Review: Xcel X-Flex Split Toe 3.0 Boots

Posted on December 18, 2009 by Srinivas Rao

I have been avoiding point breaks like the plague because I hate the idea of rocks cutting up my feet. But, I also have come to learn that the waves at point breaks are much more forgiving.  Given that and the fact that water temps have dropped significantly this month, I figured it was time to get my hands on some booties.

These Xcel X-flex 3.0 Split Toe  booties are definitely not the highest end. They probably fall in the mid range and run about 40 dollars. The guy at the store told me they’d be decent for keeping my feet warm, but maybe not ideal for really rocky point breaks. So I decided to put them to the test at a local point break that is not too rocky.

The Pros: These booties definitely do a good job of keeping your feet warm, which is nice. I didn’t find the rocks to be too much of an issue either. They make it possible to have longer sessions even when the water temp is cold. They fit well and offer a good amount of flexibility  and comfort.

The Cons: It wasn’t until a few days of using them that I discovered one thing that I didn’t like so much about these. They tend to let water in fairly easily and  I’m finding that I have to dump water out of them, especially when the sets come pouring in. That being said for 40 bucks I’m not complaining. They do what I need them to do. If I had more cash I’d invest in a better pair.