Drysuit - feet or no feet?

[OSSKI]

I'm planning on ordering my first drysuit for the start of the coming season. Having no experience of them, I'm wondering whether to go for one with rubber feet built into the suit, or the type which just seals around the ankle?

 

I'm attracted to the idea of integral feet - mainly thinking a bit of extra warmth and no possibility of water seeping through an ankle seal. Does anyone have experience skiing with one of these? My only concern is around whether the rubber bunches up and is uncomfortable when put in a ski boot, and also whether I'd wreck the drysuit rubber boot/sock ramming it into my toe loop!

 

I ski with a strada front binding and toe loop rear if that makes any difference...any advice would be massively appreciated!

[igkya]

No feet, especially with the closed toe Strada binding, Your front foot will not be cold. If needed, buy a pair of neoprene socks/booties for just the rear foot, better yet, buy another Strada binding for your rear foot.

[GAJ0004]

No feet.. I have one made by Eagle Sports. I went skiing on Christmas day in Pennsylvania. The air temp was 52 degrees F, and the water temp was 46 degrees F. I find the ski bindings keep my feet warm enough for the time out on the water. If you burp all the air out of the suit the seals will not move. Just make sure all the seals on your wrists and ankles are flat against your skin before you burp the suit. The only difference is the neck seal. Depending on your preference, tuck the top centimeter inside, or leave it flat. To burp the suit, get in the water after you put it on, put point one arm straight down, and hold the neck seal open as you get as deep in the water as you can without letting water into the suit, switch hands do the same on the other side. The vacuum seal should keep the water out. I wear a t-shirt, sweat shirt, and sweat pants under the suit preferably as skin tight as possible. As long as the seals are kept in good condition you won't have a problem. For slalom I wear my vest over the suit. Don't put your vest on until after you burp the suit.

[MISkier]

No feet. I wear sweatpants and sweatshirt under my suit. I also wear a very thin flotation vest (O'Neill Gooru from several years ago) inside the suit. Let the air out of the suit when you get in the water and the vacuum seal will eliminate the ballooning and become more form fitting. I actually ski better in a dry suit in every kind of weather - including mid July. I found that my muscles stay much more flexible when they are warmer.

 

I have skied many times in 50 degree water and 50 degree air and have no issue - even with hands and feet. When the water is in the 30s, then your hands and feet are only good for a few minutes. Having feet built into the suit wouldn't help that much and is likely a prime place for the suit to start to fail, with all the chafing in the bindings and stress/strain on the material.

[OSSKI]

Thanks very much! No feet it is then :smile:

[Zoro957]

It's also a good idea to use the powered lubricant on all the seals. It helps to get the suit on, It's like a cheese cloth bag filled with something that looks like baby powder.

[RichardDoane]

+1 on the baby powder, plus it keeps your underlayers from smelling like old socks...but the smart guy gets a suit with ankle seals, but also has the very thin rubber socks that can be pulled on when needed