Boots - Hard or Soft Soles?

[divingprinter]

I've only had soft soled boots, so I guess the obvious answer is going to be try diving with them and you'll know what you prefer.
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<DIV>The things I am concerned about are that the sole will make the boot too tall for the foot pocket in the fin. </DIV>
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<DIV>I see Larry and Joe sell a Tilos model on here - I have also seen a Henderson model that gets good reviews that are sold elsewhere. The thing i am not sure of about the Tilos model is that there is no strap protection on the heel if i am looking at them right. Looking for a low 2-3 mil tropical boot and not sure if I should go with hard or soft. Let me know what you guys think!</DIV>
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<DIV>Thanks - 1st post!</DIV>
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<DIV>Geoff</DIV>

[divingprinter]

after I posted, I saw this was in the wrong section - if someone can move- I'd appreciate

[picxie]

I've not tried either of those specific booties, but I think it will depend on the type of diving you do. If you dive off a boat all the time, soft booties will be sufficient as you'll most likely just be putting them on before you jump in the water. If you are doing a lot of shore dives where you have to walk or climb over rocks etc, then hard soles will be better and give more protection.
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<DIV>I wear soft and do most of my dives off a boat. Some trips require you to be geared up before heading out, and there might be short walks to the beach or wharf, but the soft ones have been fine on the flat surface - at least, fine on my feet, probably not too good on the sole of the boot. But they have only been short walks so nothing major. </DIV>
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<DIV>I am considering hard sole booties now, but only because I want a warmer pair and the pair I am looking at are hard ones.</DIV>
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[picxie]

PS, welcome to the forum!!

[Judestudio]

I've heard nice things about the Bare Ice Boots, which has a hard sole. Scuba Lab named it a Tester's Choice.

There's also the Pinnacle Orca, which is also a hard sole, but slightly thicker than the Bare if you need the extra warmth.

[TAH 73]

Both my Fiancee and dive in the Bare Ice boots and find them quite comfy, our DM and Instructor were also diving in the same boots as well.

[texdiveguy]

I dive the BARE Ice Boot---nice!

[DirtyWaterIL]

I prefer soft soles because I have wide fee and They stretch around my feet. All the hard soled boots I treid on were extremely uncomfortable.

[ScubyDoo]

Personally, I prefer the hard soled boots. Once you take your fins off, they become your shoes. You may need to walk over all manner of hard/sharp objects on the beach or even on a dive boat. While vacationing in the Caribbean, I prefer the low top hard soled booties. I can wear them aboard the boat instead of worrying about keeping tennis shoes dry...and continue to wear them afterwards as "island shoes". They are basically black neoprene tennis shoes...*S*.

[94GTStang]

I go with the hard soled boots. If you are out walking to the beach and the ground is rocky, you can't feel it. Nothing beats the protection a hard soled shoe offers