The socks attached to various drysuits don’t look very form fitting when compared to actual socks.
Since shoes/boots are worn over the socks, what do you do with the excess material? Wrap it around your ankle? Is it bulky?
Just curious after looking at different gear during these cold winter days.
Thanks.
Scrunch to equilibrium
Hi R.,
They’re oversized to accommodate add. insulative sockage and a range of shoe sizes. A size larger watershoe is recommended to allow for excess material to have someplace to go without getting to the point of having clown shoes. This also allows the insulative socks worn next to skin to have loft and not be compressed, losing insulation effectiveness and potentially restricting blood flow resulting in colder feet and less comfort.
Usually 6 steps in watershoes is all it takes me to have all parties find their place before getting into a kayak.
For your research on the drysuit front, I have an off the cuff video review the new Kokatat Radius and Surge suits on fb.me/theriverconnection
See you on the water,
Marshall
The River Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
www.the-river-connection.com
fb.me/theriverconnection.com
those big shoes
My dry suit has such socks. Then I put somewhat large water shoes over them before getting in the kayak, so I can negotiate barnacle/rock infested shores. This can suddenly make your foot profile too large to fit the space available for feet in the kayak. So I cannot use a water shoe with a big beefy sole, but found a shoe that will work.
How many sizes up,
I wonder.
Too large, your foot will slide forward. Too small and the excess material will create pressure points?
Wouldn’t neo boots be warmer than, say, Astral water shoes?
Have seen your videos and like that Surge suit. Just trying to figure out what will work better on Lake Huron come June: my wetsuit and neo jacket or a paddling suit.
personally speaking
The booties I have on my drysuit are far from form-fitting. I just pull them up before putting my neo socks on, which snugs everything up. It’s not “form-fitting cotton sock in dry sneaker” comfort, but it’s good enough. There’s no shoe to create pressure points.
Nrs wetshoes
The new NRS wetshoes seem to have enough flexibility to be used barefoot or with a drysuit, at least for me. I’m a 12.5 and got the 13 freestyle, and it works for me both barefoot and with a thick wool sock under my drysuit. If I was paddling more in cold areas where I needed beefier soles, I would get a dedicated pair probably, about a full size up so I could really layer my feet. Depends on the put ins and how much you’re willing to tip toe around and over things.
El Cheapo
I use the cheap water shoes from Dicks (like $15). I have just been using the same watershow as summer, and I can fit the drysuit socks + 2 layers of medium weight wool socks in my normals shoes and only be slightly tight.
If you’re worried, I’d go with 1 size larger than your summer water shoes. The additional size isnt much.
Sockage non-issue
As mentioned in the replies, either pull up the sock a bit or just do the twist working the sockage to out of the way. It’s quick enough.
As to shoes, I prefer the sneaker style of the Astral Brewer or Rassler as the dry/insulation component is already addressed by layers under the drysuit and my feet are already dry. Tall boots with a drysuit pant leg I’ve always found to be a pain.
Personal preference is a dry/paddling suit. No compunctions about stomping around in the water as deep as you can stand in a dry/paddling suit. Neoprene, grin and bear it while the first dose of water infiltration seeps in for you to warm up. Smile! Gotta look encouraging and brave for the land lubbers with cameras. 
See you on the water,
Marshall
The River Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
www.the-river-connection.com
fb.me/theriverconnection
Drysuit fabric socks are bunchy
I wish mine were smaller. If I pull them back when donning the shoe, the toes are jammed against the sock front. So I put the shoe on first and then try to take up only a little of the slack without causing bunchiness elsewhere. It is impossible to get a really comfy fit, but it can be made tolerable.
The NRS shoes I use come only in whole sizes, so I get one that is a little big for me in bare feet. Going up another size would probably be too Bozo-footed to walk safely.
I gues the best solution is to find another shoe model that allows better size matching, and use one pair for bare feet and a full size up for use with drysuit socks.
Pika - sock swap?
Pikabike, Kokatat suit? If so it’d only be $69 plus shipping for them to put on a size small gtx sock if your currwnt is a larger size.
Just a thought.
See you on the water,
Marshall
The River Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
www.the-river-connection.com
fb.me/theriverconnection
That’s what I wondered about:
if the excess material will squinch up so you feel like you have a twig or something in your boot or shoe, or whatever’s on your feet.
Squinch yes, twig no
Suits are usually sized with a sock for that predicted foot range of wearer so unless the person is an outlier (XL suit, size 6 shoe) the amount of excess fabric usually is not in excess.
See you on the water,
Marshall
The River Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
www.the-river-connection.com
fb.me/theriverconnection
some ankle high hose
helps the feet slip into the booty. Unfortunately, the higher ankled and beefier booties are more of a pain to get on and off. which is what I like in real cold weather so the panty hose helps.
It is already a Small
Strange definition of small, even considering a base layer sock goes inside it!
Womens feet often smaller
– Last Updated: Feb-15-16 6:14 PM EST –
There will be some squinching of the dry suit socks if you have smaller feet. Mine are. But it doesn't bother my feet over warm socks.
You may find that your dry suit booties need annual touchups (seams sealed) more than the rest of the suit from the crunching up. Mine do. But in general I recommend sending the suit back to Kokatat each year.
I usually fold any excess over my toes. Just leave some looseness so it doesn't completely tighten up over your toes when you put the shoes on.
Would be great if there
were opportunities up here to try on a drysuit, just to get a sense of the feel - especially one with the attached socks. Paddling shops I’ve visited have wetsuits, but I don’t recall any drysuits. Maybe I’ll have to expand my horizons to satisfy my curiosity.
I wear a neo boot with a firm sole; it rises a couple inches above my ankle. Sized large enough to accommodate a thick Smartwool sock, but not so large I trip over my feet.
I guess I could play let’s pretend, jury rig something similar to a wetsuit sock, and see how it feels scrunched up in my current boots.
Sizing boots and booties
– Last Updated: Feb-16-16 10:28 AM EST –
You are in the northern climes (just checked your profile), so figure if it is cold enough for the dry suit you will always have at least a decent weight wool sock in there.
Bottom line, the boots are a lot cheaper and less precious than the suit. I just sized my paddling boots up half a size to make the fit better for the dry suit. My usual boots are also the basic zip up the side ankle high version of Kickers.
I use them year round for paddling except when it is time for the mukluks, put a lightweight wool sock in them in summer and it is fine. My feet are always wet anyway so it isn't hot and it is easier than keeping track of two sets of shoes.
I wear a unisex small Kokatat suit, as long as I keep my middle and butt in check. Take a good look at the sizing charts, you can't assume the female sizes will work for you. In the case of Kokatat, some of my measurements put me into women's medium (shoulders and arm length) which was way too voluminous for my lower proportions and too long for my legs. But I came in dead on for the unisex small except for being a smidge close on the posterior dimensions. So I get the best fitting suit if I just avoid gaining weight that is no good for me anyway.
!?
Koko’s bootie size would relate to the suit size as a statistical/ergonomic fitting that is Koko isn’t guessing on this.
Measure your footie using standard technique n email Koko ifn your footie fits the Koko size.
You may be obsessing.
http://kokatat.com/general-care-instructions/
use Nikwax Direct on booties after HANDWASHING suit.
I cannah believe Koko recommends machine washing. incroyable.
definitely expedition weight soft wool socks. We use sandals. Its hot down in there or cold never ambient.
Yesterday, my semidry’s wrist gaskets were found sealed together … duh…a 2006 suit.
Sock it
– Last Updated: Feb-16-16 11:00 AM EST –
Rookie,
As your a known character here at The River Connection, I'll offer a solution. I'll send you a pair of Kokatat Launch Socks - Small to experiment with on land. Just fold them back in the bag they come with afterwards and send them back.
http://kokatat.com/hydrus-3l-launch-socks.html
Socks sans suit.
Let me know. It'll be easier than sending you one of the Surge or Radius drysuits.
See you on the water,
Marshall
The River Connection, Inc.
Hyde Park, NY
www.the-river-connection.com
fb.me/theriverconnection