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Dry suit with the latex dry socks attached (ie kokotat)

 
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skyking1231



Joined: 10 Jul 2000
Posts: 280

PostPosted: Tue Jan 18, 2022 4:05 pm    Post subject: Dry suit with the latex dry socks attached (ie kokotat) Reply with quote

Anyone sail with these dry socks attached to your suit? Is it really difficult to get booties on ? I guess you can wear regular socks underneath…and then get away with 3mm booties instead of 6mm or 7mm. ? Or even use 3mm low cut booties ?
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Tue Jan 18, 2022 7:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Back when I sailed in water cold enough to need booties (45 degrees), I bought my Kokatats without integral booties/sox. That gave me many more bootie options, including none (I do not like booties) and split-toed (I far prefer them over round-toed for WSing).

I've quit WSing in water that cold, but kayak in much colder water. In a kayak, booties, even hefty/clumsy ones, are not a problem, so when I upgraded my Kokatat GoreTex "wardrobe" to their new Odyssey model, I got the attached GoreTex foots/sox. I haven't used the new suit yet, as my Promotion fabric top/neoprene bottom suit (laughably billed as a dry suit) works great for kayaking because I'm in the water 98% less than when WSing.

The water's gotten a LOT colder now, so I'll be wearing my new suit next time I go kayaking. Living room try-ons indicate that the Kokatat sox will be fine in booties, if for no other reason than bootie ergonomics matter much less in a kayak than in footstraps.

BTW, I wear size 13 shoes, but their attached sox stop at 11s in my suit size. Not to worry; their sox are intentionally sloppy/roomy enough that the 11 is plenty big. Their sox are also thin enough that any excess material probably won't get in the way inside a bootie as long as the bootie isn't the tight fit I demand with footstraps. If you decide to go with the attached sox and your present booties are SNUG, you may need slightly larger booties when wearing your Kokatat.

Regardless, I've got to believe the attached sox, w/booties, will be MUCH warmer than separate booties and their inevitable water intrusion.

I hope you can find a good deal on your K suit. Their top of the line suit runs about $1,500, so REI's brief 20% discount was much appreciated. If I were sailing in conditions requiring 7 mm combat boots, I'd wear nothing less than their Odyssey. (Caveat: I haven't tried the latest neoprene hood/suit/gloves/feet cocoon suits; they may be as good or better, but that's just too much $#!+ for me. )
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killeen_john



Joined: 04 Aug 2006
Posts: 61

PostPosted: Tue Jan 18, 2022 9:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I really like my Kokatat GFE drysuit with the GORE-TEX socks, which I greatly prefer over the older latex socks. The latex socks always felt like they restricted blood flow resulting in cold feet despite being stretchy rubber and I would choose ankle seals over latex socks every time if that was the only option.

The GORE-TEX socks are a big upgrade in my opinion and are cut generously enough that it doesn't restrict blood flow. I usually wear wool hiking socks underneath the GORE-TEX socks with 3 mm low cut round toe boots. Going up from my regular size (14 vs 13) makes it easy to get the boots over the GORE-TEX socks. It's a little bulky and loses some feel but, no worse than wearing thick neoprene boots/socks and keeps my feet warmer.
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grantmac017



Joined: 04 Aug 2016
Posts: 946

PostPosted: Wed Jan 19, 2022 1:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If I wasn't wavesailing through the winter I'd be in a Kokatat with the gortex socks for sure.
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skyking1231



Joined: 10 Jul 2000
Posts: 280

PostPosted: Fri Jan 21, 2022 7:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

thanks.

I already have a Kokotat suit ) on my second season. I also have an older Ocean Rodeo Soul. Was thinking of putting socks on that and see if i like them or not.

Its not so much i need more warmth...just though if it was less bulky or not .
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wsmtbskate



Joined: 09 Jun 2010
Posts: 124

PostPosted: Tue Jan 25, 2022 10:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have a Kokatat GFE as well, had the factory swap the gortex socks for latex seals. They work great for me too.
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us85



Joined: 29 Aug 1999
Posts: 47

PostPosted: Wed Jan 26, 2022 11:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

skyking1231 wrote:
thanks.

I already have a Kokotat suit ) on my second season. I also have an older Ocean Rodeo Soul. Was thinking of putting socks on that and see if i like them or not.

Its not so much i need more warmth...just though if it was less bulky or not .


Can you retrofit socks onto a suit with latex gaskets?
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isobars



Joined: 12 Dec 1999
Posts: 20935

PostPosted: Wed Jan 26, 2022 3:06 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kokatat will do whatever you want at reasonable prices.
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