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Body Glove 3T Barefoot Cinch - Women's Review

Great for swimming and kayaking, but not so great for soft or sharp surfaces
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Body Glove 3T Barefoot Cinch - Women's Review (The Bodyglove's Womeb's Barefoot Cinch water shoe features neoprene construction to supply warmth for bare feet in...)
The Bodyglove's Womeb's Barefoot Cinch water shoe features neoprene construction to supply warmth for bare feet in cold water.
Credit: Monica Nigon
Price:  $50 List
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Manufacturer:   Body Glove
By Monica Nigon ⋅ Review Editor  ⋅  Mar 14, 2024
56
OVERALL
SCORE


RANKED
#10 of 10
  • Comfort - 25% 6.0
  • Traction - 25% 6.0
  • Warmth - 15% 7.0
  • Versatility - 15% 2.0
  • Sensitivity - 10% 9.0
  • Quality of Construction - 10% 3.0

Our Verdict

The Body Glove 3T Barefoot Cinch water shoe is an excellent choice for those looking for a little extra protection while swimming or someone who wants a barefoot-like feel to their water shoes. They have decent traction on slick rocks but struggle in sand. Despite the insulative neoprene construction, they're not as warm as some other river booties we tested and the material is thinner. The three-toed design, while nice for that barefoot feel, is tricky to get into and can cause irritation between the toes with extended use. Overall, go for the Body Glove 3Ts if you're looking for an inexpensive, introductory river bootie.
REASONS TO BUY
Barefoot-feel
Sensitive
REASONS TO AVOID
Not durable
Three-toed design hard to get into
Only suitable for wearing with bare feet

Compare to Similar Products

 
Awards  Editors' Choice Award
Best All Round Women's Watershoe
Top Pick Award
Best for Sensitivity
Best Buy Award
Best Bang for the Buck
 
Price $50 List
$48.00 at Amazon
$79.95 at Backcountry
Compare at 3 sellers
$49.95 at Backcountry$30 List
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$37 List
$29.99 at Amazon
Overall Score Sort Icon
56
80
66
62
62
Star Rating
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Bottom Line A nice choice for swimming or short walks on slick surfaces, but not great for prolonged walkingSuperb flexibility and traction in a stylish shoeOur go-to neoprene river bootie, but not great for land excursionsGreat for a first water shoe, though may be lacking for more rugged terrainA popular option thanks to its budget price tag, quick dry features and comfortable cushioned soles
Rating Categories Body Glove 3T Baref... Astral Loyak - Women's NRS Kicker Wetshoe... DLGJPA Lightweight... Aleader Slip-on
Comfort (25%)
6.0
8.5
7.0
5.0
5.0
Traction (25%)
6.0
8.0
7.5
7.0
7.0
Warmth (15%)
7.0
8.0
5.0
9.0
9.0
Versatility (15%)
2.0
8.0
5.0
5.5
5.5
Sensitivity (10%)
9.0
8.0
9.0
6.0
6.0
Quality of Construction (10%)
3.0
6.5
6.0
4.5
4.0
Specs Body Glove 3T Baref... Astral Loyak - Women's NRS Kicker Wetshoe... DLGJPA Lightweight... Aleader Slip-on
Measured Weight (lb per pair, US size 8) 0.84 0.87 1.7 0.44 1.25
Drainage Features Mesh on upper Outsole is draining None Mesh on upper, drainage holes on sole Mesh on upper, drainage holes on sole
Removeable Insole? No Yes No Yes Yes
Footwear Closure Cinch Laces Velcro Drawcord Drawcord
Available Widths Medium Medium Medium Medium Medium
Upper Materials Stretch fit mesh Hydrophobic canvas Neoprene Synthetic mesh Synthetic mesh
Midsole None 7mm thick, 45C closed cell EVA foam None None Solyte Midsole Technology
Outsole Rubber Flexi-grip, G15 (Astral tech) Rubber Rubber Rubber

Our Analysis and Test Results

An excellent shoe for swimming while insulating your feet, the BodyGlove 3T Barefoot Cinch Water Shoe has a three-toed design for a barefoot-like feel and a thin outsole for maximum sensitivity and flexibility. Due to the neoprene uppers, your feet will use their own body heat against the fabric to ensure insulation. The neoprene is thinner than other bootie-type shoes we tested, so it's less durable, but it's less expensive too. The three-toed design can be a bit difficult to get your toes sorted out in the right places, but after you do, the shoe is very unlikely to come off while swimming. We found it too sensitive for extended walking on sharp surfaces and the lugs too shallow for soft surfaces, but for a short hike up to a waterfall, they showed great traction on hard, wet rocks, and we were able to dig our toes into footholds to climb a boulder for a better view.

Performance Comparison


body glove 3t barefoot cinch for women - the bodygloves were middle of the road when it came to traction on...
The Bodygloves were middle of the road when it came to traction on hard, wet surfaces.
Credit: Monica Nigon


Comfort


The Body Gloves were right in the middle of our scoring when it came to comfort. While the neoprene uppers are soft, we found the three-toed design to be a little uncomfortable at times. The outsole is quite thin, so walking across sharp rocks became dicey pretty quickly.

Once we got the Body Gloves on, they were low-volume enough to slip into a kayak and walk confidently across a canoe floor. But they were a bit too thin to jam under a raft thwart, causing us to slip all the way under.

Traction


The Body Gloves performed excellently on hard, wet rocks on our hike to a waterfall, but due to the shallow lugs, we couldn't get quite enough bite into the sand to help us power down the shoreline.

We found the traction was nice when walking up a cold creek where we needed to navigate slippery rocks both in and out of the water. That being said, the outsole was so thin that by the end of the walk, the bottoms of our feet were quite sore.

body glove 3t barefoot cinch for women - bodyglove's tacky outsole helped us to clamber us slick rocks to a...
Bodyglove's tacky outsole helped us to clamber us slick rocks to a waterfall.
Credit: Monica Nigon

Warmth


The neoprene construction of the Body Gloves is supposed to ensure adequate warmth in cold water, but the opening for the foot does let a lot of water in, as it was a bit large for our lead tester's foot, even with the cinch mechanism.

Our feet warmed up after the body heat kicked in on dry land, but as soon as we got in the water, the cold stream water poured back in again, and our feet got cold once more. For this reason, the Body Gloves didn't score highly in warmth despite their neoprene construction.

Versatility


The Body Gloves scored low in versatility, but a river bootie isn't supposed to be versatile anyway. We think they'd be great for swimming or river boarding or SUPing, given the flexibility and proprioception allowed by the thin outsole.

They don't have the versatility to wear on the town, nor would they have a thick enough outsole for something like running in wet conditions.

body glove 3t barefoot cinch for women - while nice for scrambling up slick rocks, we found the body gloves...
While nice for scrambling up slick rocks, we found the Body Gloves lacking when it comes to versatility.
Credit: Monica Nigon

Sensitivity


Scoring high in sensitivity, the Body Gloves water shoes have a super thin outsole to make it easy for the shoe to wrap around logs, boats, and rocks. The upper is also quite thin, so watch out for pokey sticks.

These shoes were great on a waterfall hike where we hopped from slick rock to slick rock and really needed to trust our feet. Yet, for a longer hike or more time on your bootie-clad feet, they'd be too sensitive.

body glove 3t barefoot cinch for women - while the body glove water shoes had excellent sensitivity, our feet...
While the Body Glove water shoes had excellent sensitivity, our feet got sore and tired after about a half mile.
Credit: Monica Nigon

Durability


Of the neoprene booties we tested, the Body Gloves are less durable due to a thin upper and outsole. The neoprene is prone to abrasion and separation from the outsole.

But they are less expensive than other river booties on the market, so if you are looking for an introductory SUPing or kayaking shoe and aren't ready to commit, they may be durable enough for you.

body glove 3t barefoot cinch for women - the three-toed design of the bodygloves makes it a bit tricky to get...
The three-toed design of the Bodygloves makes it a bit tricky to get each toe in its correct place.
Credit: Monica Nigon

Should You Buy the Body Glove 3T Barefoot Cinch Water Shoe?


For people who like to have a little extra protection on their feet while swimming or someone looking for an introductory neoprene river bootie, go for the Body Glove 3Ts.

What other Women's Water Shoe Should You Consider?


If you like to layer or plan on wearing your river shoes with socks or a dry suit, you may want to look for a shoe with a burlier design or a stretchy mesh that can accommodate those layers, like the Astral Brewess 2.0.

body glove 3t barefoot cinch for women - the neoprene, barefoot feel of the bodygloves helped us clamber up a...
The neoprene, barefoot feel of the Bodygloves helped us clamber up a cold Colorado creek to view a waterfall with some friends.
Credit: Monica Nigon

Monica Nigon