to rock boot or not to rock boot ...

[Uncle Pug]

You will take a ration in your DIR class for having rockboots... but if you like them then good for you. They do not make it more or less difficult to use alternate fin techniques.

 

[Uncle Pug]

Oooooohhhhh I wish I'd remembered this post last night

Well... I wish you had too. It would have sped you up and given me something to do besides float there on the suface waiting for 15 minutes even though YOU ARRIVED AND HOUR BEFORE I DID!

 

[Rick Inman]

You will take a ration in your DIR class for having rockboots....

Why?

 

[jagfish]

I've yet to purchase a drysuit, but since I'm planning to do DIRF at some point afterward, I had been thinking about this.

Having tried rock boots during my drysuit class, I was not happy about the way it "stiffened" my foot compared to wetsuit booties. I especially found ankle movement difficult. I now wondered if this stiffness would make the various types of kicks that the DIR class focuses on (reverse kicks, helicopter turns) difficult to master. Any opinions on this?

I've thought about just buying a drysuit with the "rockboot socks" (no turbo-soles) and then wearing slightly larger wetsuit booties over the socks. I 'm really satisfied with the wetsuit booties I have for going over rocks and such, since they have a stiff sole - I just don't think I want the ankle stiffness.

Opinions?

I though this would be a good solution as well...

 

[aquaoren]

Hehe, small world.
We just had a similar discussion on our board about whether Rock Boots are DIR or not and according to Dan Mackay: So given the fact that they do nothing to enhance the dive at all and they actually have the potential for negative impact they are not recommended.

 

[OE2X]

I have rock boots on my CF200. I don't on my backup suit. Here is my comparison.

Cons:
A pain to put on and take off. It is much quicker just to slide in and out of other boots.

Pros:
No floaty feet.
I have to wear ankle weights with the B/U Suit and it is a trilam.


In my DIR-F class it was never an issue with Brando. I've also not found it an impediment in any way for my kicks. There is no difference in stiffness between the rock boots and the boots on my back up suit.

 

[Rick Inman]

...they actually have the potential for negative impact ...

In what way??

 

[aquaoren]

In what way??

The above statement is a quotation from a discussion from another board, so take it with a grain of salt as I'm not DIR but as I understood it: undone laces can be an entangelement hazard.
You're more than welcome to join the discussion and get your answers directly.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

OK ... so now I've got a few dives on the rock boots, there are some pros and cons.

First off, they seem to fit my Turtle fins much better than the boots on my old suit, and I saw immediate gains in the glide on my kick. I also seem to get better response on my reverse kick now.

The downside is my feet are getting really COLD! The last couple of nights I couldn't even feel my feet when I got out of the water ... until they started warming up, then I felt them plenty (and not pleasantly).

To those who wear rock boots ... especially in cold water ... what do you wear for warmth?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[jonnythan]

The downside is my feet are getting really COLD! The last couple of nights I couldn't even feel my feet when I got out of the water ... until they started warming up, then I felt them plenty (and not pleasantly).

To those who wear rock boots ... especially in cold water ... what do you wear for warmth?

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

One well fed cat in each boot should take care of that.


Seriously, though, my feet get darned cold in the winter even though my drysuit's booties are 7mm neoprene and I wear two thick hiking socks underneath. Never occurred to me that it could be the Rock Boots causing the problem.

I know Diving Concepts makes Thinsulate booties, and Weezle makes those sleeping bag booties, so those might help. I'm interested on hearing more on this myself.