Surfing Waves

I'm at a surf spot in Perú where there are rocks and its sunny. In the last three days surfing I got injuries on my feet from the rocks (plus the old ones not fully healed from Ecuador), and also sunburn (not to mention bad burns still recovering from EC).

Later today when I head out, I'm thinking to wear my New Balance running shoes.

I reckon I should be ok but just wanted to tap into the forums wisdom. Any downside?

Aesthetics?

Obviously if you had time and shops you could get proper booties but sounds like that isn't feasible. Surfing with them on might be a pain (make sure you pop up an inch higher), but tying them around your waist or something is probably even more annoying

The biggest issue will probably be your feet twisting in the shoe and not transmitting force through to the board.

Hi zorba11, welcome to Surfing Waves!

Running shoes are not a great idea, they will protect your feed but they are not nearly flexible enough. You need some reef booties.

Before reef booties for sea urchin and oyster and and wax wasn't readily available we wore Sandshoes . A place near Cronulla beach is called sandshoes for that very reason. No wetsuits either, football jumpers.
We was tuff!

Thanks everybody. I use surfing booties all the time back in Ireland but I didnt expect to be surfing this trip so I didnt take any.

I'm trying to save money to make the dream last so I dont want to spend if I can improvise. I tried on a cheap ($20) brand in the surf shop here but they felt so loose at the ankle that I would surely lose them in the churn. There is a pair by O'Neill but at $50 I didnt even try them on (as I could live for maybe five more days here on that sorta dough lol).

What are sandshoes btw, sandals?

ok got it

https://www.google.com.pe/search?q=sand ... UQ_AUIBigB

Back from my session and for this spot, on balance, I'm glad I wore the trainers.

The downside was that I didn't feel quite "as one" with the board, however I was able to get up ok without slipping or skating across the board. The upside came when I was entering and leaving the water... feet banging into rocks but I was protected this time. The big payoff was when I got dumped inside on the rocky reef in knee to waist height. I was able to get my board back under control much faster, and could basically walk out sideways into the channel if a set was coming in. Yesterday I was rapped in their longer gingerly picking my way through the submerged rocks, agony for soles and toes.

So on the whole, a successful experiment. I did get a few looks though lol.

Who cares what you look like!

Although in the cost/benefit analysis, I imagine that your shoes will probably wear out a lot quicker - buying booties might still be cheaper than replacing the shoes.

zorba11 wrote: I did get a few looks though lol.

Your question was almost the opposite of another post about rash guards. If you want to wear a Surfing rash guard to school or shopping, way far from the ocean, that's up to you. If you want to wear "Running" shoes while you're Surfing, that's up to you too. But you're going to get funny looks.
I used to wear my old cycling jersey when I first started surfing. But at least it was basically the same material ..... Lycra.

Took a (great) class today and the instructor advised me to ditch the runners, which I did because I figured with him guiding me I *wouldn't* end up in the rocks. But I did. Not every time but 20-30%. Now I have more cuts to add to the collection.

Need footwear for next time. As well as working on getting down the line, knowing where I am wrt. the rocks, and exiting the wave ("kicking off" the wave, right?).

I tried on a pair of slip on deck shoes/plimsolls at $10. They are lower profile than my New Balance runners, so I would be closer to the board, and less slippy on the "rails" (do plimsolls have rails lol??? this surfing lark is getting to me... )

Buy the reef booties and be done with it.

Big H wrote:Buy the reef booties and be done with it.

done. I found another $20 pair that were less flimsy

zorba11 wrote:I'm at a surf spot in Perú where there are rocks and its sunny. In the last three days surfing I got injuries on my feet from the rocks (plus the old ones not fully healed from Ecuador), and also sunburn (not to mention bad burns still recovering from EC).

Later today when I head out, I'm thinking to wear my New Balance running shoes.

I reckon I should be ok but just wanted to tap into the forums wisdom. Any downside?

Hey, if the shoe fits, then wear it! Seriously, do what you want. Surfing isn't like road bicycling where you must wear a spandex Easter egg outfit. Surfing allows freedom expression. Try it. If you don't like it, then try surf booties. One bit off advice: do not use diving booties. They have too much soul that is usually sloped and zippers that allow water to enter.

I debuted the newvreef booties today and they worked a dream. Protected my feet from the rocks on the reef and got me feeling the board better and closer to it than my running shoes.

zorba11 wrote:I debuted the newvreef booties today and they worked a dream. Protected my feet from the rocks on the reef and got me feeling the board better and closer to it than my running shoes.

I think wearing a pair of Vans might actually look cooler.

RinkyDink wrote:I think wearing a pair of Vans might actually look cooler.

With these Oneill Freak Sneaks, you'll look Ballin on the court, in the ocean and around school if you pair it up with a Hurley rash guard.

waikikikichan wrote:

RinkyDink wrote:I think wearing a pair of Vans might actually look cooler.

With these Oneill Freak Sneaks, you'll look Ballin on the court, in the ocean and around school if you pair it up with a Hurley rash guard.

ONeill_FreaksneakBoot.png

Double super rad, brah!!

RinkyDink wrote:

zorba11 wrote:I debuted the newvreef booties today and they worked a dream. Protected my feet from the rocks on the reef and got me feeling the board better and closer to it than my running shoes.

I think wearing a pair of Vans might actually look cooler.

I have two pair of that model......can't see them holding up for more than a few surfs before the fabric started to tear.

Besides that, unless you rip and can take the waves you want, you don't want to be the guy in a crowded competitive lineup with shoes on.....might as well put a target on your back and paint "drop in on me" on your board.

waikikikichan wrote:

RinkyDink wrote:I think wearing a pair of Vans might actually look cooler.

With these Oneill Freak Sneaks, you'll look Ballin on the court, in the ocean and around school if you pair it up with a Hurley rash guard.

ONeill_FreaksneakBoot.png

And drive around with a surfboard bolted onto the car... I'd cry for the surfboard if I ever saw one