Boots or Socks on your drysuit?

[tregrrr]

if you are into cold or extended dives, you will appreciate the warmth of integrated 'boots';
if you do much hiking in your kit, you will appreciate the replaceable durability and ankle support of sox/rockboot

the rockboots take longer to don (one extra step/layer) and entrain less air (insulation/ floatation) but the integrated boots will possibly wear out sooner. I have the integrated and 200+ dives and my boots are fine... how yours will fair will depend entirely on you and your dives

 

[Reallydg]

Integrated boots. When I first started, I didn't like them because of the air bubble in the feet, But once I gained experience diving dry and learned how to control the bubble, I think they're great. My feet never get cold and boots are once less thing I have to remember to pack.

 

[Cave Diver]

Turbosoles.

 

[garyd54220]

Boots

 

[bjd001]

I've got the socks, but I really didn't like the rockboots... One reason was that I would have had to buy a new pair of fins to fit them! (And I've already got 2 sets of fins...) So instead I use a pair of regular wetsuit booties over the socks, and I cut the booties down to ankle height to make it easier to get them on and off. Those fit in the fins I already had. (The booties were donated by a friend who's got bigger feet! So they fit over the drysuit socks.)

Then again, I've got two friends who really like the turbosoles and two others who use the socks and rockboots!

Second the comments about considering your most likely dive conditions.

-Barbara

 

[jim2386]

Turbosoles here Love them. I use fin keepers with them too and they work great. However if you have to climb over boulders etc to get into your site, rock boots would probably work better.

 

[Greendiver]

Well here in the midwest the water is on the cool side and most of our shore diving requires fairly short walks over flat surfaces. I have to say that I'm moving over to the integrated boot camp.

 

[a22shady]

I have the intgrated boot's, My girlfriend got the socks with the rock boot's.
for attached boot Less gear to carry, less to put on and very comfortable. less chance of puncture. On the other side it's very easy to get air in there and once you do then you have to go go straight to ge the air out and can be a little of a pain sometimes.

With the socks less air can get in because of the tighter fit. But the shoes can take some time to dry and socks are very delicate so have to be careful when puttin the suit on not to step on anything pointy or sharp untill you get your boot on. The socks have an added inherit layer of warmth to them.

Both have there pro's/cons best thing is to figure out what will work best for you.

good luck

 

[TSandM]

I don't think there is a perfect answer.

Attached boots can't be forgotten and won't come off the suit, but you can kick out of them, even with finkeepers. Attached boots don't have the construction of a good rock boot (no arch support, no ankle support). They make it harder to turn the suit inside out to dry (and if you think you won't have to do that from time to time, you haven't lived with a dry suit for very long ) and heavier to pack if you travel.

Socks and rock boots mean you have boots you can forget. The thick soles on rock boots can force you into a larger sized fin than you want to dive. To keep rock boots or any other kind of shoe securely on the dry suit socks, you have to lace them up well, which can compress the insulation in your sock and result in colder feet. If you don't lace them up securely, you can kick out of them, which is a VERY unpleasant experience. On the other hand, an overboot can have a good, thick sole for rocks, and some ankle support if you're doing entries over rough ground.

Turbosoles (which I am currently using) have some of the advantages and disadvantages of both. They are attached, so you can't forget them. They come with a Velcro strap around the ankle, to make it essentially impossible to kick out of them (and I use finkeepers over them as well). They are soft and the neoprene affords some insulation. The soles are not much protection from rocks (and I'm a little dubious about their durability) and there is no ankle support. They aren't easy to turn inside out, although it's possible. I've also heard they are prone to leaks with time, although I've not had any yet (they've been on the suit since August).

Each strategy has its pluses and minuses. If I were diving where I was doing a lot of entries over sharp rocks (like Hawaii's lava) I'd use rock boots. But I wouldn't use them where losing a fin is a big deal (like in caves). If I were doing mostly boat diving or sand entries, I'd use the Turbosoles.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Boots on mine.