Soft Sole vs Hard Sole Booties

[tridacna]

Buy from a place that allows returns. We're talking shoes after all and it's impossible to predict size with great certainty. Amazon is your friend here.

Size 5 sounds like the right size in Mens.

 

[glennster]

i agree on the hard sole also. if possible have your fins with when you try the boots to be sure you can get into the fins. as a side note, wear cotton below ankle socks along with the boots. a week of diving can wear down the skin on the tops of your toes and it gets uncomfortable. they usually come in packs of 6 pair and you can either wash em or toss em.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Well, I ordered her the size 5 Tusa Imprex, will report back.

@glennster, Good to know about wearing ankle socks if doing a lot of diving, do you find that that inhibits any of the thermal if in colder water? I would have thought wool socks would be better (although probably awful uncomfortable).

I got her the smallest Deep6 Eddy, and now the smallest dive boot, if it doesn't fit I'm not sure what to do, lol

 

[stuartv]

In case anyone else is looking, there IS this option for $15:

Watersports 5mm Neoprene Boot

Their XXS says it's US Men's size 7/US Women's 6.5/Euro 36.

 

[stuartv]

Regarding socks, I have many years of motorcycling experience that leads me to avoid having wet cotton against my skin if at all possible. Wet cotton chafes.

If you want socks to combat chafing, you might consider some ordinary lycra dress socks or similar.

Or you could get some of these 2mm neoprene socks for $23. I have a pair of these and they appear to be good quality, but I have to admit that I haven't had an occasion to wear them yet. These might also help if the boots she gets are just a tad too roomy.

Yamamoto Freedive Socks 2mm Low Cut | MAKO Spearguns

I got mine to use with my full foot freediving fins. But, I haven't gotten to use those fins since I got the socks.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

Regarding socks, I have many years of motorcycling experience that leads me to avoid having wet cotton against my skin if at all possible. Wet cotton chafes.

If you want socks to combat chafing, you might consider some ordinary lycra dress socks or similar.

Or you could get some of these 2mm neoprene socks for $23. I have a pair of these and they appear to be good quality, but I have to admit that I haven't had an occasion to wear them yet. These might also help if the boots she gets are just a tad too roomy.

Yamamoto Freedive Socks 2mm Low Cut | MAKO Spearguns

I got mine to use with my full foot freediving fins. But, I haven't gotten to use those fins since I got the socks.

This was what I was thinking of maybe getting (Lycra anyway) if they were a tad too big for her. My experience being in the scouts when younger leads me to have the same opinion about cotton.....no fun when wet!

 

[uncfnp]

I used athletic “wicking” synthetic anklets with my Mares. Diving cenotes I used wool ankle socks.

 

[glennster]

Well, I ordered her the size 5 Tusa Imprex, will report back.

@glennster, Good to know about wearing ankle socks if doing a lot of diving, do you find that that inhibits any of the thermal if in colder water? I would have thought wool socks would be better (although probably awful uncomfortable).

I got her the smallest Deep6 Eddy, and now the smallest dive boot, if it doesn't fit I'm not sure what to do, lol

wool would be better in cold. i like the cotton when traveling on a week or so dive trip. when clean, you can wear em around for casual wear. then they go in the wetsuit boots after a day of wearing them. then either wash em in the sink or toss em.

 

[Altamira]

The only disadvantage I have found with hard sole boots, and it may be specific to my Bare 3mm hard soles or my fins, is that they tend to get stuck in my fin pocket during the dive. By stuck, I mean really stuck, but it was not a problem when everything was dry, so I did not notice it until after using them in water. Switched to SP Delta with a medium sole for my typical warm water boat dives, and they worked great. However, if I need to use the hard soles for places like Bonaire, I will take along a can of silicon spray. Other hard sole boot or fin combinations might have given me a different experience, but once I dove with them, I was stuck with them.

 

[g1138]

Depends on your locale and definition of rocky shore entry. I recommend soft soles especially for rocky shores that are just big smooth rocks/boulders like Big Sir, CA. You'll be able to bend your foot around rocks better; whereas hardsoles don't let you grab the right angle all the time and you can slip out easier in my opinion.

Lava rock-rocky shore, like flat bottom but jagged walk, hardsole definitely.
Outside of that it's a personal preference, truly.

Soft soles & hardsole also fit fins differently. Consider hardsoles to be wider than soft soles. If you're fitting a fin a little loose on the width on a soft sole, going to hardsole can make it just right.