We have customers worn Vibram toe shoes and water shoes on our board multiple times and have no issues. The mat is sturdy and will not wear easily. It will not have any issues with or without shoes. In addition, a water shoe that is easy to get on and off. You will definitely want to have shoes handy because you will have to usually walk on rocks, sand, concrete when getting in and out of the water. Shoes will not hurt the board it has a medium soft foam that you stand on this is for traction and comfort while standing. Some people prefer to keep their shoes on while they paddle, for myself, I always remove my shoes and secure them on the board, under the strapping system, or clipped to one of the rings via carabineer. The deck on the board is very stable and non-slip. However, any shoes with a rougher tread than boat shoes may cause some wear issues.