How To Choose Booties For Scuba Diving

[@kathrynhonggg]

james is like the cool uncle who gives the best advice!

[@DiversReady]

Thanks Kathryn! I try!

[@davidtillotson291]

Great tips as ever James, but you missed an option! I've always had at least one comment on my choice of boots in warm water, usually along the lines of "Are you actually wearing those for diving?" For the last 8 years I have been using a cheap pair of Converse clones (in white, so I am easily identified in the water!), after trying several pairs of Mares and Scubapro boots that I just didn't find comfortable. I first used them as a "make do" when the wet-boots I had split, and just stick with them. They seem to be much more robust than any wet-boots I've seen, are neutrally buoyant, and have soles suitable for most terrain. I found the trick is in the tying of the laces, using a different knot so they can be untied when wet. If I need some extra warmth, neoprene socks do the job, although they do tend to fill up if I don't tie the laces of the boots tight.

[@nomadicstrength]

So you can really just use shoes (like converse) to dive? My feet never get cold.

[@cameronsmith3988]

Haha when I was taking my drysuit course, I wore a pair of high top chucks instead of shelling out for rock boots. Worked excellently.

[@alvaroaguiar3412]

Hello there! Been following for a while, love the channel! Wanted to add a small addition to your recommendations. I am a diver in Lanzarote, the Canary Islands in Spain, and me and my buddies usually start our dives walking on hard volcanic rock/cliffs. We have been using literally hiking shoes, with neoprene socks. Obviously you would need an extra big fin pocket for this, but we have found htat it adds a lot of support to the ankle structure for those divers that might have lower mobility on their feet, plus it is way cheaper to replace if you find you are breaking your boots regularly due to the conditions of the places you dive! It is worth giving it a bit of a thought if you mostly do "infantry" dives, walking in from shore. Keep up the good work bud, greetings from the spanish paradise diving islands!

[@timgosling6189]

'Helium legs': love it! I've chosen my kit so it's all interchangeable for whatever diving I'm doing. So my wet suit boots are the same external size as my dry suit boots, so I can use the same fins. I use a high-top wet suit boot so, as you say, the fin straps have somewhere secure to sit. And I use wet socks that keep the boots snug on my feet, and work equally well if it's hot or cooler. I prefer a strong sole so I can walk across the volcanic rock in Gozo and they still work on a tropical beach or a boat. Oh and following a minor memory lapse during a rush to get to a dive site I can confirm that Nike Air Force 1s are a useable dive boot and worked fine down to 38m with no after effects.

[@js4120]

I have the same Bare boots in 5mm and 7m. 5mm has been good to me in the tropics, and both have done well on slippery rocks and climbing cliff walls in Baja and southern California. Not so stiff that they wont conform to irregular shapes while still protecting my feet.

[@puckalakealake5597]

Buoyancy! Boot inserted into fin can be tested in salt or fresh water to determine + neutral or - buoyancy. Important consideration for some both at the surface and at depth. Cheers!

[@justinreams2433]

Loving the new watch! Hoping to get myself a Seamaster soon! That Planet Ocean is down right beautiful.

[@lydialeigh4]

As always - great tips James!

[@sebastianguerraty6413]

I have those aqualung boots in 6.5mm and love em. I dive in relatively cold waters (10-14C) and have never had cold feet while diving. The sole es nice and thick.

[@chadcordero1618]

Thanks for the tips. I made the mistake of not bringing my booties when buying new fins. Thankfully my local dive shop let me exchange them the next day when I came back with my booties.

[@giulianogiordano100]

Great tips as always!!! You briefly mentioned in the video but I would be interested in hearing your thoughts on suit inside boots vs suit over boots…. :-)

[@josephdracula7487]

👍😎🇵🇭🤿🌴again enjoyed it James!

[@angharadrachelhyde3247]

Could you please share the conversion chart you mentioned? Would be super helpful! Thanks and love your channel

[@jamie-leedavidson3043]

I just had an almost disaster having an issue with my booties and fins falling off during a small dive that I rented in Cyprus they didn’t go small enough for my feet so I know now to take my own so I’m on the hunt for good booties small enough for my feet 3.5 to 4 U.K.

[@adampilot8275]

Some of the most clever suggestions are the ones that are presented as simple and stupid. Good clip Jamesy.

[@Scheistermeister]

This is a great video! I got none of this input when I selected my first pair. Heck, the very little I knew about booties was from hearing what others thought of theirs and what I knew about mine; which is very little. Sent to my gf since she keeps getting blisters from hers

[@retlod]

I have big feet (US size 15) and have a terrible time finding dive boots that fit. For me, neoprene socks under Converse Chuck Taylors are far superior to any scuba boot. They can be cinched tight, offer great toe protection, and have a nice, stable sole. I wear 5 mm socks and size up to 16 in my dive Chucks. I also prefer low-top to high-top due to the increased ankle flexibility. I think more people should give them a try!

[@js4120]

I'm a size 12 4-5E I've never been able to enjoy Chucks above or below the water.

[@ianhealy2233]

@@js4120 what’s up “foot almost as wide as it is long” buddy. Those are roughly my measurements too. I generally find myself stuffing into a 13 for any specialty footwear where widths aren’t a available.

[@js4120]

@@ianhealy2233 even most extra wide shoes end up being a compromise

[@ianhealy2233]

@@js4120 Ya, that’s why I always go with one of the few brands that offer 4-5 E widths when available. Unfortunately that leaves only a few brands for basic footwear and nothing when it comes to most sporting equipment. I will say Zappos is pretty good since I can filter by width and 2/3s of the results will actually be the correct width, but buying shoes online sucks. Free returns though which is the only way it works.

[@M3rl1n87]

I now always wear Lycra socks under my booties to prevent rubbing and blisters. Found out the hard way that I need to get them as most of the dive trips i go on we are doing at least 15 dives in a week thus several in a single day and walking around in wet booties between dives and for to an from the pier/boat was just eating up my feet. Plus if you ever go places like Bonaire or Puerto Galera Philippines you can easily double that amount of dives and time in your wet booties :)

[@ksmui164]

Love these videos. I’m dying to know what watch you are wearing!

[@benheckendorn2696]

James, thank you so much for those tipps. A funny part 2 could be: best ideas for a secound live of dive booties. Sometimes it's best not just trash them, if they Just lose thickness they could be used for warm water dives, as beach shoes, if their shape are awful, you could use them in your garden, if you work there. Do you have any other ideas?

[@technopath4119]

I wanted ot say thank you for making this but is a bit frustrating that my dive shop just had me buy fins and booties for my open water course and didn't give us much choucse on the size or type of fins or booties and as dive gear is exspinsie I just need to live with it even though looking back I proobly would have spent more time choosing my fins and booties, and as I have fairly small feat they just gave me booties with a huge soule and large fins so I am stuck with these boots unfotaily because smaller onesne wouldn't fit I'm my fins sungly

[@jeffbrown6197]

Great timing. I need new booties.

[@markhinkle2451]

Thank you! I've been diving for 3 years and your videos have helped be a lot. Do the make low cut booties with a thick sole?

[@OrenNoah]

I had an issue with low ankle booties is that the front of my fin pocket would often catch on the top of the bootie, causing it to roll and create a pressure point on the front of my ankle. It could run from annoying to frustrating to painful during a dive.

[@luiskinte863]

Are the felt soles better?

[@tank52086]

Opinions on the Akona booties with drains? Or poking tiny holes in the sole yourself?

[@mgelax]

The water retention is what helps keep your feet warm, especially if the ambient air is cold after your dive. I've done dives when the air is just above freezing and my feet were comfortable in my boots because of all the retained warm water.

[@tank52086]

@@mgelax right I understand thermal efficiency. I should have specified for warm water dives. My booties stay soggy and sloshy and water doesn’t get out.

[@toadou8127]

Holes let in more sand. 'Prefer to pour out water over sand.

[@rebeccadarling5894]

I have seriously considered poking a hole in the bottom of mine for drainage too! Warm water boat diver, seems like no down side but nobody I talk to has ever even seen it so I’m waiting for my booties to be on the way out to possibly destroy them?

[@toadou8127]

@@rebeccadarling5894 Get rid of the booties and get a pair of full foot fins if you solely boat dive.

[@mgelax]

My local dive shop owner was really helpful in this. We trusted his explanation and his judgment. For local altitude reservoir diving, I'm glad he put us in 5mm high top boots. In the warmest water (95F) it gets a little too warm after awhile, but still very comfortable in 85F.

[@valise1794]

THICKNESS

[@Arliexzter]

Question: Dive boots / Dive booties? 😂

[@jeffbrown6197]

First comment?!?!

[@harambeexpress]

I'm anti-zipper. I've never owned them, but every time I see people use them they're always coming unzipped and being rubbish.

[@technopath4119]

they do unzip it realy anyoning

[@js4120]

My Bare's never come unzipped, but I go wetsuit seal first, socks over seal, boots, then wetsuit outer. I get balloon legs instead of helium legs but my feet stay toasty