Fins (not flippers)
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I call these fins pool fins and I have a pair for the pool and I also use them in warm water diving where I don't want to carry a heavy pair of sea Fins |
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These are an old favourite scubapro jet fins. Some very experienced divers swear by them. It could be because they are indestructible and they have had them for years. They are heavy and keep your feet down. Most of these fins have been refitted with stainless steel springs. These fins are not cheap but there are copies out there. |
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Lomo make an excelent split rubber finn at a vey reasonable price. Fit stainless steel springs and you have a good set of fins. |
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Many designs incorporate slots or apertures in the area in front of the toes to reduce the effort required to move the fin through the water on the recovery stroke. |
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I have see a few divers with force fins they look cheap but are the most expensive fins I have seen on the market. Until I try them I'm not convinced. |
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The Mares clips were replaced with stainless steel springs and held in place with a stainless shackle. Note the cut snoopy loops to make getting them on and off easier. |
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Basic finstraps with pinch clips. This finstrap does the job but are not easy to use when your fingers are cold and not many divers use them now. The trend these days is stainless steel spring straps. |
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I see a lot more divers with stainless steel spring straps and watching them put their fins on and take them off, they look easy to use. Care must be taken when you buy these to make sure they are the right size, there is no adjustment. Watch and dont pull to hard as they can be over-stretched and damaged as can be seen on the picture. |
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The classic Mares finstrap. When I got my fins they had the mares plastic clips and I thought they would break, but 15 years later and they still work. The newer ones with the red lock can be a pain to use as the small red locking bar is hard to use when your hands are cold or you have 5mm gloves, and the older ones sometimes come loose in the water.(not often) |
Summary
Like shoes they should fit you well. It is extremely annoying to have your fins move on your feet when diving or snorkeling. There are two basic types of fin. Slipper-style fins (pool fins), which fit on bare feet and are useful for those who want to snorkel abroad or do pool training. Strap or Drysuit type fins are worn over diving suit boots and should be bought to fit the type boot on your suit so buy fins after you have bought a suit or you might find yourself buying another pair to fit your suit. (PS big is not always best try cycling up a hill in top gear) and quick release straps are useful for people who are not as flexible as they used to be or when your hands are really cold. There are many designs of fin, does the extra £50-£150 justify the badge or space age shape, ask an experienced diver and check what other divers are using. I have found fins from £20 - £200+ and have not noticed a marked difference. The stainless steel spring straps seem to be the easiest to use and they do seem to last. Fins will last you all you life, make sure you get the right ones.
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