Scuba with freediving fins

[woodcarver]

Appreciate the info and the why of the full foot pockets. Your Kevlar socks would probably do a good job of preventing a penetration, but not do much in the way of padding for the rough surface of the "beaches" in Bonaire.
Being fairly good at modifying things to suit my purposes, I was curious if I bought an oversize foot pocket, would it be wide enough to accommodate a dive boot. The increase in drag should be made up for in the reduction of effort by the larger fin. And in my case, using them with scuba, the difference in the drag created by the difference in the foot pocket would be nothing compared to the drag of the scuba equipment.
Seems the open heel is readily available in the EU and Australia, but hard to find in the US. Not sure I'm willing to spend that much on shipping to do a test drive (dive?).

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

I really can't answer your question. A foot pocket needs to fit pretty snugly or it will have a tendency to fall off or move and chafe which would be a problem. Open heel freedive fins are pretty scarce because it seems there is not a whole lot of demand (and the cost to make the mold for each different size footpocket is significant), so it is not a road we are expecting to travel.

i have seen a wide variety of dive boots, some have a very thick sole, a thick wide edge that comes around the edge of the foot and they look to be very sturdy for hiking over challenging terrain. These boots would never fit in our pockets - it would be like putting on a pair of sneakers and then trying to wear hiking boots over them I think.

Other less expensive dive boots have a relatively thin sole and these soles don't wrap around the sides of the feet much. This type of dive boot MIGHT work, but I really don't know of any people using them for this application.

I don't think our footpockets can be user modified - or at least I have not seen it done; i would be concerned with tearing and ripping of the pocket material once it was cut by the user.

Thanks for taking the time to formulate your questions.

Dano

 

[dmaziuk]

Not sure I'm willing to spend that much on shipping to do a test drive (dive?).

I've narrow feet with a 50-50 chance of a chosen foot pocket being wrong. With $50 shipping on Immersions and high likelihood of having to ship them back for another $50... yeah.

 

[Soloist]

Your Kevlar socks would probably do a good job of preventing a penetration, but not do much in the way of padding for the rough surface of the "beaches" in Bonaire.
Being fairly good at modifying things to suit my purposes, I was curious if I bought an oversize foot pocket, would it be wide enough to accommodate a dive boot.

I completely understand the concerns with shore diving without foot protection, but here is an alternative to attempting to stuff a full sized dive boot in a narrow foot pocket. Prior to our next trip to Bonaire I plan on purchasing an ultra lightweight pair of water shoes sized to accept my neoprene socks. Then simply clip the shoes to me upon entering the water safely and dive with my (Mako) freediving fins as intended.

 

[woodcarver]

Thanks, Dano. You answered my other question as well as regards to the concern of a tear in the foot pocket. Might have to look at the option of clipping the boots off and just carrying them as Soloist is looking at doing.

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

Something like this would probably work very well, if you can figure what to do with them during a dive..

https://www.swimoutlet.com/p/easy-u...25504/?q=1&richrelevance&ClickCP&item_pagerr1

 

[woodcarver]

Thanks. I'm going to go dig out my current boots and crocs and see how one or the other might be carried during a dive.

 

[Soloist]

Thanks, Dano. You answered my other question as well as regards to the concern of a tear in the foot pocket. Might have to look at the option of clipping the boots off and just carrying them as Soloist is looking at doing.

Whoever can get to Bonaire first can test this premise! We normally dive there this time of year, but airline tickets are obscene, so we are diving Cozumel instead. I haven’t perfected a method of streamlining the shoes while diving, but working on it. We anchor an exit marker at a depth of 25 feet and I am considering leaving the shoes attached to the float line and pick them up at the end of the dive. It’s never easy......

 

[woodcarver]

We'll be there in August! If I can figure out a solution, I'll probably get a pair of Mako's fins and take them along. Have fun in Coz! Looking at going back there also before long.

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

We'll be there in August! If I can figure out a solution, I'll probably get a pair of Mako's fins and take them along. Have fun in Coz! Looking at going back there also before long.

Reminder: Our killer sale on fins ends in April!