I could not post into my old topic on the same subject, so starting a new one
www.seabreeze.com.au/forums/Stand-Up-Paddle/SUP/Booties-that-last--Or-restore-grippy-surface-somehow-
I've found that waxing the deck pad helps a lot with all booties. In general, I've also found that Solites lasted the longest from a grip point of view, but were the least comfortable in comparison to Patagonia and Vans booties. I think this could be a personal thing, but the split toe design of the Solites simply does not gel with me. Vans were the most comfortable and have great board feel, but offered least protection from rocky terrain. Solites really shine in this regard, yet somehow still have good board feel. Patagonia booties are somewhere in between the Solites and Vans when it comes to protection. Board feel is ok, but not as good as the other two brands.
A few weeks ago I noticed that one of the online stores I buy stuff from had Wetties in stock. I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical when Colas mentioned these in the previous thread. I've been using a pair of Wetties Warrior since April and I love them. I did not think they would work with a slick surface, but waxing them before first use and waxing the grip gives me amazing grip and board feel. It's like really good grip and feel and superior to any other booties I've tried so far.
They are very warm and comfortable and easy to put on and take off. The best thing is that as you take them off it's very easy to flip them inside out, so you can leave them to dry like that and improve the putting on experience the next morning.
Time will tell how these will last, but at least I don't have to worry about the grippy surface going slick. The water has now reached a tropical 13/14 C, so I've been surfing barefoot since a week ago
Agreed on the split toe in the Solites being terrible. I flipped mine inside-out and cut out the toe dividers with a utility knife. It just seems like they're in the wrong spot. They were pressing on my big toe and it would go numb and I could barely walk off the beach after a session. I haven't tried them since cutting the toe divider out but will try to remember to report back. Flipping them inside out required a lot of finger muscle and swearing.
My experience with Solites and the toe divider is the same.
The newer versions have a much smaller divider and it seems to be more comfortable but still not ideal. I don't have that many sessions on them yet but I may need to do the trim job like other folks.
Select to expand quoteGrantmac said..
My experience with Solites and the toe divider is the same.
The newer versions have a much smaller divider and it seems to be more comfortable but still not ideal. I don't have that many sessions on them yet but I may need to do the trim job like other folks.
Yes, I thought the ones I bought for this season were a bit more comfortable than my previous model, so a bit less pain and longer sessions, but not quite perfect.
Select to expand quotenShoreSlider said..
They were pressing on my big toe and it would go numb and I could barely walk off the beach after a session.
A feeling I know all too well and it's an incredible relief to finally take them off. For me the pain is in both toes on either side of the divider.
