Non-split suggestions?

[AllenG]

I am looking for suggestions in fins for my 13 y.o. daughter. She expressly does not want splits. She is a competitive swimmer and feels that the foot motions with splits are counter-productive to her breast stroke work. She will probably need a medium size, so availability of a particular size need not be an issue. Her diving is going to be limited to Carribean vacation diving. Any thoughts?

 

[chickdiver]

Scubapro jets. As a competitive swimmer, she likely has very strong legs, and will feel like she isnt going anywhere with flexible fins. You can also do a great frog kick with them.

 

[Boogie711]

You can't do much better than a Jet Fin - especially for what it sounds like her particular preferred swim style would be.

 

[d33ps1x]

Unless she has huge feet in which case get turtles. They also serve as excellent bails ifyour boat starts sinking.

 

[TwoBitTxn]

I like my quattro's

TwoBit

 

[mrmcfealy]

Although jets are great fins I think they might be a tad overkill. If she is only vacation diving she doesn't need the best fins on the market. Also if she is only diving in the carribean there is no real reason for her to get an open-heal fin. If you get a full-foot fin you can save a bunch of money. The open heel in only necessary when using booties and she won't really need that much thermal protection in the warm water. Save yourself some money and buy a full foot. I like mares like the volo race or the advanti. Save your money on a fin if she is only going to use it on a carribean vacation. She is 13, shell prolly grow alot soon and youll have to buy a whole new setup. Hold off on buying her real quality stuff like jets until she has finished growing.
Hope this helped
Dive safe
Doug
SSI DiveCon

 

[Boogie711]

Save yourself some money and buy a full foot. I like mares like the volo race or the advanti. Save your money on a fin if she is only going to use it on a carribean vacation.

Um - Open Heel Fins not just for exposure protection. Full-foot fins are pretty useless unless the ONLY kind of diving you do is off a boat. I know I wouldn't want to do a shore entry without some booties on.

Secondly, if there is a concern about a foot growing in size, wouldn't it make more sense to get an open heel fin? If she goes from a 7 to an 8 to a 9 or whatever, she can just get new boots, rather than a whole new fin. Eventually, she'd need a bigger fin, but full foot fins are a lot more precise in their sizing requirements.

Thirdly, in terms of purchase price, Jet Fins are hardly the "best fins on the market." That dubious distinction would go to some POS like Force Fins or Apollo Bio Fins. Jet Fins are about 2/3 the price of a Mares Volo or Quattro.

 

[saturated]

Secondly, if there is a concern about a foot growing in size, wouldn't it make more sense to get an open heel fin? If she goes from a 7 to an 8 to a 9 or whatever, she can just get new boots, rather than a whole new fin. Eventually, she'd need a bigger fin, but full foot fins are a lot more precise in their sizing requirements.

Exactly right! Get a big fin then buy booties to fill it...

 

[chickdiver]

Buy full foot (or most any inexpensive) fins and replace them several times OR buy Jets once, and she will have them for a very very long time. An example- I got jets when I learned to dive 17 years ago. I still have, and dive them. I was 15 when I learned to dive, and sizing was not an issue.

 

[kramynot2000]

my non-dry suit set are over 35 years old. Extremely manueverable!