Beginner Scuba diver - where to take a class?

[wet]

lucioles once bubbled...

The fit your feet ones are used without booties and in warm water. Did I get it right?

Also, there seem to be fins with split and without. What's best?

As for the masks, purge or no purge?

I have only seen free divers use the fins without straps...Plus I dive in Florida and wear booties all year around, so I''d say go with straps.

As far as the split fins v regular fins scenario is concerned. In general it is going to be a matter of personal preference; however, there are some kinds of diving that, IMHO, split fins are not appropriate. (i.e. wreck diving and cave diving)

It is difficult to use anti-silting techniques with split fins.

Finally, purge or no purge...I always ask my students not to buy masks with purges for 3 reasons, but if they want one I am not adamant about it.
1) Your mask should FIT right. IT won't be full of water unless you want it to be to defog/clear it.
2) Sometimes the purge valve makes it difficult to pinch your nose to equalize. Especially with a regulator in your mouth.
and
3) I have seen a small piece of shell get caught in the little diaphram and cause constant flooding for the duration of a person's dive.

None of this is concrete and the MOST important things to you as a new diver should be fit and your comfort. (Most important assuming that you get gear that is made for SCUBA diving and not swimming around your swimming pool. You have to be safe.

Best regards, have fun!

 

[Juls64]

can be used anywhere. When you get out of the water and the fins are off, the bootie can protect your feet from rocks, hot sand, whatever.

Juls

 

[bermudaskink]

booties and heel strap fins are extra cost and hassel and if are only planning on doing warm water diving - go with full foot fins. - just try them on first and make sure they feel soft and comfy. Poor fiting ones will rub and give you blisters.

The more flexible blade ones are better - and more comfy to kick with.

I also suggested my split fins cos they are ace for snorkelling as well as diving. I have been so frustrated with many other kinds of fins that stay on the surface too much and are hard to kick with at the surface but underwater they are great.

For fairly low cost, cheap, great diving and snorkelling fins for warm water - get the full foot ones and if you can find a correct size of the Oceanic Vortex V6 fins - you wont regret it! I promise.

Split fins are "supposed" to disturb the substrate underneath you less than ones that aren't split. I have not noticed a real difference on the stiring up the bottom front between split and non slit find though. I do a lot of wreck diving and wear my split fins and they seem fine. Viz doesn't get messed up around me... I think it has a lot to do with your boyancy and your awareness of the bottom getting stirred up... but the other guy who gave you advice on that could be right!

However, I dounbt you will be delving into enclosed wrecks and caves soon with your new full foot split fins.

The only thing I would point is that they are not "thrusters" you wont get a free ride on these fins like you do with some of the more powerfull ones - but how fast do you need to go when diving - you'll miss everything!

So bear in mind to be careful of really strong currents with these fins cos they are not going to help you out as much as other fins.

That being said I can cope fine is surge and moderate currents wearing them