Drysuit Floaty Feet

[suricatasuricata]

Note that evacuating air in your feet by lowering feet below horizontal takes longer than many people think (particularly with two layers of socks). Start lowering, wait, then wait a bit longer, then wait again (have a dive plan where you add gas to feet and then move gas around and up to vent, playing with length of time your feet are down to vent). Consider too the thickness of your socks. If feet aren't cold, consider using thinner socks/1 pair (I've had good luck with Fourth Element Artic socks over a very thin pair of performance polypropylene (liner) socks).

Currently, the only reason I am wearing two layers of socks (Specifically an REI liner layer and an REI mid layer) is to fill out a bit of the space in the boot. I don't feel cold.

Yeah, I am struggling with the vent while ascending bit, where you extend one leg, an arm, vent and then go on. That is one of the places where I get dragged up by the feet.

Sounds like instructor may have gotten you to lower your tank. Ask them to check you on land and in the water to see if it needs to be lowered any more. (Given the arch in one's back, a lower tank does not necessarily mean harder to reach valves--too low yes, can't reach, but there is a spot just above this that can be a sweet spot. For some, it looks like this, high (can reach but head hits valves and leads to face plant), lower (hard to reach valves due to curvature of spine), lower still (can now reach valves, then lower (can't reach valves as too low irrespective of spine curvature).

I will bring it up with him. Currently, it is set such that I can do a valve check on the surface (just barely) by moving my hand while stretching. I haven't tried in horizontal trim yet.

With Fundies, great to have time (weeks if not a month or longer) between first two classes and last two classes to sort out your kit and work on establishing what you learned in first two sessions.

Best of luck

The good thing is that I am doing Part 1 and Part 2, so I do have some spacing to come back with more learnings.

 

[suricatasuricata]

option 2 if you plan on diving some of the harder to reach spots like butterfly/garapatta where the hike is rocky and a good hard sole rock boot comes into play

the converses/rock boots can be laced up tight to prevent too much air in the feet

I suppose the converses could be a good option, I believe that they will add to making myself negatively buoyant. Not a fan of the rock boots personally, I saw someone else have issues with the incredibly long laces coming undone underwater and this is something that happens to me on the best of days with normal shoes while walking on land (which admittedly could happen with the converses too).

However, my instructor prefers the turbo (tech?) sole for himself, with a snug fit. That is an option that I will consider.

Although it is frightfully expensive to replace my current boot in all cases.

 

[runsongas]

what i do is just double tie the laces. you can also replace them with the quickdraw bungee system.

 

[Grey Goose]

I will bring it up with him. Currently, it is set such that I can do a valve check on the surface (just barely) by moving my hand while stretching. I haven't tried in horizontal trim yet

May be different in horizontal trim, as at surface tanks may be in different position. When underwater in trim, you can reach back and push the tanks up your back to possibly give you a bit more reach. Make sure elbow is to chin when reaching back.

RE: Socks
Could try with the thinnest pair. To a point, not so much about the extra room in footbed (oversized boots), but the skill in evacuating air to begin dive and to keep it out during dive. (My footbed is a perfect fit, but I still can get too much air in the footbed if not careful (suggesting not so much about having too much room vs skillset). Lighter socks make it easier to evacuate air, as the air does not initially get trapped in the (layers of) socks. Warmth trumps this though (wear what you need to be slightly (un)comfortable .

Practice, practice, practice (and may I say, over trying to purchasing new gear--at least initially)

 

[suricatasuricata]

Wanted to close the loop on this. Six months in, 40 or so more dives in a drysuit later. I want to agree with @Tracy, @Grey Goose and others on how all this was a skill issue that didn't need to get solved by crutches like ankle weights.

I recently had some more training with our local GUE instructor and I remember reflecting that my issues with floaty feet had disappeared. Not because I replaced my fins with heavier jet fins (I am using Jet Fins, but they are the regular Taiwan made jet fins) or because I got ankle weights or gaiters. I eventually got better at managing them.

It is still not ideal. I feel like I trip up when crossing the surf zone cause the boots are slightly too big. But all my initial woes with floaty feet are a thing of the past.

 

[Jcp2]

Once you get properly fitted boots or socks it gets even better.

 

[stuartv]

I’ve wanted to weigh a set of Jet fins in fresh water for some time, but I never seem to find an opportunity.

In a drysuit, I dive Hollis F1 fins to cure my floaty feet. A pair of size XL are 2# negative in fresh water. And they give good power and work well for technical kicks. And they are WAY more comfortable (to ME) than Jet fins. The foot pockets are actually shaped like feet, not 2x4s.