Help with air-filled feet in dry suit

[divad]

I stuffed my DUI "turbo Boots" with 2 pairs of heavy wool socks (with fin-keepers). There's no noticeable air movement in the socks or ankle. Think chubby-baby feet........... ( I also hated the air movement in the thinner socks...before I started "sock-stuffing").

 

[-JD-]

I was using Altama Maritime Assault Mids for rock boots with my Fusion Tech. I found that that left a bit of the sock exposed to swelling between the top and the boot and the bottom of the compression skin.

I moved to a cheap laced/side-zip 8" jungle boot (modified with drain holes) as a test and found that it helped.

Next, I'll try some sort of gaiter (maybe an ace bandage as a quick test) with the Altamas and see how it goes.

 

[Zef]

They are indeed the canvas-looking material I remember as a bit stretchy and probably mixed that up with the description of new Fusion 2 which is neoprene. Regardless, the instep was so stretchy and Ill-fitting even after dropping down a size and playing with foot inserts I gave up on them. I’m glad they work for you, and a nice bonus on keeping the same size fins.

That reminds me, did you keep the plastic foot inserts? I found they made things slippery so I didn’t use them.

I did keep the plastic insert...it does make the inside of the boot slippery but helps to lock the sock in the boot to semi-permanently keep them attached. To combat the slipperiness and provide some arch support I took the insoles form my hiking boots which I replaced with superfeet insoles and put the hiking boot ones in the socks/boots above the plastic piece.

I also made another mod as I found, when I pulled the boots and skin off my suit for warranty replacement, that the stiff 2+inch wide hook side of the velcro in the boot was abrading on the heel of the sock. The loop side of the velcro attached to the socks is only about 3/8th to 1-inch wide. I took some strips of loop side velcro and overlapped the long edges of the hook side in the boots, leaving a channel the same width as the strip attached to the back and bottom of the socks. I had no problems getting things lined up when attaching the boots to the replacement core and it is working well to prevent the fabric being abraded.

-Z

 

[Searcaigh]

Gaiters might help too to reduce the air space around your lower legs if you don't have thick calves, that works for me and also prevents air movement into the feet as well.

Converse lace up baseball boots work great instead of rock boots for drysuits.

 

[Jake]

I stuffed my DUI "turbo Boots" with 2 pairs of heavy wool socks (with fin-keepers). There's no noticeable air movement in the socks or ankle. Think chubby-baby feet........... ( I also hated the air movement in the socks...before I started "sock-stuffing").

Do you use the fin keepers under or over your boot?

 

[Joris Vd]

I had the same thing when I used to wear one pair of whool socks. Now I wear another pair over it to add padding. It works perfectly.

 

[Steelyeyes]

I had good luck with just fin keepers and one pair of wool socks. I had the Waterproof D1 hybrid suit and the boots were just a little big. It worked great. I sold my suit to a Dutch cave diver since cold water just isn't going to happen for me again.

 

[divad]

Do you use the fin keepers under or over your boot?

Over...with the Fat-Socks I don't think I "need" the fin keepers, but, I like the security of the fin keepers.
I just leave them on the boots, so I don't have to remember them. When I put the boots back on, I pull the heel strap down over the sole, put on the boots on, then pull the heel strap back up on the heel

If your shoe-size is over 8 or 9, get the Large size. Get several pairs. Eventually one will break, but they're cheap.

 

[happy-diver]

I thinned down some Sika 291 and brushed it on for repair and abrasion prevention, quite grippy more substantial

I might grab my Fourth Element Amphibian inserts, and slip him in there, now that's a magnificent idea thanks Zef

 

[divad]

I thinned down some Sika 291 and brushed it on for repair and abrasion prevention, quite grippy more substantial

View attachment 646124

I might grab my Fourth Element Amphibian inserts, and slip him in there, now that's a magnificent idea thanks Zef

Quite Lady-like...