I use the mares classic 5mm dive booties. Waters here don't drop below 50 and these booties are plenty warm at that temperature. If it's really super cold, I sometimes use a thermal fin sock inside them.
My first pair lasted 24 years before a side zipper went (yep, I used them scuba diving too), so onto my second pair now. I have the same problem with the foot box, stuffing them in is the right metaphor - basically all but open the footstrap and slide the plate back a notch or too for bootie-mode.