Surfing Waves

Sorry to post another query seeking your thoughts but wondering whether I should splash out some booties.

The water is getting around 14 degrees here and i'm still in a 3/2 wetsuit as I don't have a winter one. I'm generally doing ok for heat although the biggest thing that suffers are my feet and recently to the point of going completely numb before I reluctantly retreat to shore.

Last weekend I saw quite a few people wearing booties and thought maybe it was getting time to invest in some although have been putting it off due to some of my friends giving pretty mixed reviews.

I've found some nice Oneil 'heat' ninja 3mm ones that are on sale.

How awkward are they to wear and does it stuff up your surfing? Do you still 'feel' everything on the board? Any other downsides I should consider?

cheers!

I much prefer surfing in my bare feet however I personally don't mind boots too much. If they are going to give you more time in the water then they are definitely worth while. When buying them make sure that you get the right size, they should feel quite tight on your feet, otherwise if they are too large they can fill with water and it's a nightmare, I bought 1/2-1 size smaller than my shoes! Also I find that sometimes my feet can cramp up in them a bit as well but if the water is freezing but again it's no problem, better to be surfing than not! You will get used to them and eventually when you take them off in warmer weather your feet will feel super responsive. You do get less sensation and feeling of the board beneath your feet however a lot of boots out there also give you a lot of grip on your board as well, I sometimes wax the bottom of mine which I'm not sure if everyone does but you feel super sticky.

I almost never surf in booties, but they do make it feel a bit strange if you are used to riding bare foot. Also, they can get sand inside which is a pain to get out in the water. Of course, they are a lot warmer, and offer some protection from rocks and urchins, so it's a bit of a trade off. Personally I only would wear them on a reef, and in winter, and at low tide.