Bought the sockwas to take on a vacation to mexico.  They were perfect, kept my feet from being scraped up and were comfortable and not as dorky as traditional mesh water shoes. The bottom is not hard at all, I was expecting a little more padding but they protect your feet just enough and keep you from slipping on rocks.  They fit really well to, nice and snug but not too tight.

I use these to swim and play at a nearby natural body of water, which is rocky and slippery.  They give me a little bit of protection and extra grip, and  I'm happy with them.  When I was shopping, I saw that a lot of reviewers were disappointed that different water shoes weren't grippy enough, and you might have the same complaint with these.  They are a lot better than bare feet, but it's just a nylon mesh on the bottom, and not soft rubber.  They also dry pretty quickly.