One of the hottest new fashion trends in the footwear industry is the beach shoe segment. You don't have to even live near the beach to be able to enjoy and take advantage of this either. The beach shoe has changed immensely over the years and there are now huge varieties to choose from. Back in the day you only had flip-flops or maybe Birkenstocks to choose from.

Now in addition to the above you have the newly introduced Croc's, a multitude of sandals and more. Personally, I wear my Reef flip flops everywhere and just about all year long. Since I live on an island in Northwest Florida I wear them all year, even in the winter! Mine even have a bottle opener in the bottom which comes in handy when we're are out running around the island.

Another style of beach shoe that I wear when I am training on the beach is the mesh water shoes. These shoes give you protection from sharp objects but yet are very flexible and lightweight and one can even swim in them. I not only wear them for running on the beach, but also under my fins when I am diving or snorkeling. These shoes are an excellent choice if you are going to be doing exercise in the water or on the beach. Another great thing about these shoes is that they are very inexpensive.

Crocs are an extremely popular new addition. These lightweight synthetic shoes are popular all over the world and I see them every where I go. I just recently had surgery to repair a torn bicep tendon and a large percentage of the doctors and nurses at the hospital were wearing Croc's. I think that is a pretty good indication of how comfortable they are since those people are on their feet most of the day. I wear mine as an alternative to my flip flops when it is raining, but you just have to remember I am a big lover of flip flops.

Like other fashion apparel the type of shoes that one wears can tell a lot about a person's personality. For example my choice of my Reef flip flops tells you that I am most concerned with being comfortable and having a super casual style and that I don't care at all about impressing anyone with my fashion choices. These flip flops are extremely popular with surfers like myself and almost everyone I know owns a pair. The bottle opener on the bottom is a great conversation starter at parties. Everyone freaks out when I pull off my flip flop and open a bottle of beer.

People who wear Crocs are not only wearing them because they are comfortable but because they are a hot fad in the footwear industry at the moment. On the other end of the spectrum would be Birkenstocks. Those who wear these shoes are making a statement that they are into high quality and are not interested in following any trends.

Just remember to consider what kind of activity you are going to use the shoes for. If you are going to go for long walks on the beach and the beach is full of shells you may want to wear the above mentioned water shoes or Crocs. For just all around general use you may want to wear flip flops like I do. Whatever you choose make sure to go with quality so that they last and you don't have to replace them constantly.