So how do YOU wear your dive boots?

[Whisky_Tango]

Howdy everyone,

I'm fairly new to thses boards. I made my introductions on the Cozumel panel a few months back. I got my SSI open water back in 2001 but have been out of water since then. I am now finished my PADI classroom/pool sessions and will complete that cert in Coz in January. Can't wait.

Now, regarding my opening question, 'How do YOU wear your dive boots?' After reading the 'Pee Poll' that keeps resurfacing in these forums, I remembered a conversation that took place during my first open water course. I am curious to hear what you folks think about this issue. I tried a forum search, but pee + boots had inconclusive results...

Basically two instructors were having a heated debate over the 'proper' way to wear dive boots with a wet suit. The first was convinced that you should wear your boots OVER your pant cuffs. His reasoning was that by having the boots block the pant cuff, you will have less water flow under and out of your wetsuit, keeping you warmer. This sounded logical to me until the second instructor pointed out that wearing boots over pants also traps any urine that you pass, basically keeping it in your suit or pooling in your boots, only to pour out when you change. Wearing boots UNDER pants cuffs allows you to flush your suit while swimming underwater, letting the urine pass over your boot tops and out your pant cuffs. This statement actually caused the first instructor to pause for thought.

Me? At the time it wasn't a problem, I was wearing a shorty :14:

Thoughts?

Cheers.

 

[Diving Doc]

I work on the basis that if your trousers have seals. they are there for a reason so I always suggest boots over seals

 

[tnfireman]

I wear my boots on the outside.
Ray

 

[Jason Ooi]

boots over the seals.

 

[hlsooner]

I always tuck my boots under the suit. Never thought about the "drainage" aspect of wearing them like this until I read this thread.

 

[String]

On my 5mm semi dry its easy. Suit tight against leg, boot over that then outer neoprene of suit leg over boot.

On borrowed suit i always put boots inside the suit - mine give a better seal and prevent water entry so keep my feet warmer.

 

[H2Andy]

boot under suit

because...

well...

you look like a dork with the boots over the suit

you know what aesthetics and scuba have in common?

a and c and s

(dang... not that much)

 

[Packhorse]

boots outside.
But I dont really think there is a right or wrong way.

 

[havnmonkey]

this is a surfing thing...

Boot(ies) under suit. Why? Cuz it's cold and it's easier for water to slide into a booty than up the leg. While surffing your booty top may role down slightly from the force of a wave going over it.

 

[RonFrank]

The first was convinced that you should wear your boots OVER your pant cuffs.

The second instructor pointed out that wearing boots over pants also traps any urine that you pass, basically keeping it in your suit or pooling in your boots, only to pour out when you change.
Thoughts?

Cheers.

Diving dry should easily solve this debate!

Wet, God, I don't even think about it, and I don't generally need to piss myself during a dive.

Being hydrated during a dive is not about drinking a ton of water as you run out to the dive site. If you are hydrated, you are pissing clear most of the time, and downing a ton of water right before a dive is like cramming for an exam you are not ready for. Not to say that if you have been drinking or something the night before, it's a bad idea to drink a LOT of water!