Help...need to choose fins and there are so many

[disneygal65]

Can someone with some experience with snorkeling and diving give some advice on buying some fins.:confused: Right now I will just be using them for snorkeling but I plan on getting dive certified next year and would like to purchase something worth using for both. I am on a budget so be gentle...;)

Thanks

Karen:)

[jbrowland]

If you truly feel that you are going to use them on a regular basis and possibly get into SCUBA down the road, then it would be worth it to spend a little more $$ to buy a decent pair of fins from the start rather than buying crappy ones and then eventually buying the nice ones later on anyway. (That's was my husband and I ended up doing through all our gear purchases and we finally have what we want--2 sets of gear later),

 

I recommend the Mares fins. The come in full foot or ope heel options. Hubby has the Avanti Quatros and I have the Avanti Tre's (because they came in XS--the small weren't small enough). You might be able to find a used pair on ebay, but there are several online stores that usually sell them, too.

[KaC-Cruiser]

Check out Rodale's equipment reviews ..... they do great reviews of all types, and often the less expensive ones come out on top for performance...... but there are a lot of options - full foot, open-heel, split-fin, etc. As jbroland mentioned, size can also be an issue, or in my case medical issues. I bought my Apollo Bio-Fins originally for snorkeling, then started diving. They were pricey, but I specifically needed something easy on the knee due to knee surgery. They were worth every penny, and with the high quality should last me a LONG time. They've made it 5 years with minimal wear & tear already. So sometimes pricey is okay if you know you can use the equipment for years .....

 

http://www.scubadiving.com/diving/fins/

[bruce-r]

I think if you want fins that will work for snorkeling as well as diving, you should get blade-type fins, not split fins. You will also have to choose between the kind you wear bare footed and the kind that are open heel and you need some kind of bootie. I prefer the second. I find them to be more comfortable and if you need to walk over a rocky shoreline to enter the water, booties with a rubber sole are better than bare feet. I also like a Mares fin, but I'm diving with the Volo. I really like them more than my first set of fins.

[Hilary]

I'd definitely second the suggestion to get blade type, open heel fins that you wear booties with (or not). My husband also dives with the Mares Avanti Quattro fins and loves them. My fins are about 11 years old, so they aren't even made anymore, but they are a good quality, blade type, open heel fin....which only goes to prove that buying quality once is worth a little extra money.

 

A good set of quality fins should run you in the neighborhood of $100.

[disneygal65]

You guys were very helpful and I made a decision within minutes of reading the information on the scuba diving website. Their rating system was very helpful. I am going with the Aeris Velocity because it comes in smaller sizes, is light weight and got 2nd to the highest rating of all the fins. Not to mention, I found them for only $29.95 at Leisure Pro;)

Thanks again

Karen:)

[KaC-Cruiser]

You guys were very helpful and I made a decision within minutes of reading the information on the scuba diving website. Their rating system was very helpful. I am going with the Aeris Velocity because it comes in smaller sizes, is light weight and got 2nd to the highest rating of all the fins. Not to mention, I found them for only $29.95 at Leisure Pro;)

Thanks again

Karen:)

Glad you found what you were looking for!! Wait till you get certified - you'll become addicted like the rest of us!!:D

[Hilary]

Congratulations on your bargain! Let us know when you get certified and start looking for new diving adventures. :) Once you've dove, snorkeling just isn't enough anymore.

[bruce-r]

And if you get the addiction bad, like me, you'll even dive in British Columbia where the water temperature is around 45f in February.

 

So, you have been warned ;)