DragonSkin® Achilles Heels V2.0
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FREE SHIPPING
Engineered and tested for stingray defense
Flexible, responsive and grippy
Great for surfing, boogie boarding and more
If the size is wrong, we’ll exchange it for free.
If you’re unhappy with your booties for any reason,
we’ll exchange them for free or refund you. No questions asked!
Designed for Stingray Defense
Designed for Stingray Defense
StingBlock™ Tech
Dual-Layered Design, with ~85% coverage with stingray-resistant materials.
Peace of Mind
Feel safe in the water again and focus on the waves, not what's underneath your feet.
Multi-Sport Ready
Flexible bootie with grippy silicone sole for surfing, swimming, and more!
Tested Against Real Stingrays
We’ve purpose-built & tested DragonSkin® booties to block and resist stingray barbs
1
Stingray Force Measurement
We first measured the strike force of round stingrays and studied their barb characteristics
2
Stingray-Sting Pendulum
We then created a stingray-force pendulum & used it to test hundreds of materials.
3
Sting Location Survey
Next, we performed a survey of stingray injuries and their locations on the foot.
4
% Coverage Calculations
We used image analysis to determine the % coverage of our booties with stingray-resistant material
5
Validation Testing
Finally, we tested our booties against live round stingrays with a fake foot prosthesis!
Loved by Our Customers
DragonSkin vs Other Booties
Made for More Than Just Wading
For Surfers, DragonSkin® booties offer stingray protection without sacrificing comfort or board feel. The flexible neoprene design allows for good ankle mobility while the grippy silicone print makes sure you don't slide around on your board.
For kiteboarders, DragonSkin® booties fit under your foot straps (although the pads may need to be removed in some cases). The flexible neoprene allows ankle mobility, and the grippy silicone print provides secure traction while still allowing easy foot repositioning.
For swimmers, DragonSkin® booties allow good ankle mobility to facilitate kicking. We recommend swimmers go one size down to minimize drag. They are also compatible with fins, although you may have to go one fin size up to allow room for the thickness of the booties underneath.
For Snorkelers, DragonSkin® booties are compatible with fins, although you may have to go one fin size up to allow room for the thickness of the booties underneath.
For Stand-Up Paddleboarders, DragonSkin® booties offer stingray protection without sacrificing comfort or board feel. The flexible neoprene design allows for good ankle mobility while the grippy silicone print makes sure you don't slide around on your board.
For Foilers, DragonSkin® booties offer stingray protection without sacrificing comfort or board feel. The flexible neoprene design allows for good ankle mobility while the grippy silicone print makes sure you don't slide around on your board.
For Boogie Boarders, DragonSkin® booties are compatible with fins, although you may have to go one fin size up to allow room for the thickness of the booties underneath.
Summer is Stingray Season
Being stung is extremely common in SoCal, with an estimated 10,000+ stingray stings every summer. Being stung is excruciatingly painful and can cause permanent damage.
Summer is Stingray Season
Our Story
As SoCal surfers and beach lovers, we couldn’t find gear that protected against stingray stings—so we built it ourselves.
Our Story
Frequently Asked Questions
Do they run true to size?
Our booties generally run true to size. If you prefer a slightly looser fit, you can go one size up or one size down instead.
They’re made from neoprene material, which will naturally stretch and expand a bit once you start using them in the water.
Shouldn’t the booties be taller? What about getting stung on the shin?
We have an ongoing survey of stingray injuries on our website. Based on our data so far, about 98% of stingray stings occur at the ankle or below.
However, so far, most of our responses come from Southern California, where the round stingray is the most common species.
In other regions where larger species exist (such as the southern stingray in Florida), stings higher on the leg may be more common, but we don’t currently have enough data to confirm this. If you fill out the survey, you’ll improve our knowledge here!
Do they protect against sea urchins?
The booties are designed specifically for puncture resistance against stingray barbs, and we haven’t yet tested them against sea urchins. We’re working on it, though! If you’re interested in sea-urchin protection, please let us know at kristel@mydragonskin.com
If you frequently surf or swim in urchin-heavy areas, here’s our best advice for now. While urchin spines are sharp like stingray barbs, our impression is that people usually step directly onto urchins, which likely creates much higher force than a stingray sting - especially on the sole. You’d probably be better off with thick-soled dive or reef boots (or even steel-toed boots, if you want max protection).Take all this with a grain of salt though, because we are not (yet!) experts on Sea Urchins.
Do they protect against stonefish?
Our booties were designed and tested for stingray barb puncture resistance, and we haven’t yet tested them against stonefish. Because of that, we wouldn’t recommend relying on them for stonefish protection. We’re working on it, though! If you’re interested in stonefish protection, please let us know at kristel@mydragonskin.com
What types of stingrays do the booties protect against?
Our booties were specifically designed and tested against Round Stingrays, which are responsible for >95% of stingray injuries in Southern California. However, there are over 200 species of stingrays worldwide, and they vary quite a bit in terms of size, strength, etc. While we would expect our booties to protect against other stingrays much better than nothing, we don’t yet have a precise estimate of how much they protect against other species. If you’re curious about your particular case, reach out to kristel@mydragonskin.com with your location and a description of the stingrays you have in your area.
Why is it Two Layers?
The two layers are needed to provide stingray protection while maintaining comfort and flexibility. Both layers will stretch out and hold tight against your foot, so slip between the layers is minimal. Many customers say they forget they are wearing booties at all. If you don't believe us, feel free to test them out for yourself! If you don't like them, we'll give you a full refund, no questions asked :)
Do you Offer Children's Sizes?
We offer Youth Sizes from 1.5-6.5Y. We currently don't offer sizes below that, but we're working on it! If you're interested in smaller sizes, let us know at kristel@mydragonskin.com
Will they fit under fins?
In total, the booties are about 8mm (.3 inches) thick. The neoprene in the booties also does compress when worn with a fin. As long as you have about a quarter of an inch space of slack between your feet and the fins, you should be good!
Can I Use the Booties for Fishing?
Yes, you can use the booties to fish if it is a relatively sandy wading area. If the area is rocky though, we don't recommend using the booties since the soles are neoprene with a silicone pattern print.
Are the booties made of Kevlar? Why didn’t you use Kevlar?
Contrary to popular belief, Kevlar actually isn’t very puncture-resistant! It is primarily designed for cut and impact resistance, which is mechanically quite different than puncture resistance. The sharp tip of stingray barb easily parts and passes through Kevlar fibers.
Instead, we use a specialized thermoplastic material selected for its combination of puncture resistance and flexibility. You can learn more about our design process and testing methods here: https://mydragonskin.com/pages/testing-methods. If you have any other questions, ask away! We're happy to answer.
