Kids' Fins -- What Kind Needed for Scuba?

Our 12-year-old daughter just started an SSI JOWD course yesterday evening. Mom was with her, as a refresher.

Understanding that a lot of dive shops use OWD training as an opportunity to, um, encourage new divers to buy stuff from their shop, we was bracing for the pitch... even though we've got all our own equipment.

Surprisingly, the instructor was happy with the equipment -- to include my wife's 20-year-old SeaQuest Open Water stab jacket. Except for our daughter's fins.

She's tiny for a 12-year-old, to include her feet. We had bought her some snorkeling full-foot fins last year at the Red Sea... local Egyptian brand, apparently decently-made... typical plastic fins, with black neoprene foot area. But the instructor didn't like those. Said they were fine for snorkeling, or for pool work; but for open-water use anywhere, she'd need "proper" scuba open-heel fins. (No sales pitch, though!)

So what do you all think? I certainly know what proper scuba fins should be, at least for adults... and these are maybe 3/4 as wide and as long as my Mares Avanti's, and soft. But she's a small 12-year-old, who's going to be using them in warm still waters with junior equipment and tank. On the other hand, she's a very strong swimmer (swim team at school).

She had her first pool session yesterday, which was just skin diving techniques -- no scuba yet. Should we wait until we see how she's capable of moving a full rig around with these fins in the pool, before we decide to look for new ones?

--Marek

If the water is warm enough so that she doesn't need boots AND if she can handle walking on the rocks carrying all her gear, the full foot fins should be fine. The divemasters in Cozumel mostly wear full foot fins. Keep in mind that they dive from boats & don't have to walk on rocks to get into the water. Shore diving with full foot fins could cause some problems.

James

Obviously, the cheapest route is to wait and see how she does with full gear on. Talk to the shop and see if she can borrow a pair of their recommended fins to try during training. As whitelightnin said, there are some disadvantages to full foot fins which you want to consider regardless of how much propulsion she generates with the full foot fins.

My 12 YO daughter uses Genesis Aquaflex fins ($40) which are identical to a Mares Plana Avanti and she gets around very well w/ an AL 63 CF tank and her Genesis Recon BC. I wouldn't recommend these to every 12 YO, as they are fairly stiff, but my daughter is a competitive soccer player and has strong legs and big feet (womens size 9). I just bought her a pair of medium ScubaPro Jets to try out as well (only because I got a deal on them).

John

The issue with my daughter isn't the full-foot vs. open-heel part... you definitely need foot protection at the Red Sea where we're going when shore diving; not because of water temp, but because the reefs come right up to the shore. But she's got a pair of thin neoprene surf shoes over which these fins fit very snugly.

I think the biggest issue is how well these kid's fins will propel her through the water with a scuba rig. I guess we'll see during her pool sessions...

This dive operation at the Red Sea has small (metric) kid's tanks... no idea what volume, but they're obviously much less than a 63... about the same height, but narrower.

She's a very strong swimmer; on the school swim team. But she's so darn small and slim...

Genesis Aquaflex, huh? I'll check them out....

...OK, I checked. But they only come in adult sizes, and I don't think her feet would be near big enough... even with booties...

--Marek

If it helps, my neighbor's daughters (ages 10 & 12) both wear medium Jet fins for snorkeling - they both wear size 5 boots. The 12 yr old is about 65-70lbs - so very small also and does fine with them.

Aloha, Tim

kidspot:

If it helps, my neighbor's daughters (ages 10 & 12) both wear medium Jet fins for snorkeling - they both wear size 5 boots. The 12 yr old is about 65-70lbs - so very small also and does fine with them.

Aloha, Tim

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Hi Tim!

Um, you had to get that Jet Fin plug in, didn't you? [url="http://www.scubaboard.com/images/smilies/Standard%20Smiles/04.gif"][url="http://www.scubaboard.com/images/smilies/Standard%20Smiles/04.gif"] [/url][/url](<-- Smiley! Note the smiley!)

Wow! I'm really surprised a kid that small could handle fins that stiff. I used a type of Jet Fins ("JetMaster") back in the late '80s -- they actually dated from probably the late '60s -- and found my shins and ankles were aching... and I don't have wimpy legs. My 14-year-old son is using them now... strangely without complaints.

Like I said, before I incur the further wrath of my wife by buying yet more stuff, I'll see how our kid handles a scuba unit in the pool with her current full-foot snorkeling fins.

--Marek

yup - Always a good idea to try first... and yes I noted the smiley

fyi - they started using jets for snorkeling about 5 months ago, and never seemed to have trouble, I on the other hand had to build my muscles up to them, which took about 3 weeks of regular swimming with them - now I love em'. Although I use (and plan to continue using) jets, I really want to try a pair of splits (heresy, heresy ) to see what all the "to-do" is over them. So I'll try borrowing a pair from a buddy and let ya' all know my impressions when I do...

Now if I wanted to get in a really blatent plug I'd invite you to the first DIR-Fundamentals course on Maui September 22-24, but since I don't want to get accused of that I'll just have to keep my mouth shut I guess (note my smiley! )

Aloha, Tim

kidspot:

Now if I wanted to get in a really blatent plug I'd invite you to the first DIR-Fundamentals course on Maui September 22-24, but since I don't want to get accused of that I'll just have to keep my mouth shut I guess (note my smiley! )

Aloha, Tim

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Um, thanks, but not this time around... seeing as I'm within one time zone of being precisely on the other side of the world from you...

Did I mention I dive with a jacket BC, short hose, and console?

I know, I know... even Samaritans can be saved...

--Marek

Jets are the way to go.

Marek K:

Um, thanks, but not this time around... seeing as I'm within one time zone of being precisely on the other side of the world from you...

Did I mention I dive with a jacket BC, short hose, and console?

I know, I know... even Samaritans can be saved...

--Marek

Click to expand...

LOL - sounds like my regular buddy... Jacket, console, split fins and a great diver...

Aloha, Tim