The problem: water inside neoprene booties. Booties are not skin tight on the foot but are that tight on the ankle. It's not tons of water - maybe a few ounces - and it's warmed by body heat - but it sloshes like heck when you get out on land. I have an off the rack wetsuit designed for people taller than me (5' 2"). Consequently, there is excess length at the ankles. I wear booties, zip them up as far as they will go which is one link short of the top of the zipper, and put the wetsuit legs over the bootie tops, then fold up the excess fabric. So basically there are three layers of neoprene around my ankles. The question: Am I getting a lot of water in there because the boots themselves are not skin tight, or because the wetsuit is ill fitting at the ankles and has to be rolled up. Or does everyone get a few ounces of water in the booties all the time? I guess this is the age old question: am I not doing it right, or is it a fact of life? Thanks Anne Burton *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Well, wetsuit systems DO get wet; that's why they're called that. Getting my feet wet is a way of life, and I've learned to keep fresh socks, etc. in a drybag if things get too cold. Most likely the water's coming in through the bootie zippers. Not much you can do about that. I wear a pair of waterproof goretex socks I got from Cabela's, with poly socks and liners under that. Works OK as long as you don't get in the water more than ankle deep. Some people here swear by DuPont Sealz Socks. To me, wetsuit integrity is of more importance. I always put the bootie over the wetsuit ankle rather than the other way around. It's the sock that will overlap the ankle portion. >I have an off the rack wetsuit designed for people taller than me >(5' 2"). Consequently, there is excess length at the ankles. I >wear booties, zip them up as far as they will go which is one >link short of the top of the zipper, and put the wetsuit legs over >the bootie tops, then fold up the excess fabric. So basically >there are three layers of neoprene around my ankles. >Am I getting a lot of water in there because the boots >themselves are not skin tight, or because the wetsuit is ill fitting >at the ankles and has to be rolled up. Or does everyone get a >few ounces of water in the booties all the time? I guess this is >the age old question: am I not doing it right, or is it a fact of >life? *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
<<Am I getting a lot of water in there because the boots themselves are not skin tight, or because the wetsuit is ill fitting at the ankles and has to be rolled up. Or does everyone get a few ounces of water in the booties all the time? I guess this is the age old question: am I not doing it right, or is it a fact of life?>> I wear socks so that usually takes up all the excess space and keeps the squishing on land down but I watch my paddling partner empty his boots before he drives away after a paddle. I have the too-long-leg problem too but I do zip the boots all the way up and they fit rather well. I am not constructed for the "unisex" wetsuit I wear. I'd need to be about 6'6" to fit this one in the legs. This leaves a lot of bunching at the knees and other places but I try to pull the legs up so the ankle is not bunched when I zip the ankle. It can do what it likes after I zip it as long as I can move freely. Do you try socks? That might work if you don't mind wet socks. Joan Spinner *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
>> I wear socks so that usually takes up all the excess space and keeps the > squishing on land down but I watch my paddling partner empty his > boots before he drives away after a paddle. Ummm, that would be me. I used to just squish all the way home but my wife gets a little torked when I come sloshing into the house. It creates a pretty nasty stew after you've squished that water around for a while, so I try to remember to dump them out before I leave for the house. I get a lot of looks as most people passing by must think my feet are freezing when I dump the water. For those with ultra long farmer johns, is it possible to just pull the slack down towards the feet and just double the pants cuff back towards the knee? If it is too tight to zip that way a Velcro band (a loose one) might work to keep it from dangling. To be real effective I think a wet suit needs to hug the body, so I would be concerned with the insulating value of something too baggy. Anyone know a seamstress that knows how to tailor a wetsuit? Woody *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Robert Woodard wrote: > To be real effective I think a wet suit needs > to hug the body, so I would be concerned with the insulating value of > something too baggy. Anyone know a seamstress that knows how to tailor a > wetsuit? Don't know if she is up to tailoring, but she did a nice job of retrofitting a relief zipper into a wetsuit: Penny Schwyn <pschwyn_at_nextdim.com> I don't get a commission! <g> -- Dave Kruger Astoria, OR *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
In a message dated 4/12/99 9:21:24 AM Pacific Daylight Time, JSpinner_at_agu.org writes: << I am not constructed for the "unisex" wetsuit I wear. I'd need to be about 6'6" to fit this one in the legs. This leaves a lot of bunching at the knees and other places but I try to pull the legs up so the ankle is not bunched when I zip the ankle. >> I have that problem too. I'm wondering if anyone has tried cutting off the legs so that their wetsuit would fit better. Any feedback would be helpful. BijiliE *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
BijiliE_at_aol.com wrote: > > I'm wondering if anyone has tried cutting off the > legs so that their wetsuit would fit better. Talk about a Procrustacean solution. Oh, you meant the legs of the wetsuit. Sure, why not? Neoprene doesn't ravel (or unravel, either). You might end up cutting off the ankle zipper altogether. If not, take a soldering iron and fuse the two bottom teeth on each side to shorten it. Steve -- Test Scoring & Reporting Services Sometimes, you never can University of Georgia always tell what you Athens, GA 30602-5593 least expect the most. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
Cutting off my legs helped a lot until I tried to walk to the launch point. OTOH Seal launches are much more natural now. :-)) <Humor Alert> This post is entirely ficticious, I still have all of my appendages. michael bijilie_at_aol.com wrote: > I have that problem too. I'm wondering if anyone has tried cutting off the > legs so that their wetsuit would fit better. Any feedback would be helpful. *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
---------- > From: BijiliE_at_aol.com > I have that problem too. I'm wondering if anyone has tried cutting off the > legs so that their wetsuit would fit better. Any feedback would be helpful. > One of my kayaking students only had one leg, but I don't think that this was a result of his wanting to better fit his wetsuit. Cheers, Richard *************************************************************************** PaddleWise Paddling Mailing List Submissions: paddlewise_at_lists.intelenet.net Subscriptions: paddlewise-request_at_lists.intelenet.net Website: http://www.gasp-seakayak.net/paddlewise/ ***************************************************************************
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