DUI Rock Boots vs. Turbo Soles

[ZuluMich]

So I'm ordering a DUI drysuit and went through all the options... The only thing I'm hung up on is whether to go with rock boots or turbo tec soles.

[Kelly Jessop]

So I'm ordering a DUI drysuit and went through all the options... The only thing I'm hung up on is whether to go with rock boots or turbo tec soles.

FWIW,when I had a TLS350 I found the turbo soles were constant leak points,as well as other people I knew. The thing that I did,and I would do it again,was I put Dive Rite 905 boots on the suit,which eliminated a weak point,and provided a nice fitting boot.

[bamafan]

I have a TlS 350 with the Turbo Soles. They don't hold up well. Diving sidemount is rough on the feet of a drysuit especially in a high flow cave where you have to use your feet to push off the ceiling. I much prefer socks and just use regular neoprene dive booties. As they get chewed up you just get another pair. I also don't like the floaty feet feeling I get with Turbo Soles.

You didn't ask but I don't like the Zip Seals either the wrists seals are very rigid with the plastic collar and the shape of the DUI seals do not seal as well as those seals that are Coke bottle shaped. The edges of the DUI seals are pointed and seal on a smaller surface than those seals that have a large flat area.

[ZuluMich]

Great info, this will help a lot, thanks!

[w ripley]

Wouldn't go with either. Rock boots are cheaply made (probably bought 6 pairs over the years), are heavy in water and take time to put on and take off, a real bummer when it's really hot out. The turbos go on and off quickly but you can't turn them inside out to dry. Don't know about you but I need to turn my suit inside out each night to dry dry the next day.

Dan Wright talked me into using regular wetsuit boots. They are great on rocks, cost less, zip on and off quickly, are positive in the water (good if you have "heavy" feet in the water) and offer a degree of insulation from the neoprene.

[Scuba Al]

I have both and do not like rock boots. Just one more thing to deal with. My turbo soles have leaked, but a little aquaseal solved the problem.
I may pickup a pair of wetsuit boots and try instead of the rockboots.
I also have both zip and regular latex seals. Would of never purchased zipseals if I was buying new but they came on a suit I pickup used. For both the neck and wrist zip seals, I peeled off the old latex seal from the zip ring and glued on replacements. Went with the bottle neck seals for the wrists.

Al

[ZuluMich]

Which one offers more warmth? If it even makes a difference.

[Sludge]

I've had both and it doesn't really matter to me. For my last custom TLS-350 I believe I flipped a coin.

But you might consider asking DUI if you can go with the neo-socks (what they call the feetie things when you go with Rock Boots) and get twenty or thirty bucks off by not getting the Rock Boots, and use scuba booties instead. I used my Rock Boots once, and have used booties ever since.

[rddvet]

Go with the rockboot option, just don't use the rockboot. I don't believe they allow you to have the "sock" on the end of the suit without sending you rockboots too. If you look at people's feet with turbosoles, they are always getting glued back together and they're constant points for pinholes. According to DUI the tec turbosoles are better, but I don't know anyone that has them.

The pro to the "sock"(I don't know what else you call it) that comes with the rockboot option is that you have tons of choices. Rockboots just don't fit most people well. So you could try some converse Chuck's. Many like those, I didn't. You could find a large wetsuit bootie to use which allows for smaller fins. Or you can search around for other "rockboots." We're lucky enough to have a local shop that has boots made by scubapro, dui, hollis, white's, and one other in stock. I tried them all and really like the Scubapro ones. I stole the little quick lock that comes with the rockboots and changed the shoestrings, but as a whole the scubapro ones are nice. They've lasted over 150 dives so far with no signs of major wear.

http://www.scubapro.com/en-US/USA/su...suit-boot.aspx

[ZuluMich]

Well thanks for all the input.