Which style of Dry Suit boot system

[MarkH]

I have a Whites Haz-Mat Suit I just got it the boots that come with the suit are like regular botties that are attached to the dry suit. Other's on my team got the sock system attached to the dry suit and they were supplied with an outter boots system that looks like a hiking boot. I just wanted to know whick system was better and why. Anyone have experience with a Haz-Mat suit that might be able to make any recomendaions? The reason I ask is because the booties dont fit so they will being replaced I just wanted to know if I should keep the bootie style or go with the outer boot style. Thanks

The attached boots would be easier to hose down after a dive in poop or whatever. The hiking boot style seems to be a way to trap contaminants, but since the other guys on your team are wearing them, I guess this isn't a big deal.

 

[hardhat]

I've owned suits with both kinds of boot systems and I like the soft boots with the Treck Boots (rock boots). I find that they add a lot of support to my ankles (the beaches here in the Pacific Northwest are fairly rocky) when scrembling over a beach to the water. If the soft boot is correctly fitted you won't have folds in it once it's in the outer boot.

 

[hardhat]

I just like having the option of venting air from my ankle seals in the event of an emergency full leg inflation, even though dry suit training teaches us how to avoid this and what to do if it happens. Most dry suits I have seen have the attached boots, so that must be the most popular system for various reasons.
I have not been dry suit diving for very long and I have never tried the attached boot system.

Sounds like some one sold you a barefooting dry suit (made for water sking, not diving). Has it got any valves in it? If you are really that afraid of "an emergency full leg inflation" why wouldn't you just install an exhaust valve at either ankle, in a real drysuit, to vent any excess air. Apex and some other companies make little exhaust valves that they call, just that, ankle valves, which are ment for just this kind of application. Please don't take this as a slam but I really think that you are doing your students a great injustice by wearing a suit like you are. It's not a proper dry suit and in my experience students pay a great deal of attention to what thier instructors use for gear.