Are wading boots really necessary? (Rookie)

I've only been wading once in the surf, barefooted and had no problems. Just wondering if wading boots really r a necessity when wading, maybe in other area besides the surf. I only go down to the salt about 3 times a year (piers and jetties) so only want to spend money on wading boots if absolutely necessary. Thx

I would wear some sort of protective foot gear when wading the bays. Your feet could get cut up pretty bad and possibly infected by oysters shells, rocks, metal and other junk laying on the bottom. Not as "sandy" as the surf. At the very least, get some water sandals that cover your toes. And shuffle your feet.

Lots of people don't but I do. I had a stingray repeatedly slap at me and was glad I had boots on. They help on oyster beds too.

I use these for small rivers and streams, but it could also work in salt. But these really won't protect you much from stingrays like Skeeter had mentioned.

If you get stung once by a sting ray you will wish you had wore some type of protection. You shouldn't have to worry so much on the surf at 25-50 yards out with all the current but once you get in the second gut or deeper waters you will surely run into sting rays and could very well get stung.
Just be careful.

first time you step in some soft stuff full of little pieces of shell and it feels like a cheese grater on your ankle bones, you will go get some proper footwear. I wouldn't wear sandals like those wading inshore, but in the surf they may be sufficient.

Rays are always a consideration, if you've ever seen anyone get stabbed, you'll never not respect them.

Poot mud and oysters will absolutely convince you that proper wading footware is worth the effort.

Open footwear will not protect you sufficiently in the bay.

An old pair of high top sneakers from good will would be a good inexpensive place to start, that or the canvas wading boots. In the surf, you are more like 'bobbing for sting rays'. Every time you jump up for a wave you have the potential to land on a stingray. Each year there are 20-30 people hit in the surf.. but that is still low odds considering how many people in the surf. But like Pat said, if you've never seen someone that had been hit you may not respect them.

I would at least where the hi top sneaker to protect from shells and other things that might cut your feet (even in the surf).

I will not set foot in saltwater without boots and rayguards. Not worth the risk IMO.

Thanks for all the input. I've heard a lot about sting rays causing excruciating pain. Looks like wading boots are a must haha.

the recovery cost for a good ray hit is in the thousands, & is always just 1 step away.
buy the boots, & add rayguards, too.

And rayguards, boots alone won't stop a stingray hit.

Wade Fishing booty's for oyster shell.

I don't wear sting ray guards because they are to cumbersome for the grass beds with soft bottoms.

I've been Wade fishing steady for over 55 years and no problems with sting rays - just shuffle those feet and keep on truckin'.

wading boots at academy are dirt cheap. I've waded in water shoes and others but seems the toes end up getting impacted with sand in the shoe, wading boots fit tight and keep the sand out. I wear ray guards now but its because I've banged into stuff I didn't see, old metal and oyster shell, and skinned my shins.

old tennis shoes is all i wear. the "Texas 2-step" is always recommended, but i have to admit to not being consistent. i have seen sting ray injuries, and have rarely seen a man is such pain. but that said, as a lifelong surfer i have untold thousands of hours in the surf zone with no shoes, and cannot recall ever seeing anyone get barbed here in Texas but have heard tales now and then. one person a saw barbed was a surfer in california - a young man from Italy - just his big toe but it was hard to see him in such agony. and i remember seeing several in 1-2 feet of water entering the surf in Costa Rica. y have waded at night in West Bay and caught several - so wear shoes and "shuffle"......

some people claim by shuffling you can cause them to thrash and then barb your shin. still better than going through the bottom of your foot though. supposed some plastic snake guards could help.....

All it takes is one slip, miss step, or foot in the wrong place to make a believer out of you when it comes to wade shoe requirements. Broken glass, oysters, barnacles, sting rays... Plenty of things to hurt a mans feet, so why risk it

I was just at POC and had similar type shoe. My next trip I going to get a pair of the wading boots Academy sells for $20.

I found the soft mud would try and pull the shoe off. And when I was in oyster reefs they didn't offer the protection I needed, so needless to say, I didn't do to much wading.

My brother n law is a Podiatrist and he amputates more feet because of infection than anything else. YES...and RAY GUARDS. You are playing a game of chance that you will eventually lose. Think of them as an insurance policy and then add up what it cost for one visit to the E.R. even with a co-pay and then ask your question again. CHEAP insurance is better than the other risk options.

Lots of helpful input. Just curious, how about the option of wearing an old pair of Nike tennis shoes? I would think u would for sure lose them in soft mud?

One of my best friends who's been wading twenty years got ray harpooned a few years ago when he stepped off his scooter. Nasty wound that took months to heal.

Go ahead and wear those flip flops and good luck with it. I wear knee high sims boots and not think a second thought but going naked would not be a fun outing.

I will not wade without boots. Years ago I was wading at SPI and wearing some flip flops. I stepped on an oyster shell that cut the flip flop almost in half and cut me about 1/4" deep. I left a blood trail like a lung shot deer all the way back to where I was staying. With the flesh eating bacteria that has been around, I will never take any more chances.

if you have a cabelas near you, check the bargain cave OFTEN, I snagged a pair of simms wading boots for 60 bucks, wading boots are really like anything else, you will get what you pay for. Good ones are made like Frankensteins boots, and make the whole trip more enjoyable. you might get away with old sneakers or work boots, but they will fall apart quickly.
or take a look at http://www.sierratradingpost.com/ they have good stuff, decent prices, sizes can be slim

Thanks for the advice. Don't have a Cabelas near me but got an Academy and a Dick's.