Soft Sole vs Hard Sole Booties

[Uno1]

I generally use soft soles on live-aboards. When I have to do a bit of walking or climbing I use a hard sole boot. The soft sole boot is easy to remove from my seawing novas so it makes accessing boats easier for me. My hard sole boots tend to lodge in the fins and take quite a bit of effort to remove them.

 

[Steve_C]

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.

This is essential I bought booties, same size as old booties but would not fit into my fins. The hard bottoms made them a bit wider than the the softer bottom booties.

 

[stuartv]

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.

Just something to try, in case you haven't already.

I have a couple of fin/booties pairings that result in the fin being firmly stuck on my foot at the end of a dive. What I discovered works really well to get them off is if I put my foot up on my other knee (standing figure-4 style) and reach all the way to the far side of the fin to pull it off. If I grab the close (i.e. high) side of the fin and try to wiggle it off, it doesn't want to let go. But, if I reach further down (i.e. towards the ground) to grab the far side of the fin (i.e. the left side of the fin, if it's on my left foot), I can almost always wiggle it and pull it off pretty easily.

 

[Neilwood]

Only ever had soft soled boots so can't comment on them vs hard but I haven't had any issues with the soft ones.

I would echo the comments about socks though - I made the mistake of wearing boots next to my skin for a liveaboard (3/4 dives a day for a week). By day 3 I had elongated wounds down both sides of my ankles where the vertical seam had been chafing the skin (still have the scars on both ankles 1 1/2 years later). Now if I dive wet, I make a point of wearing a decent sock.

I have also had the issue of boots/fins sticking together - I think it is simply due to suction so anything to break the seal works (I now dive with Mares fins that have holes in the sole which allow water to drain and air to enter and have no issues). If I were to buy a pair without holes there, I would get the drill out.

 

[MPW50]

+1 on hard sole. Used to wear soft but for all around versatility, hard is best. Now as mentioned earlier, if you want to invest in both then you can tailor to what you are doing. My wife and I try to keep it simple and the hard sole gets it done for whatever we are doing. My motto is that you will never complain about too much protection but you certainly will if you don't!

Happy hunting!

Matt

 

[Marie13]

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.

I take a size 7 women's shoe. I'm the XXS size in these DGX booties. I love them so much I have 2 spare pairs! They fit the small Deep 6 fins very nicely.

 

[Slym]

Hard sole!

My reasoning...
Last trip to Cozumel I made for diving was basically a write off, had to travel to playa everyday to dive. The first day that we went we were given 10 minutes to get our gear and go. I was already half in a wetsuit and my boots at the dock when we got the news there was an alternate option for diving where the port wasn't closed. My buddy and I threw out stuff in a backpack and hopped on the cab to the ferry terminal. I spent all day in my boots because of that reason.

Now no matter what boots you get, after a week of diving and wearing nothing but a wetsuit and boots your ankels will bleed and blister... my advice that I wish I knew at the time? Wear regular socks under the boots they will help the chaifing.

 

[Marie13]

Hard sole!

My reasoning...
Last trip to Cozumel I made for diving was basically a write off, had to travel to playa everyday to dive. The first day that we went we were given 10 minutes to get our gear and go. I was already half in a wetsuit and my boots at the dock when we got the news there was an alternate option for diving where the port wasn't closed. My buddy and I threw out stuff in a backpack and hopped on the cab to the ferry terminal. I spent all day in my boots because of that reason.

Now no matter what boots you get, after a week of diving and wearing nothing but a wetsuit and boots your ankels will bleed and blister... my advice that I wish I knew at the time? Wear regular socks under the boots they will help the chaifing.

I just got 2 pairs of the Lycra diving socks.

 

[Slym]

I just got 2 pairs of the Lycra diving socks.

SOLID! Haha should pickup a pair for myself.

lol like my buddy and I were limping around with bloody ankels by the 5th day asking where the next dive site was. 10/10 would do again.

 

[stuartv]

Now no matter what boots you get, after a week of diving and wearing nothing but a wetsuit and boots your ankels will bleed and blister... my advice that I wish I knew at the time? Wear regular socks under the boots they will help the chaifing.

My wetsuit booties for the last 3+ years have been some cheap Oceanic booties. I have dived for a week at a time a few times. I have never used socks with those boots. Only wetsuit and booties. Never even had a chafe mark.

I think it's just like with shoes or boots for normal land use. Fit is key.