In water sports a bootee, bootie, or wetsuit boot is a thick sock-like garment made of wetsuit

Wetsuit

A wetsuit is a garment, usually made of foamed neoprene, which is worn by surfers, divers, windsurfers, canoeists, and others engaged in water sports, providing thermal insulation, abrasion resistance and buoyancy. The insulation properties depend on bubbles of gas enclosed within the material,...

 material. They serve the dual purpose of protecting the diver's feet when walking out of water, with or without a wetsuit, and keeping their feet warm underwater.

Thermal skin

In many water sports such as scuba diving

Scuba diving

Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....

, surfing

Surfing

Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...

, kayaking

Kayaking

Kayaking is the use of a kayak for moving across water. Kayaking and canoeing are also known as paddling. Kayaking is distinguished from canoeing by the sitting position of the paddler and the number of blades on the paddle...

, windsurfing

Windsurfing

Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...

, sailing

Sailing

Sailing is the propulsion of a vehicle and the control of its movement with large foils called sails. By changing the rigging, rudder, and sometimes the keel or centre board, a sailor manages the force of the wind on the sails in order to move the boat relative to its surrounding medium and...

 and even fishing

Fishing

Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....

 bootees are worn as a means of keeping the feet warm in the same way that a wetsuit

Wetsuit

A wetsuit is a garment, usually made of foamed neoprene, which is worn by surfers, divers, windsurfers, canoeists, and others engaged in water sports, providing thermal insulation, abrasion resistance and buoyancy. The insulation properties depend on bubbles of gas enclosed within the material,...

 would. The neoprene

Neoprene

Neoprene or polychloroprene is a family of synthetic rubbers that are produced by polymerization of chloroprene. Neoprene in general has good chemical stability, and maintains flexibility over a wide temperature range...

 material is impervious to water and acts as a skin of insulation trapping the wearer's body heat.

Bootee thickness is proportional to how cold the water in which the user will be and can be above or below the standard of 5–6 mm of neoprene

Neoprene

Neoprene or polychloroprene is a family of synthetic rubbers that are produced by polymerization of chloroprene. Neoprene in general has good chemical stability, and maintains flexibility over a wide temperature range...

. In warmer climates where the thermal qualities of the bootee are not so important, a bootee with a thickness of 2-3.5 mm is common.

The leg of the bootee may have a zipper

Zipper

A zipper is a commonly used device for temporarily joining two edges of fabric...

 down one side or may be tightened with a velcro strap at the front of the bootee. Where a bootee is worn with a wetsuit it is normally tucked into the leg of the wetsuit to minimise the loss of body heat and to keep foreign objects out.

Foot protection

A bootee usually has a reinforced sole for walking. Typically, this is a rubber compound that is thicker and tougher than the neoprene used for the upper part of the bootee but is still flexible. The reinforced sole provides the wearer with some protection when walking across shingle, coral and other sharp objects.

For scuba diving

For scuba diving

Scuba diving

Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....

 the sole of the bootee should not be so thick that the diver cannot get a diver's fin

Swimfin

Swimfins, swim fins, fins or flippers are worn on the foot or leg and made from finlike rubber or plastic, to aid movement through the water in water sports activities such as swimming, bodyboarding, bodysurfing, kneeboarding, riverboarding, and various types of underwater diving.Scuba divers use...

 on over it. Divers wearing bootees usually need fins with a foot part larger than with bare feet. Some manufacturers make bootees with soles reinforced with rubber hobnail

Hobnail

A hobnail is a short nail with a thick head: used to increase the durability of boot soles.Hobnail may also refer to:* A pattern of glassware: where the body of the piece has a regular array of bumps, as if finished with glass hobnails* A popular song from 1907, performed by Billy Williams*...

s which can not be worn with fins and were likely intended for wading. divers in warm water who do not wear a diving suit sometimes wear bootees so they can wear bigger fins.

Diving bootees are typically only intended for wear with open-heeled fins (with a buckle

Buckle

The buckle or clasp is a device used for fastening two loose ends, with one end attached to it and the other held by a catch in a secure but adjustable manner. Usually overlooked and taken for granted, the invention of the buckle has been indispensable in securing two ends before the invention of...

) and usually do not fit into full-footed fins. Much thinner neoprene socks are sometimes used with full-footed fins, but more for the purpose of preventing chafing and blisters, than for warmth.

For Surfing

For surfing

Surfing

Surfing' is a surface water sport in which the surfer rides a surfboard on the crest and face of a wave which is carrying the surfer towards the shore...

 (and also windsurfing

Windsurfing

Windsurfing or sailboarding is a surface water sport that combines elements of surfing and sailing. It consists of a board usually two to four metres long, powered by the orthogonal effect of the wind on a sail. The rig is connected to the board by a free-rotating universal joint and comprises a...

, kitesurfing

Kitesurfing

Kitesurfing or Kiteboarding is an adventure surface water sport that has been described as combining wakeboarding, windsurfing, surfing, paragliding, and gymnastics into one extreme sport. Kitesurfing harnesses the power of the wind to propel a rider across the water on a small surfboard or a...

and other such sports) bootees are typically worn where the weather is so cold that the surfer would lose some degree of functionality in his feet. The bootee should be thin enough that it can be worn with the leg of a wetsuit pulled over it. Another concern is that the bootee should not restrict the ability of the surfer to grip the board with the toes in the desired manner. Split toe bootees allow for some further functionality in this respect.

Reef walkers are small bootees that are only as high as the ankle and generally are only between 2 and 3.5mm thick. These bootees are designed to allow surfers to get out to waves that break at coral reefs or at rocky beaches.