The Best Scuba Diving Fins
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How to Choose Scuba Diving Fins
1. Open-Heel fins (with booties). These are for all kinds of diving, especially extreme environments, such as kicking against currents, cold water or difficult access points.
2. Full-Foot Fins. These are only for tropical diving and snorkeling, generally off boats.
There is some new technology in the past few years: Split fins. They are available both as full-foot and open-heel fins. There is a lot of hype surrounding them, but are they worth it? Read on for more information and my recommendations for the top scuba diving fins.
Open-Heel Fins
Open-Heel Fins are generally heavy duty fins, which are designed to give greater propulsion than full-foot fins. They are built with heavy-duty materials and designed to be used in extreme environments. They are the most popular style of fin, because they can be used in tropical environments, but MUST be used in cold-water environments. They allow you to wear booties inside them, which is necessary if diving in water cooler than about 25 degrees Celsius. Additionally, if you dive at sights that require you to walk over a beach, or rocks, open-heel fins will be required, since you'll want to wear booties to protect your feet when you're doing this.If you only buy one pair of fins, they should be open-heel ones, along with a pair of booties. You can use them in all environments and later-on, if you want to buy a pair of full-foot fins for tropical diving, this is possible.
Promate Woman's Open Heel Fin
Promate Pro Blade Scuba Diving Open Heel Fins, Pink, M/L
Amazon Price: $47.95 (as of 05/27/2012)
An excellent choice for the ladies who are looking for a smaller fin that doesn't require so much power to use.
Mares Avanti Quattro
My top Choice for powerful scuba diving fins
6mm Neoprene Booties
To use with Open-Heel Fins in cold water
Akona 6mm Deluxe Boot, Neoprene boots, booties for Scuba diving, kayaking, spearfishing, snorkeling, boat shoes, deck shoes, water shoes, 11
Amazon Price: $43.95 (as of 05/27/2012)
Oceanic Heavy-Duty Booties
Cressi Pro Light Open-Heel Fin
Cressi Pro Light Open Heel Diving Fin (Black, Medium/Large)
Amazon Price: $58.99 (as of 05/27/2012)
An excellent choice for the diver who travels, these light-weight fins make a practical and economical choice.
More Scuba Diving Socks and Booties
Full-Foot Fins
Perfect for tropical diving and snorkeling
These kind of fins are exclusively for tropical diving, where you won't have to walk over a rocky beach or shore to access your dive sites and where cold feet aren't an issue. They are generally light and flexible, which make them a nice choice for traveling and for using at dive sights that don't require much effort, such as when you have a boat to pick you up. You can wear them with bare feet, or get a special fin sock to increase comfort when using for longer periods. Mares Avanti Full-Foot Fin
A top choice from Mares, a trusted name in Scuba Diving
Mares Avanti TRE Full Foot Scuba Dive Fins - Snorkel Fins
Amazon Price: $53.95 (as of 05/27/2012)
Mares is a name you can trust for quality scuba equipment. These fins are an excellent choice for snorkeling or diving in tropical environments.
1.5mm Neoprene Scuba Sock
NeoSport Wetsuits XSPAN 1.5mm Sock,All Black,XX-Large
Amazon Price: $14.95 (as of 05/27/2012)
Perfect for using your open-heel fins in tropical environments.
Cressi Men's Full-Foot Fin
Cressi Men's Pluma Closed-Foot Diving Fin (Blue, 10/11)
Amazon Price: $34.95 (as of 05/27/2012)
3mm Scuba Diving Sock
Promate Lagos 3mm Flipper Slipper Fin Neoprene Socks, M
Amazon Price: $12.95 (as of 05/27/2012)
Open-heel or closed-heel Fins:
What works best for you?
What about Split Fins?
Are they worth the hype?
Split Fins incorporate some of the latest technology to give you a fin with serious power, while reducing leg-muscle fatigue. There is a natural reduction on drag, which lowers muscle strain with prolonged kicking, such as diving into a current. The basic idea behind split fins is to create a high and low pressure side, which allows the water to be controlled and funneled down the blade and even causes the water to spin a vortex behind the fin, which increases propulsion.Sound complicated? It kind of is. But what you need to know is this: if you're going to be diving in sites where you'll need to consistently be kicking, or if you have weak leg muscles, split fins might be for you. They will allow you to keep kicking without getting as tired.
Oceanic Vortex V16 Split Fins
Oceanic Vortex V-16 Split Fins, Black, 11-12 | XL
Amazon Price: $159.95 (as of 05/27/2012)
An excellent fin choice for those with less powerful leg muscles (women) who still want lots of power in a fin. These are split, flexible fins, which means that you don't have to kick as hard to get the propulsion you need. You may have to kick more often, but you won't get leg cramps with these finds.
Oceanic V16 Split Fins
Differences Between Paddle and Split Fins
Scuba Diving Fins on Ebay
More Quality Scuba Diving Equipment
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About this Scuba Diving Gear-head
What fins are you thinking of buying (or already have)?
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sete
Dec 21, 2011 @ 10:16 pm | delete
- I've promate fins and it's very comfort. thanks for your reviews...
Diving Equipment
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by jackiebolen
I'm a Padi Scuba Diving Instructor and I know that choosing the correct fins can be an important, but confusing decision. There are so many kinds: op... more »
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