What scuba fins should I get?
I need to replace my old fins and am looking for something mid-range in price. I’d rather not break the bank on a pair of fins, but want them to last me a long time. The type of diving I normally do is wrecks and reef diving, not usually a lot of current to fight but I’d like to be prepared for anything.
I’d appreciate any name brands I should go with or even a model type that you would recommend!
Like any piece of equipment, ask 10 people what the "best" fin is and you’ll get 11 different answers. I usually go to Scuba Diving magazine’s ScubaLab reports when looking for gear recommendations because they at least seem to have a documented testing criteria that they apply when reviewing equipment. You can find fin reviews online at
http://www.scubadiving.com/gear/fins
They don’t provide reviews of every fin available but they will give you a range of different fins and (at least on older reviews, like this one from 2007 http://www.scubadiving.com/gear/accessories/18-new-fins ) relative strength & weaknesses.
Good luck with your search.
I think you want water sports, not swimming & diving. This is for competitive diving not SCUBA or skin diving.
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Fins are very personal items of gear and the first criterion when choosing a pair is fit, not only length-wise, but also in terms of width and arch height too. I recommend that you forget about brand names for the moment and concentrate on locating whatever is comfortable to wear over your booties. You will get plenty of guidance if you post your question again on an online forum where large numbers of divers congregate, such as ScubaBoard, which you can join at
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/
When you reach this page, try searching for messages about fin selection. There is a subforum dedicated to fins, masks and snorkels and there are subforums too for wreck diving and other underwater disciplines. Be aware that many contributors simply advise others to wear the same fins as they do, so develop a modicum of scepticism about recommendations that don’t come with both the pros and the cons of particular models. If you can, borrow fins from buddies and try them out to come to your own conclusions. Shopping for fins can be something of an odyssey and you will get a big sense of achievement if you manage to find a pair that finally suit your feet and your swimming style. For what it’s worth, I’m a fan of old-fashioned full-foot fins, particularly Japanese-made Gull Mews, which I use to snorkel with in the North Sea off the coast of North East England, and I wouldn’t snorkel with any other kind of fin. My choice of fins, however, is neither here nor there because I snorkel and you are scuba-diving with yours and your priorities will be totally different. Take my advice and do some research of your own on ScubaBoard by conducting searches and posting a message or two.
References :
Like any piece of equipment, ask 10 people what the "best" fin is and you’ll get 11 different answers. I usually go to Scuba Diving magazine’s ScubaLab reports when looking for gear recommendations because they at least seem to have a documented testing criteria that they apply when reviewing equipment. You can find fin reviews online at
http://www.scubadiving.com/gear/fins
They don’t provide reviews of every fin available but they will give you a range of different fins and (at least on older reviews, like this one from 2007 http://www.scubadiving.com/gear/accessories/18-new-fins ) relative strength & weaknesses.
Good luck with your search.
References :