Footwear?

I am just curious what most do for footwear. I go down to the Keys a few times a year. In the past i have come down during the cooler months and have dove "Dry". On my feet I have used my Rockboots with my F1's. I am on my way down in a few weeks and I understand the water temps are in the low 80's so I will being in a 3mil or 5 mil. I can't use my boots because they are oversized to allow for the added thermal protection and drysuit bulk over my feet. It just seems that there will be way to much room in my F1's with a typical wetsuit booty.

Just looking for ideas or suggestions....what do you guys do? Different fins?

Thank you in advance.

FYI the water temp in Key Largo today is now 85 deg (and climbing) so thermal protection is optional, 3mm or shorty is way beyond adequate. And I'm the one who gets cold the fastest and have been getting warm in my 3mm so I switched to just a rash guard and rash shorts.

As for fins & booties, face it, one size/style does NOT fit all types of diving. I've got different size fins for diving dry vs. diving wet.

You have a few options:
1-Go native (barefoot) and rent fins locally: Most dive ops here rent full-foot fins which do not require any footwear/or a thin lycra or neoprene sock.
2-Invest in fins/booties for your tropical vacation diving/travel
3-Try putting the packing inserts that came with the fin back into the fin (most folks toss these in the trash). See if a regular neoprene zip-up bootie fits comfortably. Some brands packing allows for this, other have tabs that interfere with function &/or cause discomfort.

Please stop by and say Hi :wavey: while you are in the Keys.

5mm neoprene in 85 degree water? Drysuit in 85 degree water? Completely unnecessary. I dive in swimming trunks and a T-shirt with no booties, hood or gloves in the Upper Keys this time of year.

Garrobo:

5mm neoprene in 85 degree water? Drysuit in 85 degree water? Completely unnecessary. I dive in swimming trunks and a T-shirt with no booties, hood or gloves in the Upper Keys this time of year.

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Some sort of barrier to stinging critters is always a good idea, never "unnecessary". As for thermal needs, they are entirely personal. The average human body with swimming trunks and T-shirt will lose heat when immersed in water less than 91-93 degrees, that's a physiological fact. How much heat loss you suffer before you become uncomfortable is the personal part, though the body will take action on its own via several different mechanisms to try to keep the core warm when exposed to colder temperatures than 91-93 degrees, and all of these mechanisms expend energy and can therefore adversely affect air consumption. Even if you don't feel cold and think thermal protection completely unnecessary at 85 degrees, your own body probably feels differently and the bodies of others more sensitive to colder temperatures would definitely disagree with your broad conclusion.

I use different fins and different boots.

Dry: turbo soles and Turtle fins
Wet: neoprene booties and Jet fins

I dove Key Largo when the water was 85 degrees. I dove in swim shorts, a T-shirt and neoprene booties and I was still too warm! It is kinda sickening to be hot, and then jump into water that doesn't cool you off. Chafing from the BC was a big problem with just a cotton T-shirt. I would wear a synthetic long-sleeve rash guard next time.

I'm actually thinking of picking up some Slipstreams when I'm there and wearing a bootie.

As far as the thermal protection goes I have 3 mil suits. I may grab a shortie down there as well. The 85 F temp quickly disappears down past 70 feet no?

@MSELENAOUS...you are @ Conch right?

In water 80 degrees or warmer I wear a 3 mil low "bootie" that does not go over the ankle. All my fins require booties. In colder water I wear 5 mil over the ankle bootie. People who have issues with fin straps irritating th e area of their achilles tendon often opt for the over the ankle booties. Comfort is the key.
DIvemasterDennis

I have 7mm boots that I ware on every dive. My feet never get hot. There high top zip-up hard full sole boots.

Once I forgot to bring my boots and went diving in my socks and man was there a lot of room in my fins and feet were cold too 72F water