It's more or less like riding a bicycle in high or low gear. If you go up hill you want a higher gear...in diving this is the split fin. It's easier on your body but you have to kick twice as much.
If you go down hill on a bicycle you will want to be in low gear...in diving this is the paddle fin. If you don't need to move very fast but do need control and maneuverability paddle fins are great.
In between you can use either. For no current and a long surface swims splits are nice. Splits basically feel like you have no fins on so it feels weird at first.
You can do most any type of kick with either but flutter kicks are more advantageous for splits . Frog kicking is the domain of paddle fins.
If you typically aren't in current and you have to surface swim long distances then splits might be for you. If you have great viz and don't intend to get near the bottom and therefore can just flutter kick throughout the dive...splits may be for you.
For many/most other conditions paddles seem to work best (IMO). I have both and these days just use paddles. (You can frog kick in splits and flutter kick in paddles...it's just a matter of efficiency).
If you go down hill on a bicycle you will want to be in low gear...in diving this is the paddle fin. If you don't need to move very fast but do need control and maneuverability paddle fins are great.
In between you can use either. For no current and a long surface swims splits are nice. Splits basically feel like you have no fins on so it feels weird at first.
You can do most any type of kick with either but flutter kicks are more advantageous for splits . Frog kicking is the domain of paddle fins.
If you typically aren't in current and you have to surface swim long distances then splits might be for you. If you have great viz and don't intend to get near the bottom and therefore can just flutter kick throughout the dive...splits may be for you.
For many/most other conditions paddles seem to work best (IMO). I have both and these days just use paddles. (You can frog kick in splits and flutter kick in paddles...it's just a matter of efficiency).