I’ve been testing these hybrid shoes, and they’re the beach day addition I never realized I needed

The Columbia Drainmakers are a summer beach shoe that will keep you feeling steady in the water and on the rocks. This hybrid between a sneaker and a water shoe has a comfortable fit and feels secure when walking on unsteady ground or slippery surfaces. The rubber sole prevented slips on wet rocks, and I was impressed at how quickly the shoe evacuates water using the vents on the side.

However, I experienced friction on my heels, which was worsened when the shoe was wet, and the lack of arch support left my feet feeling fatigued after a morning of walking. That said, these are trade-offs you may be willing to make for enhanced protection as you explore the water.

To find out more about the hybrid shoes, read my full Columbia Drainmaker review. If you’re heading out on a longer hiking adventure this summer, you can also check out our guide to the best hiking boots here.

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Columbia Drainmaker review: Specs

Columbia Drainmaker review: Price & availability

The Columbia Draimaker women’s water shoes are available at Amazon for $100 in the U.S., and for £97 in the U.K. They’re available in two different colors: White and Gray Ice, or Blue Dusk and Peach Quartz. The men’s version of the shoe is priced at $97 on Amazon in the U.S. and £103 in the U.K., available in Black, Slate Gray, or White and Black.

The women’s version of the shoe is available in U.S. women’s size 5 - 12 and a U.K. size 5 - 12. The men’s Drainmaker is available in a U.S. men’s size 7 - 15 and a U.K. size 6 - 14. Unfortunately, these shoes don’t come in half sizes or wide fit.

This is a hybrid water shoe/sneaker, much like the Keen Hyperport H2 shoes, which are priced at $120. The Keens offer a relaxed style that more resembles a water shoe, whereas the Columbias look more like a classic sneaker. The Keen Whisper shoes could also be a good option for $120. The Keens are water-ready and take on an open sandal style.

I’m used to looking for waterproof shoes, not ones that let water in, so I found it tricky to adjust to having water in my shoes at first. If you’re like me and would rather your toes stay dry, the Keen Leiki shoes could be for you. These waterproof sneakers cost $160 and have a similar feeling of stability to the Drainmakers when walking long distances.

Columbia Drainmaker review: Design

The Columbia Drainmaker shoes are a hybrid of sneakers and water shoes. They’re a closed-toe shoe with venting on the side to allow any water to escape. They offer all of the perks of a sneaker with the convenience of drainage.

I like this concept as they still look like regular everyday sneakers, and I find the designs of some other, more sandal-like hybrid shoes like the Keen Hyperports and Keen Whispers polarizing.

The Columbias are also lightweight at just 8 ounces per shoe, which is lighter than my Salomon XT-6 sneakers ($185) that I wear daily. These are a great option to chuck in your day pack for your summer vacation, as they won’t weigh you down.

Upper

The upper of the Drainmakers is very pretty and very practical, with a crisscross design that keeps the laces firmly held in place without tugging on the delicate mesh. The mesh is very soft, and when you wear the shoe, you can feel how breathable it really is.

The toe of the shoe is reinforced with a solid finish, protecting your toes and making this well-suited to summer hikes over light gravel paths.

Midsole

The midsole of the shoe features something Columbia calls ‘Omni-Max Vent’. This essentially allows any water that gets into the shoe to drain away. It’s very effective, and I never felt like the shoes were clogged up with water.

As I said, this is more of a sneaker, which means cushioning. This makes the shoes super comfortable and bouncy at first, but beyond the lifted profile of the shoe, there’s not a whole lot of shape to them. I would have appreciated a little more arch support to support my posture over prolonged wear. The insole of the shoe also has tiny holes for breathability and water drainage, again helping them drain effectively.

Outsole

The Drainmakers have a drop value of 0.4 inches. This is the elevation from the heel of the shoe to the ground, and having this elevation can help with walking stability and posture, which isn’t something you’d get in a regular sock-style water shoe.

The outsole of the shoe is made from ‘Omni-Grip’ non-marking traction rubber. Having a rubber sole on a shoe is recommended if you’re walking anywhere that is slippery, as it helps with traction and grip. They don’t have any deep lugs like the Salomon XT-6s, but the rubber sole creates enough traction for any slippery surfaces that you may encounter at the beach, rather than if you were to take them offroading, as it were.

Columbia Drainmaker review: Performance

The Columbia Drainmakers are, to me at least, a very interesting shoe. As someone who lives by the coast, I usually just stroll along the beach barefoot. Over the years, this has led to a few cuts and scrapes, so a water shoe that's actually a sneaker is very appealing to me.

I wore the Drainmakers to the beach and did some walking along the sand and rocks to get an idea of their capabilities across different terrains. I felt steady on the sand, and the shape of the rocks beneath my feet didn’t throw me off balance. The rubber outsole was also able to grip on uneven surfaces. But while I felt supported, since I wasn’t wearing socks, I experienced a lot of rubbing around my heels and at the side of my foot. You can also wear socks with the shoes, but since they’re designed to get wet, it seems a little pointless.

When I entered the water with the shoes on, I was impressed at how quickly they drained. It felt strange at first to be standing on a wet insole, but I got used to it after a while, and it actually became very comfortable. However, the friction I was experiencing on my heels worsened when the shoes were wet.

So, the shoes are ideal if you want to venture out to the beach but want to protect the soles of your feet while supporting your posture with a steady outsole, but more arch support is needed. These shoes aren’t intended for you to walk miles and miles — the arches of my feet become strained after about an hour, since they are pretty flat.

Columbia Drainmaker review: Maintenance

Maintaining the Columbia Drainmaker sneakers is a breeze. They evacuated all of the water themselves with the vents on the side of the shoe, but the mesh upper and insole were still wet. So when I got home, I set them out in the sun to dry off, and this took a couple of hours.

Once the shoes were dry, I brushed off any debris on them. After my walk, I had sand and a little dirt on the shoes, but with some tapping, this all fell away, leaving the shoes looking good as new.

Before storing them away, I checked again that they were fully dry. If you store shoes while they’re still damp, they can start to smell and go moldy, so it’s best to leave them out to dry for longer than you think.

Columbia Drainmaker review: Verdict

The Columbia Drainmakers are a hybrid between a water shoe and a sneaker — something I didn’t know I needed in my life. I was impressed by their comfortable fit and steady support on uneven ground. The rubber soles also prevented slips that would have happened on wet surfaces in other shoes. As the “drain” in the name suggests, these shoes evacuate water efficiently, and while they don’t keep your feet dry, it’s a lot more comfortable than having water clogging up your shoes.

However, I felt let down by the lack of arch support in the shoe. Although they’re not designed for walking miles and miles, I felt my posture suffering as my feet began to ache on the flat insoles. I also experienced friction on my heels as I wore the shoes without socks, and this was worsened when wearing them in the water.

But these shoes are certainly a step up from standard water shoes, and offer the protection of a sneaker rather than venturing into the water barefoot. I’ll be reaching for them to head down to the beach in the future, but I just won’t be walking miles in them.