Drysuit Boot Fit

[Daryl Morse]

I have a custom drysuit with built-in boots. (It's a Whites Aqua Pro SE, but I don't think that's necessarily relevant.) When I was fitted for the suit, I picked the boots to be the smallest size I could slide my feet into. There is some extra length in the boots, but I couldn't put the next smaller size boots on. I guess my feet are relatively short with respect to the height of my arch.

When I dive, I find that the air space at the front of the boots causes my fins to be sloppy and my trim also gets messed around due to the air that builds up as I surface. As I'm normally horizontal in the water, the only way I can get the air out of my boots is to go feet down periodically as I surface, which I don't like doing. It has been suggested that I use ankle weights, but that's not going to solve the problem.

Has anyone encountered this problem? Is there something I can put into the front of the boot that takes up the space. Or am I stuck with either living with this or switching to external boots?

 

[diver_paula]

There are these rubber thingies (called fin keepers?) that are meant to keep the air out of your boots. I've seen them used on DUI suits that have a hard sole and neoprene top. Is that the type of boot you have?

My White's is a full boot - neoprene inside, rubber outside. The fin keepers aren't strong enough given the rubber exterior. If this is the type of boot you have try wearing another pair of socks.

Paula

 

[Daryl Morse]

I'm pretty sure I have the same boots as you. As far as I know, Whites only has one style of attached boot.

I think you're correct that the fin keepers aren't going to do much since the boot is pretty stiff. I also think that adding more socks isn't going to help, because socks are porous. I already wear a pretty thick sock anyway. If it's much thicker, I'l have the same trouble putting the boot on that I had with the smaller boot with thinner socks.

I'm not liking the sound of where this is going.

 

[spectrum]

Socks to fill the boot and use the fin keepers (Trident sells them as "triangles") to snug it up. I have a fairly rugged boot on my Atlan and it works. Other wise I get rocking of the feel which was very inefficient.

With the boot firmed up then you either have the right fins or you don't

The neoprene of the boot and your socks all have compressible airspaces and having something compliant to constrain them will help.

Like wise air will infiltrate the boots and Boyle's law will cause it to expand on ascent. The nature of buoyant airs means that some sort of gyration is needed to let the air find an upward escape path to your exhaust valve. You need not look like a circus act while doing this but it's part of the overhead of diving dry. There are reasons why some of us would just as soon dive wet when conditions permit.

Pete

 

[ChrisA]

I use DUI rock boots. These have laces and fit tight like regular shoes, not space for air. My suit has thin crushed neoprene socks sewn onto the legs. Air does fit in the lower legs but not the feet. I lke the lace up boots they are stable and ooffer good traction on rocky beaches. I do need XXl fins to go over the boot.

A cheaper option is high top tennis shoes. The "real shoes" always fit better then the built in ones.

 

[Daryl Morse]

Before I got this suit, I used a suit that had booties and external boots. As you say, they fit tighter so there isn't a problem of air retention. I went for the built-in boots for convenience, but I didn't expect to have this problem due to the air retention. I guess I'll have to make a decision whether to put up with it or switch back to external boots.

 

[PerroneFord]

Is there something I can put into the front of the boot that takes up the space. Or am I stuck with either living with this or switching to external boots?

Cut up an old rag or t-shirt and stuff it in there. Or get some wool strips from a fabric store and stuff the toes. Cheap, easy, replaceable if necessary.