Dekes got it right
I always wade the surf in jeans. They will repel most of the jellyfish and cabbage heads, but still allow you to swim a little. Light shoes that you can swim a ways in, hard to tell when you may want to sidestroke to the 3rd bar LOL. Virtually never waders in the surf..dont need them when the fish are there, and no fish in the surf when its cold enough to need them.
I have waded the surf for 50 years, and sooner or later, you will end up in a "tight spot" for whatever reason. I was young, dumb, and reckless until a few years ago, and could tell you a few "tight spots" LOL. Today, I would advise anyone wading the surf, to at least have a ski belt on, PFD, or good floating donut, or big float on your stringer!! I have thought "So this is how I am going to die" 2 times wading the surf in the past 50 yrs! LOL It is usually going the the 3 rd bar or wading around a pass that will get you in trouble!
A 10 foot shark circleing you and your fish on the 3 rd bar, when you have to swim 10 yds back to the 2 ond bar with your hands splashing in the water, while trolling your stringer behind you, will increase your blood pressure too!
Later
R3F