I’m looking for recommendations from any skinny feeted folk like me out there who love their booties! 3 Mil is what i mainly use. Thanks in advance.
As a young man, I never liked the transition into and out of booties, but the wetsuits of the time really didn’t keep you warm enough so they were an necessity. In the 80’s when wetsuits improved, I never wore booties, and I distinctly remember turning down trips the Santa Cruz with my buds to avoid the cold. In the 90’s I wasn’t surfing as much, the booties improved and I had a sister-in-law with connections to a major brand, so I started wearing them again. In the 00’s, I went full time. Booties in the winter, reef booties on trips and in the summer. I have narrow feet too, so I have tried them from every brand and even some most modern surfers have never heard of. For the last 15 years I have sworn by O’Neill’s booties. They are narrow, and undersized (or made for a primary non-American clientele). I wear a size 9 shoe, but need a size 10 bootie. O’Neill 3mm Heats are what I buy now, they fit the narrow foot, are not too binding on the lower leg, and don’t stink up too much if you turn them inside out. Off season, I buy a second pair, and rotate them in winter. I can get a few seasons out of them and thank God that O’Neill doesn’t change the design much. I would also say that their sole is much more sensitive to the feel of the deck than other brands with thicker soles. I have traveled with them to colder climes like NZ, Ireland, etc… and with modern 4mm+ suits, do the job. Just my 2c…
PS: Sways, thanks for the site, it has helped me and many shapers younger that myself benefit from the sages!
Yes O’neil has always made a great bootie.