New diver and I want to buy fins

[undrwater]

What are your thoughts on open heel vs full foot? We will be doing mostly vacation diving.

Vacation diving where? If it's always going to be in warm waters, that'll narrow down the field.

 

[Altamira]

If you buy a pair of fins before training, certification, and diving with as many different fins as you can before purchasing, I can almost guarantee you will be buying a different pair within a year. You also have to make a realistic assessment of your physical fitness, especially leg strength, and how much diving you will actually be doing on a weekly, monthly, or yearly basis. Experienced and frequent divers with strong legs, and no knee/hip problems, etc., can effectively use any kind of fin. Other divers, perhaps not in ideal shape or dive infrequently, may find some of the fins mentioned by others give them nothing but cramps and joint pain. After OW training, and gaining some dive experience, you will be better able to make an honest self-assessment of your actual needs. That is a good time to buy a used pair of fins for your first purchase. There are a lot of used fins on the market being sold by people that bought fins but did not complete dive training, or continue diving very much after training, or bought what their LDS was selling rather than what they needed. The excellent advice others have given you about buying spring straps is invaluable. You will never regret adding the spring straps.

 

[Fossil_Diver]

Again I recommend Jetfins. They have good power but not so much that you need super strong legs to kick them. They aren't too long and are easy to maneuver with. They are easy to find for sale used. You can even find singles for sale online if you happen to lose one. And if you decide you don't like them they are easy to resell and hold their value. $50 used is about the going rate.
I recently got a pair of Mares AvantiQuattros with the fancy ABS buckles that were only used for a certification class the person didnt finish. They are no doubt a good fin. But after trying them I went right back to my old Jetfins and the Quattros are now listed on ebay. They look like they are brand new and I'm having a hard time selling them for less than half price new. They have been listed for about a month now. I know If I listed my Jetfins they would sell in a couple days.
I don't want to sound like a cheerleader for Jetfins, but yeah...rah rah Jetfins! Lol

 

[TMHeimer]

See--other thread in this forum. Buy open heal fins & spring straps--tropical or Arctic diving.

 

[dmaziuk]

What are your thoughts on open heel vs full foot? We will be doing mostly vacation diving.

Much more important considerations are

• fin fit and
  
• your physical fitness, specifically at fin swimming.

Full foot pockets are better at power transfer if they fit well and you have the power to transfer. The downside is what everyone says about needing booties. Also, when the pocket splits at the heel you have to buy new fins.

If you're not used to it, you'll likely get cramps. From larger fins, stiffer fins, ill-fitting fins, heavier fins. Heavy fins will likely make your feet sink in a warm water vacation setting. Ill-fitting fins are probably the worst.

 

[Johanan]

To make it simple, for "vacation diving" I would chose Mares Avanti Quattro with a bungee strap. This is an all-round fin hard to surpass. Apeks RK3 (my favourites), Hollis F1 or 2, Scubapro Jet Fins might be a choice for more specific purposes, especially dry suit diving.

Steve Bogaerts himself seems diving Quattros in this nice video: