My nephew just scraped the bottom of his toes on our Gunite pool. But he'll be able to do that for years to come. I don't scrape mine because I swim rather than climb the walls.

Fiberglass is another option I would not even consider vinyl.

Fiberglass pools are stronger, more durable and less likely to be damaged. While there are numerous benefits to vinyl pools as well, it's a fact that fiberglass pools are simply less likely to be punctured. This means less damage risk and lower overall maintenance costs over the life of the pool.

10 Reasons Why Fiberglass Pools Are Better Than Concrete

https://www.riverpoolsandspas.com/blog/reasons-fiberglass-pools-are-better-than-concrete

Another thing my pool contractor offered is a smooth quartz finish on the gunite pool. How’s that for comfort?

Ever see a gunite pool crack? It’s a big $$$$ job to fix.

I grew up in the 60s with a 20'x40' gunite (concrete basically) pool. It had a smooth surface (maybe they were more meticulous back then in building them), never cracked (in Pennsylvania with cold winters mostly below freezing back then), and is still just fine with the new owners. The pool is 60 years old this year. The only upkeep involved painting it occasionally and of course, skimming the surface and brushing the sides weekly. Oh and we kids cleaned the tiles weekly, too, which was no problem because we were in the water as we did that.

I don't believe I've ever been in a pool that wasn't gunite. My toes are just fine. Kids run the perimeters of pools, sit on the perimeter, go barefoot half the darn summer on hot concrete. Unless you are doing water aerobics in there ? You're in it to float, lounge, swim...or I am insane?

I'd spend more time on how you plan to keep the water clean and whether fresh/chlorine/salt etc combinations.

" 10 Reasons Why Fiberglass Pools Are Better Than Concrete "

That is a link to a fiberglass pool manufacturer, of course they will spin it to their benefit.

I agree with Jan this was always the choice for home pools when I was growing up and not once did my feet get damaged .

I’ve had two gunite pools in my homes, smooth , never had an issue with my toes, theyr’re smooth.. i think they’re better looking than the fiberglass & vinyl ( I’ve seen some garish colors on them ).

As a kid I swam in all types of pools. When we were young and crazy and spent the whole day in a pool (swimming, jumping, running, pushing off from the pool floor and sides, etc) sometimes we did end up with wrinkled and abraded skin on our toes. Similar if you spend the whole day in the water at the beach.

Our pool is gunite and I have no problems with scrapes. About 12 years ago we had it drained, retiled, and resurfaced, and it was definitely much smoother than before we had the work done, and it is still very comfortable, though not as smooth as right after the 'remodel.' I swim and exercise in the pool and for many reasons, I wear pool shoes when in the pool. They protect my feet from the hot concrete patio, and make moving in the pool easier, though it has nothing to do with the gunite.