Floaty Feet With Jet Fins?

[midnightbearexchange]

Hi,

I recently got a drysuit and went diving with it yesterday. I could not keep my feet from floating up and I kept tumbling upside down. I have heard that this is a common issue with people who wear positively buoyant fins, but I was wearing XL jet fins with my drysuit. I was wondering if anyone had a solution to this problem aside from using ankle weights.

 

[matt_w]

Hi,

I recently got a drysuit and went diving with it yesterday. I could not keep my feet from floating up and I kept tumbling upside down. I have heard that this is a common issue with people who wear positively buoyant fins, but I was wearing XL jet fins with my drysuit. I was wondering if anyone had a solution to this problem aside from using ankle weights.

If your sure you don't have too much air in the suit, you can try gaiters to keep some of the air out of your feet.

 

[sea_otter]

I was a mess my first time in a drysuit. Give it a few more dives, and it'll feel a lot better.

Gaiters and small changes to trim weight positioning can be help, but mainly it's just about patience and more time in the water.

 

[eelnoraa]

Be careful with gaiter, it is a double edge sword. It does not necessary keep air out of feet, but it sure slow down air movement, both in and out. It makes moving bubble harder. Just saying

 

[Storker]

Some claim that gaiters help them to control excessive air into the legs/feet of their DS, others (like me) don't see any benefit at all. I assume can have something to do with the fit of the DS. I've got fairly thick calves, so I don't have much extra room for excessive air in my legs. My son has rather thin calves and strongly prefers to wear gaiters. I also know that some DS users like ankle weights to control their feet's buoyancy; I don't like them.

OTOH and IME, gaiters don't help much if your DS boots/softboots are a bit on the roomy side - which I prefer to ensure I have enough air in there to keep my feet warm. So I'm using finkeepers to make sure my softboots don't slip off if I get a little too much air into them. They're originally meant for keeping full-foot fins on if they're a little roomy, but they work just fine with DS softboots as well. If your suit has neo socks and you're using rockboots, that's a moot point, but I don't like rockboots. It's always a drag to lace them exactly tight enough to keep them on my feet while not restricting blood flow to my feet.

In any case, get at least a dozen or so dives in your new DS to get to know it before you start shopping for extra gear

 

[Divetech99]

Try moving weights to the small of your back. This will push your butt down and help keep you knees parallel to your torso. Don't use gaiters.

 

[MaxBottomtime]

Don't put so much air in your suit. Use your BCD for its intended purpose.

 

[ajduplessis]

You problem is definitely not the fins, they weight a ton. Gators could be a helpful but you first need to understand what is causing your problem. More time in the water will help you get more comfortable in the DS.

 

[KevinNM]

When you feel your feet starting to get floaty try extending your legs. This (assuming you are more or less flat in the water) should make your feet sink a bit. If you can get them below your torso the air in them will migrate to your torso. Then you can vent the extra gas.

 

[James R]

Maybe spend a few bucks for some help from a drysuit instructor

I bet you're overweighted and your rig is not balanced properly. I think gaiters and ankle weights are, for the most part, people throwing weights and bs at a skill and setup problem - especially with XL Jet fins on your feet.