Ballistic is the only shoe we have found that has a protective ‘Kevlar’ like lining that will stop glass and reefs cutting through the rubber!
Standard rubber is soft so if in and out of rivers. Or surfing near reefs or sea urchins! These are the only shoes that can save you
ION say: “We have developed an incredibly comprehensive premium neoprene footwear line and we have reviewed their Ballistic 3/2 socks from the range. Promising, “Warmth, comfort & protection”, they certainly deliver on all three fronts, but what is of most interest is their minimal design, ensuring they are easy to get in and out of footstraps, and still offer good feedback and sensitivity through your feet.
The Kevlar sole is firm, but flexible, and we tested them over some pretty unforgiving shores, which are almost impossible to walk over barefoot on a windy day with windsurf gear – they made the walk out to the reef possible and pleasant! The socks strike you as a very well thought out product with lots of detailed touches in their design, that make them both cosy and easy to get on and off, as well as being comfortable to use, utilising the latest ION technology of Plasma_Plush 2.0 and Max_Flex lining. There’s no cinch strap at the top of the sock, instead ION opt for what they call a ‘Sealing_Print’ to help improve the connection between boot and wetsuit and it certainly seemed to work well. At €104.99 Euro, these socks aren’t cheap, but the cost is justified when you factor in how well their design works with footstraps, which lessens the chances of twisting injuries from getting caught in the straps, helps avoid cuts, as well as keeping you warm for longer sessions in the water.
They are also available in a 3/2 and 6/5mm internal split model and sizes range from Euro 36 to 48 (UK 4 to 11). We would recommend checking the fit in your local stockist as we sized down from our usual shoe size, as they do stretch, like all neoprene products, and feet tend to shrink slightly in colder conditions.
Full ballistic range available here: