Gday windlovers

just about to make comeback from injury. A big cut right inder the ball of my foot (10stiches!!!!)

I am gunna need to wear booties for a while to protect the cut from the rough deck. Anyone got some booties they can recommend?

The ones I have tried in the past make it really hard to feel the board properly when gybing etc.

There are just so many you need to try, my experience is the greater the foot protection, the less mobility, the less feel, and the harder to get feet onto footstraps, and some are too big for the smaller less adjustable footstraps. The lighter more expensive really thin high quality rubber booties, give sensational feel and grip but fk-all protection?

I have used these for the last 2+ yrs since getting 5 stitches.

www.longreefsurf.com.au/lrss/our-online-shop/brands/o-neill/o-neill-superfreak-tropical-split-toe-wetsuit-neoprene-booties.html

I did get a size too small which gave me sore toe nails with the first pair but otherwise ok.

Mine are xcel brand, bought from second wind. They look much like Lao's Oneill ones, pictured above.
They are so comfy that putting them on is like giving your foot a cuddle.
They don't interfere with the feel of the board at all, because they are very pliable on the bottom. (You do also feel the pebbles on the beach as you are walking.)
Another bonus - even though they are only 1 mm neoprene they stop your feet going numb during winter sailing.
They do interefere a little with getting your foot out of the strap when gybing, but you get used to it.

Excellant

Thanks for the advice crew
Good to hear that some of these booties work well. I reckon I will go and check them out.
The pain of missing the cranking wind the last few days really SUCKS!!!!!!!!!!!!

hopefully the booties can get me back soon

I had a different type of O'Neill's. Bought them from the Leederville shop for $60.
They worked well enough but I need to discard them now after their 2nd season as they are falling apart.

Have nothing to compare them against durability wise.
May try your brand Windxtasy.

I wouldn't sail without them any more. Saved me from many sprains, broken bottles, sharp shellfish, fish stings, even from one very aggressive and persistent crab @ Pinnaroos.

If the stitches are out, maybe a donut of foam around the cut then once around with gaffa tape.
Will protect the cut but still feel as close to normal as possible - plus no need to buy booties you will never use again as they are so bl00dy awful to sail in