Plan on doing a bit of surfing in some cold water? If so, you need to get yourself a good pair of surf booties to keep your feet warm. This will make it easier for you to stay in the water for a longer period since it will take a longer time period for you to get too cold to stay in.
Like any other pair of shoes, getting the correct size in surf booties is both important and challenging. The size that you need for a good fit can vary from one brand to the next. So before you hit the waves, take some time to make sure you get a proper fit from your reef booties.
The most important thing to remember is that you want to get a pair of booties that fit snugly around your feet and ankles. They key here is snug and not tight. If they are too tight, then you end up with circulation issues and your toes curling up, which is not good for surfing or paddle boarding.
By getting a pair of snug, properly fitting booties before hitting the waves, you ensure that you don’t end up with a pair that holds water and weighs you down or a pair that is so large that your feet slide around and don’t keep you safely standing.
Note that you can buy a pair that are just slightly too tight because they will stretch out a little when you wear them a few times.
What happens if your booties are too small?
Your feet will get cold quickly due to some loss in circulation. Not to mention the fact that they will be very uncomfortable to wear. End result: your time in the water is shorter than expected, which negates the whole point of the booties.
What happens of your booties are too big?
Your feet will slide around in them, which is not safe for maintaining your balance. You will lose dexterity and you will trip easily. And, the extra space in the surf booties will fill with water and weigh you down – plus, that water will make you cold very quickly. End result: you could get hurt and you will definitely be in the water a shorter period than expected due to getting cold, which goes against the point of wearing the booties in the first place.
What if my foot is normally a half size?
Unfortunately for those of us with a half-size shoe size, surfing booties only come in whole sizes. This means that it can sometimes be a challenge to get a good fit. Sometimes the best answer here is to move up to the next whole size and wear a thermal sock or wool sock to get the best fit. Though it might seem like a pain, the socks actually add a layer of warmth, which helps you stay in the water longer.
What if my foot is wide?
Sadly, surf booties only come in one width and it is regular. This means that people with wide feet might need to actually move up a size in order to get some boots that are not too tight.
Now that you know how to shop for the best pair of wetsuit booties for cold water, check out our best surfing booties reviews to see our recommendations for the top wetsuit booties.