AQUA SHOES: RUBBER or JELLY?

Aqua Shoes w/ rubber soles; Image from www.made-in-china.com

Aqua shoes are a must-bring to any beach adventure. I didn't know aqua shoes existed before when on  personal vacations spent in a beach. I would only bring regular flip flops then. 

I first encountered aqua shoes in one company outing in Palawan with office mates. An office mate and friend lent me her aqua shoes when we snorkeled. After that experience, I instantly knew that I needed to get myself a pair when I get back to Manila to bring with me for the many succeeding beach adventures I'll have.

Aqua shoes are comfortable and they protect the feet from any pointed or rough items one may find on the shore or in the ocean. I bought my first pair with rubber soles at an SM department store for just P150 (~$3.50). Very cheap! This pair has served me well for eight years. I not only used them in the beach, I also got to use them exploring the caves in Sagada.

Once, I was insisting my sister to buy her own pair of aqua shoes for a beach outing. The ones in fashion at the time are the pretty, colorful pairs with jelly soles. However, they had nothing in my sister's size and aqua shoes with rubber soles were also out of stock.

While in another company outing in Palawan, one of my office mates was wearing aqua shoes with jelly soles. The pair she wore was with a color that I liked and I told myself that I'm going to buy one of those to replace my very old ones. However, when we went to the bathroom to wash ourselves after snorkeling, we heard a loud thud. My office mate slipped and landed flat on her back! Her aqua shoes with jelly soles are slippery on bathroom tiles.

My aqua shoes with rubber soles were worn last summer. I need to buy a new pair. But, I definitely won't buy the ones with jelly soles even if they're available in more fun colors and prettier to look at.

Update: March 5, 2014

I bought a new pair of aqua shoes with rubber soles two weeks ago at SM Southmall. A pair now costs P250.00 or approximately USD 5.60 at the current exchange rate. Still cheap, don't you think? I hope this pair will last as long as my old ones or longer as circumstances permit. ;)

New pair of aqua shoes with rubber soles

How about you? Have you had the same experience with aqua shoes with jelly soles? Or, is the experience of my office mate an isolated one? Tell us in the comments below.