Wet suit boot question

[Fire Fighter 43]

For those of you who hunt with a wet suit on. What do you wear for foot wear, wet suit boots or wader boots? Do you wear any type of sock in the boots? Thank you.

 

[OldBeechnut]

I have two pairs of ..XS Scuba Thug 8mm Zippered Boots, 11 and 13...the 11's I wear with my wetsuit then I wear a regular small sox...but at the ocean where sand comes in I'll wear a neoprene or Lavacore sox.., the 13's I wear with my neoprene soxed drysuit. I hunt alot and these last about 4 years seems. Hard sole and the zipper is the biggest I've ever seen on a boot.
https://www.globosurfer.com/best-dive-boots/ ranked #6..

 

[tvr]

OldBeechnut spends more time in the water than I do ... but I've tried a few shoes over the years and I like the NRS ATB Wetshoes. For me, they support my arches well and give very good traction on the beach, rock and shells (just watch out for algae covered rocks) and they are good for pushing on the scoop. I were normal socks to prevent toe chafing. In the ocean they do let some sand in.

Get some zipper wax and wax the zippers every few hunts to keep them from hanging up.

 

[2wheeldevil]

These are my 6mm boots that have served me well for about 3 yrs. now. But almost impossible to get them on when they are wet.

 

[OldBeechnut]

These are my 6mm boots that have served me well for about 3 yrs. now. But almost impossible to get them on when they are wet.

Plastic Grocery store bag will take care of that...Mine are often wet from the day before...With a plastic bag on it's like a greased pig...the old feet slip right in, then time come to take them off... slips right off and I've found it takes the stress off of the boots from all of the yanking and pulling. I found this out by using my foot to step on the back of the other shoe to pull it off......and this pulled the rear of the heal loose on my first set...easy repaired with aquaseal but does age them faster.

 

[Fire Fighter 43]

Thank you for the replies.

 

[Fire Fighter 43]

I’m going to give the SEAC ones that 2wheeldevil recommended. I’ll let you know what I think once I’ve tried them.

 

[dewcon4414]

Check out Mares 6.5 mm hard bottoms too

 

[Waterbug]

My water hunting outfit consists of a pair of HD nylon black panty hose with a nylon long sleeve T shirt. This makes it very easy to put on and take off the wetsuit and SEAC 6mm boots. I think the boots with HD soles are best.

 

[bklein]

I have two pairs of ..XS Scuba Thug 8mm Zippered Boots, 11 and 13...the 11's I wear with my wetsuit then I wear a regular small sox...but at the ocean where sand comes in I'll wear a neoprene or Lavacore sox.., the 13's I wear with my neoprene soxed drysuit. I hunt alot and these last about 4 years seems. Hard sole and the zipper is the biggest I've ever seen on a boot.
https://www.globosurfer.com/best-dive-boots/ ranked #6..

I got the #1 boot, Mares Trilastic 5mm. They just died on me this last outing and its been a year. I walk a LOT on the beaches hunting with them. They have some kind of memory foam stuff on the sole that gathered up near my toes and was a serious problem. The heel area wore through to the plastic below. The heels separated on both - one at the lower junction, the other at the top neoprene junction.
I suppose my use goes beyond something that a warranty would cover even though the warranty is two years. I basically abused these, expecting them to hold up like OBN said, using one foot to hold down the sole of the other to get them off and then pulling the top to get them on. The zipper was unusable as sand would freeze it in place. Never heard of zipper wax. Would it help? I don't stand in the water like Florida guys; I walk all over the wet and dry, always moving. Just wondering if there is something better to get. I used 2.5mm socks that were a nice addition to the boots. Had the thin socks but they tore quickly.

 

[bklein]

It wasn’t memoryfoam at the toes - it was sand. Got in because of the holes at the heel area. Im going to try a couple sole inserts and sew up the neoprene tears.

 

[tvr]

About the zipper wax: I find it useful to keep the zippers working. On a trip when we flew and I packed light, without the zipper wax, the zippers started to bind. I went to a dollar store and got a medium sized candle and used that to rub in the zippers. It helped too.

 

[bklein]

But if you are in dry and wet sand doesn’t it get stuck in the wax?

 

[tvr]

That was my concern before I tried it. It actually works well and doesn't accumulate sand anymore than it did without the wax. Local scuba shop recommended the zipper wax.

 

[dewcon4414]

You will also find the heavier the MM body is the less they smell. Light soft bottom boots tend to REAK ...... i mean reak badly.

 

[OldBeechnut]

You will also find the heavier the MM body is the less they smell. Light soft bottom boots tend to REAK ...... i mean reak badly.

That's very true, I never noticed but mine never smell. I think they are 7 or 8mm. But I do remember the brand I had years ago did...interesting.