Helly Hansen Crest Watermoc review: a comfortable water slipper ideal for aquatic adventures

With a trusty grip, the Helly Hansen Crest Watermoc is a water slipper that will come in handy in many situations

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Helly Hansen Crest Watermoc
(Image: © Helly Hansen)

Advnture Verdict

A comfortable, deceptively technical water slipper, that performs well on all aquatic adventures.

Pros

  • +

    Superb grip on slippery decks

  • +

    Highly packable

  • +

    Easy to take on and off

Cons

  • -

    Runs large

  • -

    Not as versatile as some other water shoes

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Helly Hansen Crest Watermoc: design

Sturdy, light and super-fast to dry, the Helly Hansen Crest Watermoc is a water slipper for all sorts of aquatic adventures that offers more than meets the eye. That’s why it features in our roundup of the best water shoes. This water slipper has an EVA midsole and a flexible rubber outsole under a breathable mesh upper that’s tight-knit to keep out sand and debris. It’s also overprinted on the outside to protect the mesh from abrasion.

Specifications

• RRP: $50 (US) / £40 (UK)
• Gender specificity: Unisex
• Weight: 153g / 5.4oz
• Materials: Breathable and quick-dry mesh upper; EVA midsole and flexible rubber outsole
• Colors: Black / Charcoal
• Compatibility: Watersports and low level wet scrambling

The low-cut Crest is free of Velcro, laces and straps that could get caught in windsurfer rigging or paddleboard bungies, or that could cause pressure points in foot harnesses of any kind. If you're unsure of the best application of water shoes or whether or not you need them for your sport, check out our guide What are water shoes? See also How to prevent blisters when hiking.

The sole is siped for superb traction on wet and slippery surfaces like rocks or boat decks. And it protects from hazards like Zebra mussels, coral, and submerged junk.

Helly Hansen Crest Watermoc: in the field

Whenever I needed a little extra traction paddleboarding, or protection when I was wading out to retrieve a kayak paddle that had floated away, the Crest Watermoc did the trick.

A slipper sock of a watershoe, the minimalist Crest has a flexible sole that conformed to everything I stood on, and gave me extra grip.

The elasticized opening was easy to get into when I held the heel tab. And once they were on, the Crest’s thin midsole made them feel more substantial than a sock, and less cumbersome than a shoe, with the structure to stay on my foot whatever I was doing.

When I couldn’t be barefoot, the Crest was the next best thing. They run large, though. For my next pair, I’ll drop down half a size.

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Berne Broudy
Berne Broudy

Vermont-based writer, photographer and adventurer, Berne reports on hiking, biking, skiing, overlanding, travel, climbing and kayaking for category-leading publications in the U.S., Europe and beyond. In the field, she’s been asked to deliver a herd of llamas to a Bolivian mountaintop corral, had first fat-biking descents in Alaska, helped establish East Greenland’s first sport climbing and biked the length of Jordan. She’s worked to help brands clean up their materials and manufacturing, and has had guns pulled on her in at least three continents.