Best snorkel/fins to use snorkeling

[lungfish]

for my two cents worth, a plastic fin like an Omer Millenium works just fine to puddle around on top and do some bounces to even 75-80ft. The long fin makes laying on the surface quite easy and you can motor around without much discomfort, especially if you choose the most flexible option.

I do wear a bootie and finkeeper with my SpecialFins, but I am not on top much. The bootie is 5mm and I don't feel like I am losing anything. The fit is snug, with a finkeeper, it is very comfortable, no rubbing. Feels like a part of me.
If the poster is worried about the cost of Avanti fins and is looking at split fins as well, I don't think that freedivers have much to offer her in the way of advice...

 

[Humuhumunukunukuapua'a]

Wow...weird advice so far. Here's my $.02

Price - fins cost a lot...it's a drag. You can get some cheap ones but all the good ones are expensive.

Splits - I quite like them, especially on the surface. I like Apollo Bio Fins. To say they are garbage is incredibly ignorant.

Freediving fins - No way I'd get freediving fins as a beginner. I know plenty of people who enjoy hours of snorkelling without diving any deeper than 10 feet. Not everyone turns into a deep diving free diver, and some folks here are forgetting that. You really don't want to start out with those long freediving fins.

Full/Open heel - Definitely get open heel. That way you can wear booties to walk across hot sand or rocks to the water. Full foot fins are good only if you're going off a boat or someplace that you can get to the water barefoot. Open heel fins are more flexible in terms of where you can use them. As far as power transfer blah blah...you'll never notice a difference...

Snorkel - one is as good as the next. You can spend a lot or a little. The expensive ones have unnecessary frills. You can learn to clear a plain ole snorkel in about 2 minutes.

Have fun!

 

[Amphibious]

Freediving fins - No way I'd get freediving fins as a beginner. I know plenty of people who enjoy hours of snorkelling without diving any deeper than 10 feet. Not everyone turns into a deep diving free diver, and some folks here are forgetting that. You really don't want to start out with those long freediving fins.

Full/Open heel - Definitely get open heel. That way you can wear booties to walk across hot sand or rocks to the water. Full foot fins are good only if you're going off a boat or someplace that you can get to the water barefoot. Open heel fins are more flexible in terms of where you can use them. As far as power transfer blah blah...you'll never notice a difference...

HUH? have you ever worn freediving fins? I'd GLADY start in a pair! has nothing to do with going deep, but they have massive benifits in lateral travel as well. the trick is to get a SOFT pair.

BAREFOOT? ONLY OFF A BOAT? wonderfull invention called sandles. you wear them to the waterline, slide on your fins , clip them to your belt, and off you go! or you wear neoprene socks. funny, I use footpocket fins in Ice cold northern BC, and shore divign when I'm at Work in the middle east.... hmmm... no boat there!

 

[freediver]

Wow...weird advice so far. Here's my $.02

Price - fins cost a lot...it's a drag. You can get some cheap ones but all the good ones are expensive. True, as with anything, you will probably get what you pay for.

Splits - I quite like them, especially on the surface. I like Apollo Bio Fins. To say they are garbage is incredibly ignorant. I have used splits only a couple of times but I was pleased with their performance.

Freediving fins - No way I'd get freediving fins as a beginner. I know plenty of people who enjoy hours of snorkelling without diving any deeper than 10 feet. Not everyone turns into a deep diving free diver, and some folks here are forgetting that. You really don't want to start out with those long freediving fins. Yes, as I referred to in an earlier post, the OP mentioned surface snorkeling twice so I felt compelled to advise a fin that was suitable for such. Freediving fins are pretty one-dimensional, they are not as maneuverable as a shorter fin. However, if the OP were to consider freediving at some point (which they have not suggested) then I would suggest some long blades.

Full/Open heel - Definitely get open heel. That way you can wear booties to walk across hot sand or rocks to the water. Full foot fins are good only if you're going off a boat or someplace that you can get to the water barefoot. Open heel fins are more flexible in terms of where you can use them. As far as power transfer blah blah...you'll never notice a difference... I agree here as well Humu, I think the durability of an open heel and the fin boot issue (you gotta hate those rocks on bare feet!) would tend to lean me toward open heel fins.
Snorkel - one is as good as the next. You can spend a lot or a little. The expensive ones have unnecessary frills. You can learn to clear a plain ole snorkel in about 2 minutes. Agreed, just an extension of the airway, keep it simple!

Have fun!

By the way original poster, have you looked into any fins yet?