Booties??

[Ellie]

Hi guys and girls,

Been surfing today in booties for the first time (even been hardcore barefoot in winter until now!) and found that the grip on the board was soooo much better!!

Do you lot wear them all year round, or just winter to keep your tootsies warm?

Before you say anything, yes the board has loads of wax on it!

Ellie
x

[Laguna]

Hey, ye booties are useful and give you better grip on the board. Also wearing boots gives you a bigger surface area so you can pull off manouvers easier.
They also protect your feet from the fins which can cut your feet. I know a few of people who have sliced their feet from fins.

I only wear boots in winter though. I prefer being lighter at all other times. Having gloves, boots and a 5mm wetsuit can really weigh you down. Its nice to just be in a 3mm in summer or boardies if possible

[surferdude_scarborough]

i hate booties cant feel the board as well so u miss small undulations in the wave. i have to put up with it though because i surf on the east coast so we need them 70% of the year

[SDCali]

I did that once, in Hawaii, but those were more to protect feet from rocks and coral on beach and ocean. I will probably never do that again as my feet got really hot. I hardly ever wear real shoes anyway, I wear sandals even when it rains as I do not like having soggy feet.

[Ellie]

Boardies in Wales?! I'm impressed!

[Laguna]

Boardies in Wales?! I'm impressed!

Thats why I said if possible
Usually when its a hot summer day and you can swim in boardies there are no waves. You gotta be lucky to be able to get both!

[GowerCharger]

i take mine off as soon as possible - ie when its warm enough and im not surfing somewhere which involves walking across rocks to get to. Went out last surf for the first time without them and it was great, feels much more connected to the board in bare feet.
hoping to head to france some time this summer to get some boardies only surfing, i surf much better than in a wetsuit, the lack of weight and improved flexibility makes a massive difference

[Broosta]

Yep boots off asap for me. I find I get better grip barefoot and my wax lasts longer, I think I must keep picking up oil on my boots or something .

[bluesnowcone]

well im now surfing in a summer suit, but i have found that my board was a bit slippery, so iv just re-waxed it and now its fine.

[iomarti]

I 'surfed' (did a lot of paddling practice - nada waves) in board shorts and rash vest today!

COLD!