The infamous booties question!

[yle]

Hi, I have been searching the internet but I'm unable to find an answer. I did get some answers but it was 50/50.

I have a semi dry wetsuit, so seals on the bottom but without extra cuffs. People are telling these cuffs need to be in contact with skin, and also the opposite. So any advice whether to get some 7mm socks and tuck or untuck, or booties on the outside, inside. I'm really quite confused!

I'll include a photo of the suit legs.

Here are a few simple rules for you that will make your diving much much more enjoyable:

1. If it works for you, do it.

2. If it works for you and someone tries to explain why it doesn't work for you, ignore them... politely.

3. The more someone insists that you do things their way, the more likely it is that they don't know what they're talking about (exception to this rule is the captain and crew of the boat; you have to do things their way, and it's fair to assume that they know what they're doing.)

4. Send more questions to Scubaboard, and just know that you'll usually get a variety of responses. But some of those responses will include an explanation from those that have a lot of experience learning things the hard way.

As far as your weitsuit goes: I have a similar one and I wear the wetsuit cuff over my boot. But I've seen others wear their boots over the wetsuit. Do what works best for you. If you're trying to prevent water from getting in the wetsuit, don't bother: it's a wetsuit. Water will get in. The idea of "semi-dry" is a little silly... because that also means "semi-wet". That is, it's a wetsuit.

 

[Subcooled]

Air isolates better than water. That's why we have drysuits.
Wetsuits however do not trap air. Hence, it is water and neoprene that isolates you.

Neoprene does not know whether it is inside or outside. Only the thickness matters. Hence, your configurations should be equivalent.
Water inside a wetsock (or a booty) warms up and if the water does not change then you'll save some heat. Hence, water flow should be minimized.

The only difference between "booty on top of" and "booty under", is the direction the seam points (up or down). Unfortunately, cold water does not know the difference between "up" and "down".

Based on my lines of text above, I claim that "it really does not matter".
If someone has actual first hand knowledge, then let me know.

 

[Subcooled]

I did get some answers but it was 50/50.

Unsurprisingly

 

[Subcooled]

Depending on your gear, one or another may be more comfortable.