Had an awesome 13k paddle yesterday but with winter set in and cold SW and SE winds my poor old toes are felling the cold.
Yes I know it is not like our southern friends but it is cold just the same.
I am after some advice on a light weight bootie or similar to keep the cold off and also that would be practical around rocks and the like.
Obviously I don't eed something like our Taswegian friends would wear as I am on the Sunshine Coast.
Any info is greatly appreciated.
Cheers
ET.
Truly ET, I do feel for you up in Noosa feeling the cold...
I have found the 3mm Oneil "ninja" boot to be really good, for flat water and surfing as your feet dont slip around inside the boot...
Poor widdle ET's tosey-woseys are cold up there in sub 25deg water? Diddums....
Language warning ahead...
Actually - FCKU the language - if it offends you, you need to HTFU! 
Jeez I'll bet you're glad you started this thread ET!
Port Phillip's 13.1c at the moment for tomorrow's downwinder.
Will need to break out the 4/3 steamer, and the booties of course.
It'll hit 11c by the end of July, and actually won't get back to above 15c till late October...
Positively balmy at 20c by xmas...
I thank you all for your contributions and responses to my query.
Especially you Sir Ockanui as you seem to be the only one take me seriously, which I was.
You other lot, pfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffftttttttttttttttttttttttttttt to you for taking the piss.
Though I have had a good laugh at my own expense. I do love pink socks by the way DJ.
More contributions of both a serious and a not so serious nature are welcome.
Thanks
ET.
Ripcurl F-bomb 3mm split-toe.
Funnily enough, I haven't worn booties yet this year although with the latest drop in temp, I might have to break them out...
...only for added grip to increase performance - of course.
I'm guessing your water is the same as here, 16c.
Still warm for NZ, but I'm using the FCS reef booties. 12km on Sunday and not too bad at all.
If you need warmer, go the RipCurl F Bomb.
Dries real quick and internal split toe.
www.ripcurl.com/nz/shop
Try these.
www.ronstan.com.au/marine5/error.asp?admin=&fail=yes
Simple, cheap & easy to get.
And from a Victorian resident, HTFU!
et a few of us have tried booties at training but our feet seem to get just as cold if not number. our feet feel like blocks of wood after training. i 'm thinking because they're aren't constantly in the water the rubber gets cold in the cold air once they actually do get wet.
i believe the concrete pill is still the best option
Thanks heaps Lacey. I guess I have to take the advice offered and HTFU.
My toes will still be cold though.
ET.
I have one pair of O'Neil ninja ones, and a pair of Rip Curl F Bombs or whatever.
The Rip Curls have a porous outer, I think to aid drying, but seems to evap cool the feet. Would be OK if in the water all the time, but getting wet and then air drying, feet end up numb anyway.
The O'Neils are shiny, and much warmer, but for some reason send my feet numb circulation wise. They are not too tight, but something in the way I stand on them cuts circulation to the feet, and feet end up numb.
A couple of Fridays ago, I was wearing the O'Neils, and took one off as an experiment. The booty less foot felt much better, so took them both off. Got distracted chasing dolphins, and about half an hour later realised my feet were numb from the cold, so put them back on.
This has probably been zero help - feet numb no matter what. Overall, the Oneils and remember to wriggle feet around to keep blood moving seems the best. Also varies with wind / wave direction - do 3km upwind / in to waves with numb feet, turn around to come back and feet fine.
If your feet aren't actually going numb, I would try and do without.
But remember the bootie airers afterwards
ET,
I would however add a word of caution to Nozza's hygeinic foot warmer post.
This is a man renowned for packing up his wet sailing gear at the end of the sailing season, once the "Nozza's rule of 15c" kicks in, zipping up the bag and leaving it stew over winter until the "Nozza's rule of 15c" kicks in again after winter, then producing said bag of nicely stewed wetsuit, booties, trap harness etc etc and donning it like a newly bought suit from David Jones.
Best one was after a weekend regatta in Cairns (from Melbourne) in June, a week or so for the said gear in the tropical sun, couple of weeks in the trailer on the way home, then a nice aging process for the rest of winter in Melbourne.
Mind you the lad has matured better than his old booties - the new bootie airers are a novel but effective idea - $3.99 at Bunnings for a pack of 4 paint rollers is pretty good value!
If all else fails ET, can I suggest 6 pots (midi's) and 2 hot dogs before you go out. You'll be guaranteed to piss in your wetsuit and booties after 2 waves!
The Ronstans are what I have. Forget the surf brands. These are the best. Like having your feet in a warm bath, and most importantly, very grippy. Better grip than bare feet. You don't even know you have them on, which is what you want.
We'll all you doubters and piss takers, I got my new O&E split toe booties today. Oh my , my toes are no longer cold they are nice and warm and toastie.
though I must say it took nearly two weeks to get them in from my local surf shop.
Yes I know I live in Noosa but the water temp has dropped to 19 degrees and combined with a south westerly my toes have been freezing. I will add that this is the first year I have felt the cold in my toes. That may have something to do with the fact that I turned 60 last week.
Well I am ready to cop your critique, but at lest my toes are warm.
ET.
Hey ET,
Get some new tights like some others are getting out there, and you won't have to worry about your toes freezing in 21 degree water any more!
Paddled with Deano today, shorts and no botties and 10 degree water and the same air temp with rain to top it off, all good, just don't fall in! :-)
See what I said about you Piss Takers, come on give a bloke a chance.
And anyway the water is 19 degrees not 20.
ET.
Yeh only joking ET! Just put a pair of reef booties on and you should be all good!
Select to expand quoteE T said..
See what I said about you Piss Takers, come on give a bloke a chance.
And anyway the water is 19 degrees not 20.
ET.
19 degrees is summer water down here. I often wondered where on earth the blokes with booties in summer were from. 
I remember the heat wave during the summer of 86... the water temp here nearly got up to 19!
