Question Used drysuit boots too big, how important is it?

[woodcarver]

Deal breaker for me, but I’ve already suffered the dreaded “stuck upside down with inflated feet, fins popped off experience” during my drysuit class in a badly fitted rental.

My GF had the same experience. Upside down in the pool while 5 guys tried to get her upright, and fins back on. It was actually fairly comical to be part of, even for her, but with legs 6" shorter than the drysuit, and feet that were probably 5 sizes too small, even (a lot of) duct tape wouldn't keep her fins on.

 

[rob.mwpropane]

My GF had the same experience. Upside down in the pool while 5 guys tried to get her upright

I think I downloaded the wrong video!

 

[Td9984]

My first suit was a 3xl bare suit with size 12 boots. I wear a size 10.5W shoe. It wasn't pretty but is doable. As others said I wore 2 pair of thick boots and a good pair of F1 boots. I actually intentionally added air to my feet because I am always feet heavy.
I have a m2m seaskin with socks now and am wearing a pair of size 12 chucks for rock boots.

 

[Learner Diver]

Deal breaker for me, but I’ve already suffered the dreaded “stuck upside down with inflated feet, fins popped off experience” during my drysuit class in a badly fitted rental.

Is that drysuit scenario part of the course?

 

[Bubblesong]

Is that drysuit scenario part of the course?

Nope, but it was educational about the crucial importance of drysuit fit.

 

[Learner Diver]

Nope, but it was educational about the crucial importance of drysuit fit.

And you had no difficulty rectifying the situation?

 

[Bubblesong]

And you had no difficulty rectifying the situation?

So sorry if I gave the impression that I rectified the situation. I did not and I could not, as every time i spun my self upright using my finless floppy drysuit balloon legs, I went right over upside down again, spinning like Wylie Coyote stuck to a truck tire.
Nope.
I grabbed the instructor with both mitts. I’m sure he was thrilled.
He was big enough to reach around to my tanks and got me to surface, we were not deep. Only then did i spit out my leaky reg and say, “Home” so i suppose i was not yet in full panic mode. And he swum-dragged me to boat. I will say, he saved my life.
My daughter was there, at a safe distance, and she retrieved my fins. Also she passed the course that day, while i stayed on boat after that.
I noticed she had canvas high top lace up sneakers and I had stretchy neoprene boots over my socks so long i had folded over double in my boots, so i also credit strong tight boots with keeping of fins, vs stretchy oversized footwear.

 

[CanadaDan]

back to the OP...

If the deal is good enough then you'll have room financially to have the boots replaced. Personaly I would change them to either built ins that fit or got the sock with seperate rockboots. Sloppy boots make for tough diving. Personally I prefer builtins simply because it's one less thing I have to put on lol.

Keep in mind you'll likely have to replace the zipper as well unless it's been done recently or the suit is quite new... used suits come with maintenance issues. I bought my first and current drysuit (several years of service now) used. I had the zipper replaced and the dump valve moved to the shoulder (original owner had a wrist dump) and I'm still several hundred dollars ahead of the game.

 

[grantmac]

So sorry if I gave the impression that I rectified the situation. I did not and I could not, as every time i spun my self upright using my finless floppy drysuit balloon legs, I went right over upside down again, spinning like Wylie Coyote stuck to a truck tire.
Nope.
I grabbed the instructor with both mitts. I’m sure he was thrilled.
He was big enough to reach around to my tanks and got me to surface, we were not deep. Only then did i spit out my leaky reg and say, “Home” so i suppose i was not yet in full panic mode. And he swum-dragged me to boat. I will say, he saved my life.
My daughter was there, at a safe distance, and she retrieved my fins. Also she passed the course that day, while i stayed on boat after that.
I noticed she had canvas high top lace up sneakers and I had stretchy neoprene boots over my socks so long i had folded over double in my boots, so i also credit strong tight boots with keeping of fins, vs stretchy oversized footwear.

Fully inflating your BCD will get you out of that capsize provided you aren't diving with your suit massively over inflated.

 

[garyh]

I'm just learning how to dive and have the chance to purchase a used Bare drysuit at a decent price. It's in good condition but the boots are 2 sizes bigger than my shoe size. The seller is the same shoe size as me and says they just wear a few pairs of socks and it's alright. I've never tried a drysuit on so have no idea how it should feel fit-wise in the feet. Would this be a deal breaker or will it be okay with a few pairs of socks?

Change the boots, nothing more annoying than floaty feet especially if u r new to D suits