Which style of Dry Suit boot system

[CGdiver]

I have a Whites Haz-Mat Suit I just got it the boots that come with the suit are like regular botties that are attached to the dry suit. Other's on my team got the sock system attached to the dry suit and they were supplied with an outter boots system that looks like a hiking boot. I just wanted to know whick system was better and why. Anyone have experience with a Haz-Mat suit that might be able to make any recomendaions? The reason I ask is because the booties dont fit so they will being replaced I just wanted to know if I should keep the bootie style or go with the outer boot style. Thanks

 

[realdiver7]

I don't have experience with the Haz-Mat, but I use separate boots with my dry suit that are not attached to the suit. I just like having the option of venting air from my ankle seals in the event of an emergency full leg inflation, even though dry suit training teaches us how to avoid this and what to do if it happens. Most dry suits I have seen have the attached boots, so that must be the most popular system for various reasons.

Hopefully others who have more dry suit experience than me will give you some good advice and opinions. I have not been dry suit diving for very long and I have never tried the attached boot system.

 

[jonnythan]

I've had built-in vulcanized boots as well as Bare's neoprene socks plus DUI Rock Boots. I much prefer the Rock Boot system... feels more secure on my foot and seems to help limit how much air I can get in my feet. The built-in boots I had were a little too big though, so take that for what it's worth.

 

[BigJetDriver]

Other's on my team got the sock system attached to the dry suit and they were supplied with an outer boots system that looks like a hiking boot.

CG,

I have two DUI drysuits, and both have the Rock Boot system. I also teach PSD diving. The one caveat I would mention is that, depending upon the contaminant, the outer boots might not be cleanable and might have to be thrown away. Nonetheless, I like the sock and hard boot solution for 95% of the work.

Merry Christmas!

Rob Davie

 

[Doc Intrepid]

CG,

I have two DUI drysuits, and both have the Rock Boot system. I also teach PSD diving. The one caveat I would mention is that, depending upon the contaminant, the outer boots might not be cleanable and might have to be thrown away. Nonetheless, I like the sock and hard boot solution for 95% of the work.

Merry Christmas!

Rob Davie

I agree with him.

Doc
___________________________
Pontificating Nobody :doctor:

 

[kramynot2000]

I have a BARE ATR-HD drysuit that has Neoprene socks on it. When I ordered it I THOUGHT it came with the boots, similar to DUI's rock boots, particularly since the LDS didn't try to sell me a set of boots for the suit (they tried to sell me everything else in the store!). Anyway I picked up the suit, found I had no rock boots and there were none my size in stock so I just put on my old wetsuit booties on to go diving that weekend and have been diving this way ever since, no problems.

One benefit I found was that with the wetsuit booties I can fit into a pair of XL Jetfins without any problem. I don't think I would be able to do that with the BARE boots.

 

[Rimp]

I used the soft booties during my AOW course. I thought the sock idea was kinda poor for a few reasons.

1) The material on the sock was thin and I didn't feel comfortable walking around in them. Obviously you should avoid doing this anyways, it just seemed silly to always have to mess around with the shoes just to open your car door or something, so I would end up walking in them like that and wondering if i'm going to get a hole in there someplace.

2) If you put on your boots and get any kind of wrinkle or fold in the sock (difficult to avoid), it would rub on your skin and could be uncomfortable. This would go away once in the water, but you could develop a blister getting to the water if your walking any kind of distance.

3) Hard to get the suit off. The dry booties stick to your feet with a strong vaccuum.

In my drysuit I went with the built-in boots for a few reasons.

1) Just put the suit on, no messing with laces or other crap. fast and simple.
2) built-in boots are solid. Never feel like i'm going to put a hole in them anywhere.
3) Always comfortable.
4) Easy to get off after the dive.

Disadvantages of the built-in boots include

- difficulty in replacement if they ever wear out.
- air in the boots. I use a gator to keep the air out and this has never been a problem for me.
- larger fin pocket required. I didn't have this problem with my current fins.

I prefer the built-in over the soft socks.

 

[Hoosier]

Try to use women's stocking. We used to put this before boot in order to prevent a blister during the military service. It works very well.



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I used the soft booties during my AOW course. I thought the sock idea was kinda poor for a few reasons.


2) If you put on your boots and get any kind of wrinkle or fold in the sock (difficult to avoid), it would rub on your skin and could be uncomfortable. This would go away once in the water, but you could develop a blister getting to the water if your walking any kind of distance.

 

[Diver0001]

....snip....

I just wanted to know whick system was better and why. ....snip....

I've used both systems and I think it boils down to personal preference. What Jonnythan says about the rock boot system feeling more secure is true. What I'll add to that is that rockboot system is also more forgiving if your suit is a little too big or you have problems with floaty feet. In other words I think you can conclude that the rock-boot system makes things a little easier.

Rimp made a good post about the pros and cons of the two systems but I'd add something to that too. One of the problems you can have with a built in boot if your suit is too large is that your heel can slip out of the boot during the dive. I've seen it happen a couple of times and I can tell you that if it happens it's a b*tch to get your foot back in again. In other words, it's essential if you have built in boots to make sure that they fit!

Finally, I bought a new drysuit a couple of years ago with attached boots and it took me a while to adjust. I think it´s a bigger adjustment going from rock-boots to fixed boots than the other way around. Now that I've got a couple of hundred dives on them, however, I think I like the built in boots better. I have a drysuit from Bare with their moon boot system and I don´t use ankle weights or gators and for me having the bit of extra air in my feet actually improved my trim as compared to what I had before.

R..

 

[Diver0001]

....snip....

an emergency full leg inflation,

LOL. That´s a funny visual image....

Real,

For the record, I think if you´re getting too much air in your legs that you´d be hard pressed to effectively vent your suit via the ankles.

In fact, I think it´s unwise to hang on to that thought as an option. What works much better if you feel your legs going up is to bend your knees and arch your back (chest out) to get them back down again. If it´s really out of control and you can´t get them back down again then roll (somersault) out of it and vent asap. I think reaching for your ankle seals at a time like that will waste precious time and could easily turn an inversion into an uncontrolled inverted ascent.

And (incase this was your concern) in the unlikely event that you find yourself inverted on the surface with your legs up then the easiest thing to do is to inflate your bcd to get the rest of your body on the surface too.

R..