Brighton Surf Life Saving Club captain Scott Weatherall said he believed flippers greatly reduced the risk of boogie boarders getting into difficulties in the water.
"We would strongly encourage the combined purchase. It makes perfect sense they should go together.
"It could be more continuous education is needed, as children don't necessarily know they are good things to wear.
"Cost may be a disincentive, but they are comfortable to wear in the water. It would certainly make our job a lot easier."
Brighton Surf Life Saving Club lifeguards averaged between eight and 10 rescues each year, but carried out 12 in the last patrol season.
"Eighty percent of these were boogie boarders needing a hand back in - the majority had no flippers on. When they get caught by an offshore wind, they are pushed away from land really easily.
"It would cut the number right down," Mr Weatherall said.
Nationally, discussion of the issue started within Surf Life Saving - the national association representing nine districts and 71 surf life-saving clubs - five years ago.
Regionally, the issue had been raised for the last two years with the Water Safety Forum, led by Water Safety New Zealand, which said it would raise the issue with retailers.
Flippers aided boogie boarders of all ages, not just children, he said.
Water Safety New Zealand general manager Matt Claridge said the organisation would "strongly encourage" those buying boogie boards to include flippers, and to check boards had a wrist strap.
"We have built a strong relationship with the New Zealand Retailers Association, but don't want to be the boy who cried wolf.
"We have prioritised certain things, like having warning stickers included on inflatable paddling pools, and using flippers with boogie boards is a message for parents we'll be pursuing in future."
Flippers helped boarders against currents and provided extra propulsion for younger users to remain within breakers and close to supervision, he said.
Since 1991, there had been 13 reported boogie board drownings.
In 2001, a 40-year-old man drowned at St Clair beach on New Year's Eve after he became trapped in a rip while boogie boarding outside of patrol hours.
Another man died in Tasman Bay the next day, with the remainder of the fatalities in the North Island.
Surf Life Saving Otago Southland district general manager Phil Hudson said he told children flippers, apart from improving safety, enabled them to have more fun and "catch more waves".
"You don't often see them [boogie boards and flippers] sold side by side and it could be good if there was something there in stores like a Surf Life Saving endorsement.
"Some specialist retailers encourage it, but the big retailer chains don't at this stage. If people are picked up and are taken out in a rip it's amazing how it can help them out."
New Zealand Retailers Association chief executive John Albertson said he would be "more than happy to to take the issue up" with retailers following consultation with water safety groups, and it was proved there was a safety advantage of combining sales.
