Bare dry suit vulcanized boot sizing: What size boot for 10-10.5 shoe size?

[RJP]

Appreciate any thoughts or input on what size boots to get on a Bare Trilam HD Tech suit.

I wear a 10-10.5 shoe on land, and my size 11 Deep See boots are a touch on the too big side (though the 10's were too small).

I'm guessing I'm better off on the "touch on the too big side" with the 11/XXL, figuring with thick sock, etc I'd be right in there? Or am I better off with an XL and "a bit of a snugger fit?"

Won't be ice diving; just typical May-October NJ wrecks.

Thanks in advance!

Ray

 

[miesemer]

I hated my "too big" vulcanized boots on my ATR HD and sent it back after a couple dives to have the soft socks installed. I ordered one size bigger than my shoe size and found that my feet swam inside the vulcanized boots. I tried heavier socks but hated the "disconnected" feeling between my feet and fins. For me "snugger" would have been better.

 

[crpntr133]

I think the standard rule is to bump to the next size larger than your street shoes. But being that you aren't going to be using much on the undies you could probably get by.

 

[ClevelandDiver]

I have a Bare XCD2 with the vulcanized boots. My shoe size is a 9.5 EEE. So I figured I should go with the size 10 vulcanized boots. They were WAY too big. I sent it back and had the size 9 put on and it is still a little big with a thick wool sock on. II have to use fin keepers to keep my foot securely in place. If I were to buy another Bare drysuit, I would go with a size 8 and wear a thinner wool sock. That 7mil of neoprene covered in rubber keeps your foot plenty warm with out the need for any additional insulation.

FYI - Turtles were the best fitting fin I could find for those giant boots. The Jet Fin XL is too small, and the XXL is crazy big, unless you are diving with ski boots on.

 

[MSilvia]

I'm getting my vulcanized rubber boots taken off my Bare ATR-HD after about 50 dives on it. I did what you're thinking, and I agree with what miesemer thinks. IMHO, you'll be happier in soft boots with Rockboots or Chuck Taylors over them.

 

[MSilvia]

I just dropped my suit off last night to have the soft boots installed.

 

[Soggy]

While the new vulcanized rubber boots look "better" (I saw them at Sea Rovers) than the old ones (which were an abomination), I would still steer away from them if you have any intentions of ever doing any kick other than a basic flutter or poor-man's frog. I spoke with the Bare rep, and while they do not do turbo soles officially, they said that they could make something along that lines by just vulcanizing the bottom of a sock. I would suggest trying that or getting a soft sock and having a DUI turbo sole put on it.

 

[HarryWhisman]

Appreciate any thoughts or input on what size boots to get on a Bare Trilam HD Tech suit.Ray

I have some experience with getting the Bare size right. I could give you a big long spiel but it all comes down to this: you have to try them on in advance in order to get it right and make sure your wearing all your sock stuff when you do it.

 

[jim T.]

Soggy,
Could you elaborate on why the vulcanized boot/size would limit or preclude alternate finning styles? I didn't quite understand what you were saying there. I'm nearing a drysuit purchase with attatched boots. Thanks.

 

[Soggy]

Soggy,
Could you elaborate on why the vulcanized boot/size would limit or preclude alternate finning styles? I didn't quite understand what you were saying there. I'm nearing a drysuit purchase with attatched boots. Thanks.

They limit ankle flexibility making certain kicks, such as a back kick and helicopter turn, near impossible. Frog kick is feasible but you loose a lot of propulsion because you cannot bend your ankles in quite right.

I was completely unable to do a back kick until one day I was goofing around in a wetsuit and realized I could do it easily and it was just the drysuit boots preventing my ankles from bending the right way. When I replaced the mudkickers with turbo soles it was like I had a brand new drysuit. Those things are also *cavernous* and very incompressible....they get a ton of air in them making it near impossible to hold horizontal trim without finning. Again, a switch to turbo soles made it like I was diving a completely new suit.

I have not tried the new ones. They do look *better*, but I would still go with a soft sock and rock boots (or some low-top version of rockboots...converse all stars would do the trick).