Converse hi top vs low top - advantages/disadvantages with rigid fins

[elgoog]

Hi all -

I'm currently using Converse lo tops with Hollis F1 XL fins and they work really well for me. I started off using my street sized shoes and added lock laces for diving. Even with a wool sock + neoprene sock (with wetsuits) and wool sock + dry suit sock (with dry suits), my not-oversized shoes work OK - the lock laces keep things in place even though the shoe looks overstuffed and the setup is not ideal. Now, due to a surgery related hiatus from diving (no dives since Thanksgiving last year :furious, these shoes ended up becoming my strength training shoes and I'm now looking to buy another pair. I'll definitely be trying out a size or two up from my normal size but was wondering if there folks who dived with Converse had any specific preferences for hi top vs low top. Specifically for the frog kick, back kick and such, do the hi tops restrict ankle movement enough to be cumbersome? Or is the additional ankle coverage beneficial?
I'm going to be at the DUI Drysuit Demo day in Monterey next month so will also get a chance to try out the Rockboots, so I'm going to hold off on purchasing anything till then. I liked the Converses since I can use them with any diving I do by selecting the right layers with the suit. I don't think Rockboots will be as versatile with a thin wetsuit/shorty in warm water.

Thoughts?

Best,
elgoog

 

[Pedro Burrito]

I've been using the same pair of hi tops with the original laces for five years now. They really don't provide much ankle support. I don't have any problems with kicks with the hi tops and Jetfins. And they probably are the cheapest item in my kit as they go on sale at Sears often for $24.95!

 

[lemke]

I wear Converse hi-tops with a 3mm Argos socks. The advantage I experience is no chaffing of the top of my foot with my fins with deeper foot pockets. I re-laced my Cons with bungie cord and a nylon quick-release.

 

[Jack Hammer]

+1 for bungee laces. I prefer the hi tops simply for ease of donning, otherwise they performed no different than the low tops I had. No issues with either with any kick types

 

[Pedro Burrito]

I never thought about bungee laces. That would be much faster than re-lacing and un-lacing the top three of each shoe whenever I need to put them on or take them off. Thanks for the tip!

 

[elgoog]

I cannibalized an old pair of running shoes and used the Lock Laces I had on there - works great.

The "no chafing" with the hi tops definitely makes sense. I sometimes notice a little raw spot on my Achilles tendon where the fin strap rests with my low tops. The advantage of this is that it acts like a fin keeper. Anyone notice issues with the fin strap not staying in place with the hi top?

 

[lemke]

I still have an "EVEN" number of fins. LOL

---------- Post added April 27th, 2015 at 01:02 PM ----------

@Pedro... if you do re-lace with bungie cord, use every other eyelet. Otherwise, they are waaaay to hard to get on and off.