I like to thoroughly research before I buy anything, which is why deciding on fins (as a new, completely inexperienced diver) is driving me crazy: it seems to be completely subjective. I've searched these forums up and down, gone into a number of local dive shops, asked diver friends, and everyone has a different opinion.
It's clear there isn't a consensus, which speaks wonders about the fins out there, but it leaves me with no clear choice: I've spent more than a week doing nothing but researching them, and I'm no closer to making a decision than when I started. I know what the answer is: try as many as you can and then decide! Trouble is, dive shops in the area don't offer many rental options, don't rent many (if any) good quality fins, and the only LDS with a pool has a very limited selection (I went, spent an hour in the pool, learned little). On top of that, I'm about to get my open water certification, and for that I need fins... so I have to buy something, and I have no idea what.
I was close to buying Apollo Bio Fins, but there's no dealer within 3 hours of here (Toronto) so I can't try before I buy, and I'm right between sizes on the chart (9 1/2 foot, but with a size 8 7mm bootie), so it seems like a pricey gamble. So this is my current plan: scrooge it up. I don't know what I want, and I don't have the experience or knowledge to make a good decision, so I'm going to buy a pair of cheap fins that will get the job done (short term), then spend more when I have a better idea what works for me.
So, any recommendations on a decent fin that will last me a couple dozen dives without making me swear, and that also doesn't break the bank? I know that 'ScubaPro Jet Fins' will be the first post if I don't throw up this caveat: I tried them, I hated the foot pocket, and it generally didn't feel right for me. Any suggestions are welcome. I'm not looking for 'it's the best fin I've ever owned!', I'm just looking for 'you won't hate it, and it's not that expensive'
It's clear there isn't a consensus, which speaks wonders about the fins out there, but it leaves me with no clear choice: I've spent more than a week doing nothing but researching them, and I'm no closer to making a decision than when I started. I know what the answer is: try as many as you can and then decide! Trouble is, dive shops in the area don't offer many rental options, don't rent many (if any) good quality fins, and the only LDS with a pool has a very limited selection (I went, spent an hour in the pool, learned little). On top of that, I'm about to get my open water certification, and for that I need fins... so I have to buy something, and I have no idea what.
I was close to buying Apollo Bio Fins, but there's no dealer within 3 hours of here (Toronto) so I can't try before I buy, and I'm right between sizes on the chart (9 1/2 foot, but with a size 8 7mm bootie), so it seems like a pricey gamble. So this is my current plan: scrooge it up. I don't know what I want, and I don't have the experience or knowledge to make a good decision, so I'm going to buy a pair of cheap fins that will get the job done (short term), then spend more when I have a better idea what works for me.
So, any recommendations on a decent fin that will last me a couple dozen dives without making me swear, and that also doesn't break the bank? I know that 'ScubaPro Jet Fins' will be the first post if I don't throw up this caveat: I tried them, I hated the foot pocket, and it generally didn't feel right for me. Any suggestions are welcome. I'm not looking for 'it's the best fin I've ever owned!', I'm just looking for 'you won't hate it, and it's not that expensive'
