Quote:
Originally Posted by Jimmy
OK, haven't seen this, if it has been addressed please excuse and direct me... - What constitutes a hard soled boot? Is it a rigid shank, or does it have to do with a thick sole?
- What are the pros and cons of the hard sole boot? The soft sole boot?
Thanks! |
Hard sole is like a shoe bottom welded to a neoprene sock:
Soft sole is essentially a thin rubber layer covering the bottom of a sock:
There are some that blur the lines a bit.
And then there are the neoprene socks, with no actual sole part.
I use a hard sole bootie when diving wet (Henderson InstaDry, no better bootie IMO, although they aren't super-durable). I use a soft (ish) sole when diving dry, because that usually means soft sand or boats, and the bigger insulation is hard enough to cram into my fins as it is (and I don't want to have to buy bigger fins for diving dry). My rock boots (Converse Chuck Taylors) fit the same fin... but barely, and are a bit tight.
Soft sole is comfy and fits a smaller fin (may or may not be an issue). Not so much with ankle support, especially with heavy loads. Not as durable if you're walking in them lots, scrambling over rocks, etc.
Hard sole is sturdier and provides more ankle support (rock boots are still better). Good for walking over broken rocks, parking lots with broken glass, perhaps, or any general surfaces where shoes are greatly preferable to bare feet. May need bigger fins to accommodate. Don't pack quite as small. Harder to clean down inside, since you can't really flip them inside out.