I recently purchased a pair of Kokatat drybibs to mate up to my drytop. I’ve used them a couple times and they seem to work well. They have a pair of 2-3mm neo socks/booties welded into the feet, which, besides being fairly vulnerable to abrasion from stones, etc., also offer no traction on snow, ice, and wet surfaces.
What do people wear over these neo socks? I don’t want heavy Sorels like the fly-fishermen wear, in case I have to swim. My NRS neo booties would be perfect, but of course won’t fit over these bulky ‘socks’. Should I buy a pair of oversized neo booties, or cheap Wal-Mart aqua-socks?
Booties, 1 size larger than normal
is what I wear with my dry pants. My Kokatat bibs have feet that are made of the same material as the pants (not neoprene, as you describe), which is a bit more flexible and easier to slip into the booties.
Chotas one size larger than you wear
They have a harder sole and will last a long time.
Inexpensive Neo Booties
sized one up should do fine. These are actually better if you end up swimming than Chotas. I bought chotas before my drysuit had booties installed. Once installed, the booties render the Chota pretty inconsequential in keeping the feet dry. Instead, it’s just clunky and even though relatively fitting, still fills with enough water in a swim to make it a hassle.
As mentioned during a “winter thread”, all I use my Chotas for is to go out and shovel snow early in the morning. Great for that!
sing
Thanks …
… for the replies. Will try and find something at Canoecopia this weekend.
Otherwise I’ll look at St. Vinnie’s for an oversized pair of red Chuck Taylor hightops …
Check these foot-gloves
OK, these won’t work for the application stated, but you’ve got to take a look. You could leave your shoes on to climb palm trees and collect cocoanuts…
http://www.rutabaga.com/product.asp?pid=1019384
Sing, I don’t wear them for dryness , I
wear them to protect my booties from anyting sharp that might cut them and comfort when walking on rocks and other junk. For that they are much better than neo booties which I have used but don’t like.
Okay…
Haven’t had a problem with the anything cutting through the neo booties into my drysuit either for the several years before this year. (I have been using only wetsuits this whole year.) Chotas definitely provide more cushioning (though I don’t think it really matters as protection for the drysuit booties) but the trade-off is what I talked about with an inadvertant swim. Swimming is usually in the surf zone for me and often alone, so filled up Chotas are much more of a negative for me.
sing
sing
What Chotas are you talking about?
Mukluks? I use either minimalist Chota neoprene socks, the ones with the printed-on traction sole, or I use Chota neoprene zip-ups, the ones with the felt traction inserts. Maybe because I have size 14 feet and CAN’T get “one size larger,” I don’t get much water in either kind of Chota when wading or swimming.
Yup, Mukluks…
– Last Updated: Mar-09-07 5:59 AM EST –
those are the ones with sturdier white outsoles.
The Chota neo bootiies are built with outsoles that are not much sturdier than the cheaper, no-name brands. If someone wants stiffer outsole booties, probably should go with NRS "Attack Shoes."
sing
Actually the soles of the Chota neo
booties are not stiffened or reinforced at all. They have a printed-on sticky rubber pattern for traction. I wear them (or NRS neo socks) in my decked c-1s because my feet are so big, I can’t have any sole that might catch and inhibit wet exit.
I notice that Chota no longer offers High Top Zip Booties with felt inserts. The soles on mine are quite effective for cushioning underfoot rocks, though I believe a desert thorn got through once.
Chota mukluks & swims
My experience has been that my Chota lites seal pretty well against my hairy calfs, almost as well against thin synthetic undies. Every time I have immersed them the air is forced out, sometimes creating an uncomfortable pressure on everything south of my knees. I really do not believe that they will “flood” if cinched down.
Jim