Ankle/foot anchor vs. gaiters to keep boots on?

[cali.grrl]

Sorry if this has been asked before, but I couldn't find anything on it in a forum search.

I recently completed a drysuit intro class and one of the exercises was to hold on to weights at the bottom of the pool while filling your suit with air (head down, feet up) and try to flip back over once you let go of the weights.

After a few tries, I was able to successfully do it, but in the times when I couldn't it was because my boots filled with air and came off my feet, along with my fins making my kicks useless.

My instructor had mentioned there is some sort of product that will keep my foot anchored in my boot by wrapping around the front, back, and bottom of my boot. I went to 2 dive shops and they didn't know what it was, but had something that looked like a fancy rubber band for freedivers.

The other suggestion was to get gaiters to keep the air from traveling down to my boot in the first place.

Do you guys have any other suggestions?

Thanks in advance!

Charlotte

[CompuDude]

The fin keeper thingies are cheaper, so I'd try them first. Sport Chalet carries them, so they're pretty easy to find. Trident makes them, too, I think, and here's one online link. ScubaToys probably carries them, too, but I found it faster on LP's site so here's the link to what you're looking for.

http://www.leisurepro.com/Prod/Categ...UFG.html?Hit=1

Gaiters slow the effect, if they're tight enough, but don't fully stop the problem from occurring. Gaiters are kinda pricey, though, for what you get.

I used to have a similar issue (although the only time I ever found myself in that position was ... drysuit class!) and used gaiters to help, but the best thing I ever did was get a drysuit that fit me better. Problem solved!

[Scuba Pete]

My old suit would fill the feet with air extremly quickly. It had the rubber boots that were molded into the suit. I also got a suit that fit better and has the rock books with the neoprene sock. I wear the gaiters and it helped some with the old suit but did not solve the problem. I actually inverted and was upside down in my cave class it was pretty humorous as my buddy was entagled in the line and our instructor was getting him unfouled as i went feet up. We called the dive shortly after due to Murphy being with us. Anyway, that was the dive that i decided to buy the gaiters. I have never used the fin keeper so i cant comment on those, but i would tend to think you get what you pay for.

[it_mike]

Is this (foot inflation) an issue in the real world?

I remember doing the exercise when I got my first drysuit back in the end of 2000, but I've never had it happen to me, or seen it happen to others.

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by it_mike

Is this (foot inflation) an issue in the real world?

I remember doing the exercise when I got my first drysuit back in the end of 2000, but I've never had it happen to me, or seen it happen to others.

I've seen two full-blown feet-first runaway drysuit ascents in the real world. They're not common (fortunately), and the two involved in those two incidents were ok (fortunately), but it does happen on occasion. One was a new drysuit diver (not very surprising), but the other was a moderately experienced drysuit diver (approx 40-50 drysuit dives, if memory serves).

With my old drysuit, I once had too much air in my suit in very shallow water (about 10') in an area with lots of surge, and I ended up popping up, and it blew one of my fins off my foot when the foot pocket overexpanded (that suit also had built-in boots) and slipped the spring strap off my heel. Since I was so shallow it wasn't an issue, and I was a LOT more careful after that. I had approx 10-15 dry dives at the point, so I was still getting things dialed in... and this was pretty much as worst case scenario (heavy surge, very shallow). It never happened again, and with my current suit, which (1) fits better and (2) has socks instead of built-in boots, it's far less likely to happen, but the issue CAN happen in the real world.

[cali.grrl]

The fin grippers in that link are like the ones I saw in the dive shop, but they only come in Medium and Large. From what they explained to me they are for free divers who use full foot fins I don't think I could get it over my fins once they were on my feet.

Mike: Kinda what I was thinking too. I was doing fine keeping neutral buoyancy and didn't seem to have much trouble keeping air out of my feet...except for this exercise.

Perhaps I'm being paranoid. :s

Charlotte

[cali.grrl]

I have a Diving Concepts ZFlex with built in boots.

The other suggestion was to wear thicker socks (or a 2nd pair of socks) to make the boot fit snugger. The boots fit, the size smaller would have been too small.

I bought the suit 2nd hand but so far it's a perfect fit (or so the guys in the dive shop say) and they are a shop that sells DC.

Charlotte

[it_mike]

To be fair, I'm an east coaster and don't do many surf/shore diving, which may explain why I haven't seen it. I also dive solo often, but after a few hundred dives I was just wondering.

**edit

BTW, I dive a DUI CFX450 with rock boots, which may impact my experience.

[CompuDude]

Originally Posted by it_mike

BTW, I dive a DUI CFX450 with rock boots, which may impact my experience.

Me, too. Now. My first suit was a thin, baggy USIA "starter suit" with attached boots that were a bit too big on me. Much less controlled than my current suit.

[WaScubaDude]

Originally Posted by CompuDude

The fin keeper thingies are cheaper, so I'd try them first.snip...
I used to have a similar issue (although the only time I ever found myself in that position was ... dry suit class!) and used gaiters to help, but the best thing I ever did was get a dry suit that fit me better. Problem solved!

I am with CompuDude on this. A dry suit that fits just right with your woollies underneath is the best solution. Some really baggy suits have a propensity to create air pockets that are tough to purge. Also, if you look closely at the foot of the drysuit some have a balloon like boot that is just neo dipped in rubber, these are the worst for blowing fins off. It is possible to have new boots fitted to an old dry suit . One advantage to lace up boots is that you can cinch down a fit that is comfortable but does not allow too much air in your feet. Some dry suits have little purge valves in the ankles to help with this problem. If you cant find the "peace sign" rubber bands, you could try a couple 1" strips of inner tube as rubber band.

Good Luck