankle is quite firm – it’s a question how it would fit a chubbier foot
• the material isn’t designed for heavy wear – if children scuff the toe on concrete, it will start to abrade slightly
• the thin sole may not be enough for sharper surfaces (e.g. sea urchins) – a sturdier option would be better there

Key features and verdict

RAYVE SPLASHSAFE are lightweight, packable water shoes with a thin, soft sole that protect the foot well from hot concrete, pebbles or prickly grass, while not restricting movement or foot sensitivity. Despite the multi-size fit, they sit on the foot very well and work much like a sock with a sturdier sole. The material will easily last one season, but it’s worth keeping an eye on children not scuffing the toe on concrete, as the fabric isn’t made for heavy wear.

The upper is made from quick-drying textile, specifically a blend of 90% polyamide and 10% elastane. This makes the material stretchy, so it hugs the foot like a sock and dries quickly after swimming or playing in the water, meaning moisture doesn’t linger inside the shoe. The sole is thin and soft, so it doesn’t stiffen the foot and allows it to feel the surface underneath, while still protecting the sole from hot concrete, pebbles or other terrain.

The colours and the choice of several designs are a big win for children – I chose flamingos for my daughter and diggers for my son, and both were absolutely delighted.

Real-life testing

We wear the shoes regularly at the outdoor pool, which we visit often, and the children have them on their feet pretty much all day – except for short moments on the blanket. The main reason I bought them in the first place was the concrete surface around the paddling pool and swimming pool, which gets seriously hot in summer. With these shoes, I don’t have to worry about the children burning their soles, and they work just as well on closely cut grass that’s scorched in the heat and unpleasantly prickly underfoot.

At the outdoor pool we also came across other challenging surfaces – in places there’s a path made of pebbles and small stones that would otherwise really press into bare feet, and in shaded spots under conifer trees there are often fallen pine needles, which are just as unpleasant for me as they are for the children. The shoes also handled the sandpit, playground, trampoline and hot sand – so the slide, sand and trampoline don’t hurt their feet. They don’t mind the water itself or playing in the pool either; they practically don’t notice they’re wearing them at all.

Besides the outdoor pool, we also tried the shoes in the sports hall, where my daughter wore them for an exercise class, and in the garden. Here too it showed that thanks to the soft, flexible sole, they don’t get in the way of children’s movement and they move just as naturally as if they were running barefoot on a safe surface – only where bare feet might otherwise risk an unpleasant scratch or burn, the shoes provide reliable protection.

Final verdict

What impressed me most is just how lightweight and packable they are – you simply need to make sure you really do pack them, because you won’t notice them in your bag and it’s easy to forget them. They’re soft and don’t restrict children’s movement at all; on the contrary, even on terrain where they wouldn’t run barefoot, they can play freely without limitations.

I’d recommend these shoes for children, even from their first steps, for places where surfaces get hot in summer – concrete, playgrounds, campsites, stony paths down to the water, sand or gravel. You can also use them at home in the garden, or even in a sports hall, or anywhere children would normally run barefoot, but where some children’s feet need a bit of protection and, for more sensitive children, where it helps to reduce the amount of sensory input.

These water shoes have been my find of the summer and they definitely deserve a permanent place in a child’s summer wardrobe. In this year’s heat, I’m really glad we have them – I don’t have to deal with any flip-flops for the children by the pool; instead, they can keep the shoes on the whole time at the outdoor pool or anywhere by the water, and I know their feet are protected both from scorching concrete and from surfaces that aren’t exactly baby-friendly. That said, they’re definitely not shoes for everyday summer wear instead of soft-sole shoes – on a longer walk to the water, to the outdoor pool or on a stroll, they’d wear out unnecessarily and wouldn’t be doing the job they’re meant for – by the water.

The RAYVE SPLASHSAFE water shoes were tested by Bc. Marie Langová with her children. Marie is a paediatric physiotherapist specialising in the psychomotor development of very young children, the Vojta method and handling. She helps parents see the connections that lead to a better understanding of their child’s development and any potential therapy. In her practice, she focuses on handling babies, choosing aids and equipment for infants, online consultations and breastfeeding, babywearing and first-shoes advice. You can find out more about Marie at marielangova.cz or on her Instagram @marie_langovaa.