The infamous booties question!

[MrDiveyMan]

Hi, I have been searching the internet but I'm unable to find an answer. I did get some answers but it was 50/50.

I have a semi dry wetsuit, so seals on the bottom but without extra cuffs. People are telling these cuffs need to be in contact with skin, and also the opposite. So any advice whether to get some 7mm socks and tuck or untuck, or booties on the outside, inside. I'm really quite confused!

I'll include a photo of the suit legs.

 

[Valyngar]

Booties outside trap water better than other way. Just by enough tight booties (but still comfortable, just no extra space)

 

[clownfishsydney]

With these, assuming there is nothing on the inside of what is shown, I would wear my booties on the inside if possible. May not be able to due to diameter of wetsuit cuffs.

 

[rongoodman]

The whole point of a semi-dry wetsuit is to minimize the flow of water through the suit in order to conserve heat, so putting anything between the seals and your skin would seem to be defeating their purpose.

 

[Dubious]

It is hard to tell from your picture but is their a seal under the cuff? For instance, my Henderson semi-dry has a neoprene seal with over cuff. The neoprene seal is rolled to have the 'tacky' (not sure of the technical name) against the skin creating the seal. I wear the cuff over my boots and over my gloves.

 

[MrDiveyMan]

Thank you for all the replies so far. Much much appreciated x

 

[Zef]

The wrist and ankle cuffs of some semi-dry suits have a smooth skin-like finish/texture of the neoprene to form a better seal against the diver's wrists and ankles. Sometimes this skin is on the inside of the cuffs, and sometimes this skin is on the outside. Then there are suits that have a protective over cuff, sometimes with zippers and sometimes without.

For suits with the smooth seal on the outside, the seal is often folded inwards after donning so that the smooth surface is next to the diver's skin.

For suits with the smooth seal on the inside, there is no reason to fold the seal inwards.

OP, the picture you posted looks like a wrist seal without a protective cuff. It also looks like fabric texture on the outside which would most likely mean the inside of the cuff is smooth. If true, you would traditionally not fold your wrist seal under.

Just a note...I dive a Waterproof Combat SD and find that it seals so well that if I fold my ankle seals so the smooth surface is against my skin, the residual air in my suit is trapped and I cannot submerge. Because of this, I often leave my ankle seals unfolded/untucked. Even then, the suit seals so well that I often get a suit squeeze and am usually dry above my knees and thighs when I exit the water.

-Z

 

[MrDiveyMan]

The wrist and ankle cuffs of some semi-dry suits have a smooth skin-like finish/texture of the neoprene to form a better seal against the diver's wrists and ankles. Sometimes this skin is on the inside of the cuffs, and sometimes this skin is on the outside. Then there are suits that have a protective over cuff, sometimes with zippers and sometimes without.

For suits with the smooth seal on the outside, the seal is often folded inwards after donning so that the smooth surface is next to the diver's skin.

For suits with the smooth seal on the inside, there is no reason to fold the seal inwards.

OP, the picture you posted looks like a wrist seal without a protective cuff. It also looks like fabric texture on the outside which would most likely mean the inside of the cuff is smooth. If true, you would traditionally not fold your wrist seal under.

Just a note...I dive a Waterproof Combat SD and find that it seals so well that if I fold my ankle seals so the smooth surface is against my skin, the residual air in my suit is trapped and I cannot submerge. Because of this, I often leave my ankle seals unfolded/untucked. Even then, the suit seals so well that I often get a suit squeeze and am usually dry above my knees and thighs when I exit the water.

-Z

This seems to be an uncuffed inside seal, I got boots with a zipper but no vecro, but decided to buy some socks to try the tuck inside of the seal but it seems such a split uestion I wish I'd just got a wetsuit or a semi dry with a cuff.

 

[Zef]

This seems to be an uncuffed inside seal, I got boots with a zipper but no vecro, but decided to buy some socks to try the tuck inside of the seal but it seems such a split uestion I wish I'd just got a wetsuit or a semi dry with a cuff.

Not sure why you would need velcro on your booties, unless you are referring to a small tab of velcro that some come with to prevent the zipper from opening on its own....if that is what you are referring to then you can take some velcro, nylon thread or dental floss and sew your own on to your booties.

-Z

 

[g1138]

If you have your wetsuit inside your booties, your booties will flush and your feet will tend to be very numb in cold water.
Wearing your booties as intended, with your suit cut tucking outside the bootie, you'll prevent water from leaking in only if your bootie is a zipperless design, and bonus points if they're a skin-in variety.

Semi-dry's are notoriously piss poor at keeping water out unless they are custom fitted to you and even at that point a true custom size skin-in suit will out compete a semi-dry at a comparable price. Stock semi-dry's are more notoriously better at keeping water in when you're exiting. You'll come out with "cankles" until you peel the ankle seal away.

Usually entry point of water for any wetsuit is at the neck seal, especially with a hood and tuck in bib. (ie your standard cold water diving kit).
It's also the reason why having a hooded vest outside your wetsuit can do more good than inside. Less water flush through the neck, assuming everything fits snugly and you don't have extra neck material.

If you tend to fit a stock semi-dry snug then go forth and enjoy it's intended benefit.