The 10 Best Dive Boots
This wiki has been updated 17 times since it was first published in February of 2019. Dive boots serve a number of very important functions. They help to keep your feet warm, prevent blisters from fin straps and, if you often set off on your ocean explorations from the shore or find yourself walking across shallow shoals, they protect your feet from cuts and scrapes. We've made sure to include models well suited to both tropical and cooler water conditions. When users buy our independently chosen editorial choices, we may earn commissions to help fund the Wiki.
Editor's Notes
February 09, 2019:
As a general rule of thumb for both booties and wetsuits, two- and three-millimeter neoprene is best for tropical dives, while five to seven millimeters is best for temperate dives. We wanted to make sure our rankings included cold and warm-water options, so you'll find models like the Cressi Tall, which come in a seven-millimeter thick option, and the Mares Equater, which feature a low cut and are only two millimeters thick. Another important consideration is sole type. Those who shore dive will need something with a very thick sole that won't be torn up from sharp rocks, such as the Mares Trilastic. Soft soles are a good choice for people who dive from soft, sandy beaches or boats, since they are lighter in weight and generally provide more flexibility when you kick and walk. The Neo Sport 3mm are one such model on our list. Another pet peeve of many divers is when a zipper starts to slide down during a dive, causing the boot to loosen and allowing a lot of water to gush in, so we made sure that every model on our list either has a very reliable zipper, a Velcro strap to prevent it from sliding, or was completely zipperless.