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Booties and gloves thread

jkb

jkb

Tom Curren status
Feb 22, 2005
10,114
9,185
113
Central California
frontsidegrab said:
It's honestly not that different than 3 mils, which I always wear down in Baja this time of year. The big adjustment is going from no booties. It's much easier once you've adjusted to thin ones to just go thicker.
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I learned this lesson my first season living on the central coast. I was wearing 3mm booties thinking that's what everyone else wore and my feet were freezing. I was telling a local guy about it and he told me I was doing it wrong. He said that everyone up here wears 5mm booties or thicker. Bought a pair of Oneil Mutant 6/5/4 booties and never looked back. So much better. I'm actually still wearing the same pair of booties I bought back in 2014 (didn't wear them in Southern California) and they're still treating me well. I'm sure I'll replace them at the end of this season.
 
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rgruber

Miki Dora status
May 30, 2004
3,625
1,347
113
7mil boots are not really an issue for me.

It's the gloves and the hood and the 5/4. I could do 4/3 and boots all year if I had to but I put off the 5 mil and gloves as long as I can.

If the boots fit well, not an issue, actually more grippy. If they are a little too big and fill with water, I start blowing my takeoffs.
 
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daave

daave

Gerry Lopez status
Dec 28, 2002
1,162
526
113
As other said, bootie thickness is negligible (in surfing :)). Glove/suit thickness is much more noticeable.
 
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bigglesworth

Legend (inyourownmind)
Mar 8, 2017
491
543
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Aruka said:
Yeah I actually trip out at first when I go somewhere warm enough to go bootie-less. Up here a person could get away with 5mm but they won't keep you warm as long, especially once they start to wear in and leak a little. Nothing hinders my surfing worse than numb feet so I er on the thicker side.
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Yeah, 5mm<1.5hrs up here, i’ve noticed. Longer sessions necessitate 7mm.

Still a lot warmer than back east though
 
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bigglesworth

Legend (inyourownmind)
Mar 8, 2017
491
543
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Any black friday deals coming up on gloves or booties let us know

Black Friday surf gear salez?

If anybody knows of any fantastic deals coming up, or stumbles across discounts on any of that sweet petrochemical-based gear which keeps us going (either online or in a shop), post here. Because not paying full retail feels pretty damn good. I’ll kick it off with an e-mail promotion i...
forum.surfer.com forum.surfer.com
 
daave

daave

Gerry Lopez status
Dec 28, 2002
1,162
526
113
Imperial Motion 3mm gloves - worst I’ve used in over 20 yrs. Win some lose some.
 
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JeffRSpicoli

JeffRSpicoli

Nep status
Aug 9, 2019
607
731
93
Agree, that the crowds in the early 90's were non-existent in Jan-Mar, but still a February day with wind and 16 degree air and 36 degree water, some company in that winter despair is not all that bad. And still maybe 20 guys in the water who show respect to one another. Hardest part is finding a place to park amongst the snow banks.
 
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bigglesworth

Legend (inyourownmind)
Mar 8, 2017
491
543
93
Aruka said:
For gloves I like the Xcel Infiniti 3mm. I go size M even though in work gloves I wear a L. They fit snug like almost uncomfortable at first but after a session or two they are perfect. Baggy gloves and booties are the worst. I don't recommend the Drylock gloves they have funky seams that always fail where the palm meets the wrist.
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Aruka, is 3mm the thickest glove you need for the PNW? Asks this recent transplant
 
Aruka

Aruka

Tom Curren status
Feb 23, 2010
12,150
23,058
113
PNW
bigglesworth said:
Aruka, is 3mm the thickest glove you need for the PNW? Asks this recent transplant
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Generally it's plenty. I have a pair of 5mm mitts I sometimes (rarely) wear during the summer when upwelling causes water temps to drop into the mid and sometimes low 40's. It's more of a local phenomenon due to our bathymetry and wind patterns so you're probably good with the 3's. If you do get some thicker rubber though I recommend mitts, they're toasty as fook.
 
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ZeeHawk

ZeeHawk

OTF status
Apr 13, 2018
270
200
43
Big Asian Island
I've been through a few Billabong boots and Rip Curls recently and while the flexy neoprene was rad at first, they filled with water, got floppy, and got hard to ride. I fit them right, the neoprene was just too stretchy and the heel cup never really stopped your feet from sliding backwards. Got some Xcel Drylock 7mms and hands down the best boots I've ever used. Went down a size and was tight on the first session but it pretty much perfect now. No water seeps in and they don't flop around at all. BTW the velcro strap doesn't pinch either. That was a first

Got some new O'neill Psycho tech 5mm gloves for the colder months and they were tight at first but so good now. Super warm and flexy enough. I have a 3mm pair from last year and they were good for about 7ish months and then started tearing apart and leaking. I think they all pretty much last a season though
 
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surfapotomus

OTF status
Jan 21, 2014
176
78
28
on a leash
ZeeHawk said:
I've been through a few Billabong boots and Rip Curls recently and while the flexy neoprene was rad at first, they filled with water, got floppy, and got hard to ride. I fit them right, the neoprene was just too stretchy and the heel cup never really stopped your feet from sliding backwards. Got some Xcel Drylock 7mms and hands down the best boots I've ever used. Went down a size and was tight on the first session but it pretty much perfect now. No water seeps in and they don't flop around at all. BTW the velcro strap doesn't pinch either. That was a first
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That's what concerns me about the Furnace comp boots. So light and stretchy, but too good to be true? I picked up a pair for $20 yesterday so at least it wont cost me much to find out for myself. By the way, for anyone that's interested, the suggested sizing for those boots are, well...just a suggestion. At 9.5 shoe Billabong suggests I wear a Large. I ended up with a Small after trying them on.
 
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Chee-to

Michael Peterson status
Jan 11, 2002
2,428
975
113
I'm a huge fan of the Solites, with the heat booster socks. The 3mm plus socks were more than enough for me in NorCal, and I generally surfed extended sessions. 3-4 hours was hardly uncommon for me, especially in the lully reefbreaks in northern Sonoma and southern Mendo where the water was usually the coldest on the entire stretch of coast - generally in the 48-52 range. They are much warmer with the socks, which also provide for a nicer fit without sacrificing boardfeel. The second generation boots have much better Velcro. I had the same problems with the first generation model.
 
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ZeeHawk

ZeeHawk

OTF status
Apr 13, 2018
270
200
43
Big Asian Island
Havoc said:
split toe Or not booties. I have a billabong split toe and it keeps dragging on take off tweaking my middle toe
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Always been a round toe fan. I've had a few split toe boots when I couldn't find what I wanted and they always felt like when you get meat stuck between your teeth. Not a deal breaker but annoying
 
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