booties with flippers/fins

[jdc]

how do

been wearing sock style booties for ever and a day maybe 1mm at most 2mm thick but soft sole.

seen new booties similar thickness but higher up ankle and harder sole but not as hard a say reef booties.

my surf shop owner suggested bringing along flippers and sitting in his shop with booties and flipper on as a test. Coffee and conversation is usually good but not quite a two hour session.

what do punters wear for winter with flippers? All soft sole or a little hard?

[maxb]

Oneil 3 mm Ninja boots with split toe, best I have found
Max

[joe]

I use the H2Odyssey 2mm mini sock in the summer and the H2Odyssey 3mm ultra sock when it's colder. Not the best, but cheap and easy to find and they work for me.

I've never found a pair of hard sole booties that fit comfortably with fins. I think you'll need bigger fins if you wear the hard sole boots. Any recommendations for reef booties that work well under fins?

Joe

[C.P.Odom]

With Max on the Ninja's.

[KenM]

I use the H2o fin booties in 5mm winter/spring 3m/m summer/fall. If you coat the bottom with a layer of Aquaseal they don't wear through for a very long time.

[Bill E.]

I wear the O'neil 5mm Heat Round Toe year round with XL Churchill Makapuu fins (size 10 feet).

The fins are cut off straight so as to not give too much advantage with the footies.

They are real comfortable and the velcro around the top keeps the water out, even though I wear then inside the wetsuit. They have a smooth bottom and never wear out on the rocks and sharp shells, but always have the fins on which do get some cuts.

Oh, and my fin tethers which I and many others really like

[Bruzer]

Body Glove/Dive N Surf aka Dive n Split in Redondo Beach often has big tent sales where they sell semi-hard soled booties, 3mm, that work w/ Duck Feet Super XL. The Sports Authority chain also has the Body Glove booties on sale for about $12-18.00. Vana can penetrate the semi-hard soles, but the really thick soled booties that are nearly vana-proof don't fit in the Duck Ft. Oh well, just don't be clumsy when walking over vana.

[jdc]

thanks blokes

i might try the split toe with semi hard sole. My flippers are about 5 yrs old and well worn in so they may well accommodate. Im not sure of the brand i was looking at. The oneil's mentioned seem familiar.

[maxb]

The Oneill has a semi soft sole and are really comfortable in fins and you can walk a reef in them
Max

[Tinso]

Check out darkfin.com for gloves and boots.
Made out of latex and fit very close, so they're not too bulky, and might do under flippers(?)
I have the gloves, and they are good as far as gloves go, but don't wear flippers, so I can't comment there.

[badknees1]

XXL TROJANS - lubed for easy fit on by big ole feet. Unribbed cause they tickle.

[Fossil Man]

Been using my Oneil booties lately (full foot not split toe) cause I'm sick of coral cuts on my heels with "flipper slippers". Good, but with the thicker sole a bit tough to get in to some of my fins. Last week I found a 4mm booty made by Argos in Huntington Beach ( see argosx.com ) that at least on dry land is the most comfortable I've ever tried. Soft sole with textured coating, ankle length with a snug fit, so no velcro strap or zipper , seam free smooth area around toes so hopefully no fin sores from long sessions. The soft 4mm nylon 2 neoprene really makes for a good fit with fins. Thinking of doing that Aqua Seal coating on bottom to make em a little more durable for the "reef dance" (Ken what's your technique for that ? ) . Hope they're as comfy in the water, if not maybe I'll just aggravate the wife by wearing them about the house as slippers.

[KenM]

Fossil, I just spread a thin coat of Aquasael using a resin stir stick on the ball of the foot as that's where mine wear through. Aquaseal also makes an accelerator that works to thin it down as well as dry in two hours. Mix them 50/50 in a waxed paper cup and spread on a thin coat. As for aggravating the wife I'm sure you already know how to do that but if you need any help with that one I'm sure I can come up with some suggestions for that too.

[Fossil Man]

I'll just mix the Aquaseal on the kitchen counter, that ought to do it. Thanks Brother.

[KenM]

Perfect!