My boots ruined my wetsuit

[Dogbowl]

Some of you might be following along my journey of discovery during the past several months with the purchase of lots of new gear and putting them to the test in Cozumel over Christmas. Issue after issue...lesson after lesson. Well, here's another one, albeit minor.

I bought a new pair of boots: Aqualung Superzip 6.5mm. They are zippered. I was unable to zip them up over my wetsuit so I zipped them up and then pulled my wetsuit legs over the boots. I didn't think anything of it, until after several days, I realized that my wetsuit legs were stretched out so much I can no longer wear them without these dang boots. So effectively, I've ruined my wetsuit.

So, do you zip your boots over your wetsuit or under them???

 

[DavBuc]

I saw the thread title and read "boots" as something else and immediately thought "This is going to be an interesting thread".

 

[emoreira]

I use a 5 mm Henderson Thermoprene Farmer John together with 5 mm zippered boots. No issue at all. The Farmer John conserves it's elasticity in spite that it has more that 200 dives in several years.

 

[Vicko]

It's not a very good suit if it gets streched that easily, also alaways cover your boots with the wetsuit, that way you wont be leting any water in as you swim.

 

[Dogbowl]

It's not a very good suit if it gets streched that easily, also alaways cover your boots with the wetsuit, that way you wont be leting any water in as you swim.

It's a Henderson Thermaxx 5mm. I loved this suit and would buy another one without hesitation, but I now know it has its limitations! It did not bounce back to its original shape! And it's pretty new, about 30 dives on it.

 

[NorCalDM]

Over the boots and never had an issue with a wetsuit being stretched out and they have way more than 30 dives on them. How are you putting the suit on, boots last and rolling the suit down over them or boots first and stretching the suit over them. I know dumb question but I’ve seen it happen.

 

[Dogbowl]

Over the boots and never had an issue with a wetsuit being stretched out and they have way more than 30 dives on them. How are you putting the suit on, boots last and rolling the suit down over them or boots first and stretching the suit over them. I know dumb question but I’ve seen it happen.

Suit first, roll suit leg up, then put boot on, then roll suit leg down over the boot. I only had the boots for 9 dives. This happened in less than 9 dives. The suit is of the super soft stretchy type of neoprene. Donning and doffing are super easy. Maybe that's why?

 

[boulderjohn]

I have always put the wet suit over the boots, and I have always told my students to do that, too. as Vicko said, if you do that you don't have water entering your boots the whole dive.

That said, a 6.5 mm boot is pretty thick. Most standard boots sold in the shops around here are 5mm--I know the shop I use most does not even stock anything thicker. If I am diving in a warm water site like Cozumel, I will often wear slipper style boots that are thin and don't even cover the ankle.

 

[NorCalDM]

Suit first, roll suit leg up, then put boot on, then roll suit leg down over the boot. I only had the boots for 9 dives. This happened in less than 9 dives. The suit is of the super soft stretchy type of neoprene. Donning and doffing are super easy. Maybe that's why?

Could be to me some of the super stretchy neoprene doesn’t last as long but 9 dives? I would call Henderson and see what they think I’ve never used one of their suits but several of my dive buddies do and the seem well made. My newest suit is an Xcel Hyperflex which is stretchy and has 75 dives on it with no stretch yet.

 

[Dogbowl]

I have always put the wet suit over the boots, and I have always told my students to do that, too. as Vicko said, if you do that you don't have water entering your boots the whole dive.

That said, a 6.5 mm boot is pretty thick. Most standard boots sold in the shops around here are 5mm--I know the shop I use most does not even stock anything thicker. If I am diving in a warm water site like Cozumel, I will often wear slipper style boots that are thin and don't even cover the ankle.

Yes, the 6.5mm boots were a "workaround" for a pair of fins I wanted, the Mares Avanti Quattro's. I have size 7 women's feet, and the thin 3mm ankle booties I had would not work for those fins. As it turns out, even the 6.5mm boots don't work for those fins. And on top of that, they ruined my wetsuit. Now, I have to get a new wetsuit and new boots. My mistakes and lessons learned are costing me a lot of money!