9833
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I'm looking for a pair of open heeled fins that are good for warm and cold water. Any suggestions?
Which Fins?
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BIGSAGE136
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This is always fun. IMMHO....comfort is king! Personally, I love jets with spring straps.
Safe diving!
the best fins that I know of that offer the kind of fit flexibility to fit anything from barefoot to drysuit boot with a single fin is ForceFins, the simple addition of the comfort insteps quickly size them down about 1 size each. since most of us dive with a bootie even in warm water a single set of the insteps is more than enough. The Pro Force is a perfect fin unless you plan to mostly use a frog kick. They are available from Scuba.com for only a slight premium over Atomic Splits and they easily match the performance of the Atomic
Shaka Doug
Contributor
Here we go again! (Does this question automatically pop up once a week or something??)
You probably haven't heard of them yet over in the UK but you can find them online...I'm talking about Mor-Fins. They are shaped like a Tuna and they work amazingly well for me. They have almost ZERO drag and they are quite easy to kick. They are also priced way below most splits and paddles and they're definitely less expensive than Force Fins. You can buy them with or without straps too.
Here's a video of them in action:
You probably haven't heard of them yet over in the UK but you can find them online...I'm talking about Mor-Fins. They are shaped like a Tuna and they work amazingly well for me. They have almost ZERO drag and they are quite easy to kick. They are also priced way below most splits and paddles and they're definitely less expensive than Force Fins. You can buy them with or without straps too.
Here's a video of them in action:
worlddiver
Contributor
I like my new Cressi fins but I still have my good old jet fins. Bottom line do NOT buy a pair of spilt fins. The spilt fins is just a bad design and will never save your life. I also tried to surface tow my buddy and found them worthless.
Can't beat Jets. Spring straps are, IMO, an unnecessary extra expense.
Scuba Pro Jets, Leisure Pro, 65 dollars last time I checked, last a lifetime time or two.
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PScUba
Registered
Besides everyone just recommending what they dive with I have a few of questions:
I know you said warm and cold water, but what type of diving interest you? Do you plan on ever getting into "tech" diving? What type of kicks do you like to use? Are you in decent physical shape?
Cold water means you typically have more exposure protection and equipment, increasing your drag in the water and so you might be better with a strong paddle fin. In warm water you can get away with most any type of fin.
If you plan on getting into "tech" diving, you definitely don't want a split fin or the Mor-Fins recommended above. The cuts in the fin that make them easy to kick also make them easy to get caught on something in a cave of wreck. If you ever plan on "tech" just save yourself time and look at SP Jets or something like that.
I have used splits and paddles and can kick well with either, but they both have advantages. For a quick flutter it is much easier (and I think gives better propulsion) with split fins. For most any other type of kick (frog, back, turns) paddles tend to be better.
Also if you have hip/knee problems or have legs that cramp or are just a little weaker, split fins will be easier to kick with. Big, strong legs and you may prefer paddle fins.
Pick a type of fin and then look specifically for a fin that goes with the type of diving you want to do. Hope all this helps!
PS Fit really is important and I dove/dive both sets of fins, so don't think I prefer one over the other. Just depends what you want to do with them.
I know you said warm and cold water, but what type of diving interest you? Do you plan on ever getting into "tech" diving? What type of kicks do you like to use? Are you in decent physical shape?
Cold water means you typically have more exposure protection and equipment, increasing your drag in the water and so you might be better with a strong paddle fin. In warm water you can get away with most any type of fin.
If you plan on getting into "tech" diving, you definitely don't want a split fin or the Mor-Fins recommended above. The cuts in the fin that make them easy to kick also make them easy to get caught on something in a cave of wreck. If you ever plan on "tech" just save yourself time and look at SP Jets or something like that.
I have used splits and paddles and can kick well with either, but they both have advantages. For a quick flutter it is much easier (and I think gives better propulsion) with split fins. For most any other type of kick (frog, back, turns) paddles tend to be better.
Also if you have hip/knee problems or have legs that cramp or are just a little weaker, split fins will be easier to kick with. Big, strong legs and you may prefer paddle fins.
Pick a type of fin and then look specifically for a fin that goes with the type of diving you want to do. Hope all this helps!
PS Fit really is important and I dove/dive both sets of fins, so don't think I prefer one over the other. Just depends what you want to do with them.
Jorgy
Contributor
I think that foot pocket fit with your dive booties is one of the top priorities....I have seen way to many folks with sores on their feet from improper fitting fins/booties.
I have both yellow ScubaPro Twin Jets (split fin) and Jets, a dry suit pair fitted with SS springs, a warm water pair with the standard straps.
I started with the Twin Jets, and my wife bought a set of plain paddle fins (can't even remember which ones), she kept getting leg cramps at the end of longer dives so one day she took my Tiwn Jets for a dive, from that day on she has used the Twin Jets exclusively. When our children became certified she immediately got them there own pair of yellow Twin Jets "no child of ours shall ever endure the pain of leg cramps" hers were pretty bad.
I found a pair of very, very used Jets (old rentals no less) at a local dive store clean out sale for $5 and used them for a few years when we all dove together, then one day she found 2 pairs of Jets (still in the boxes) at a yard sale and bought them for $10 a pair, deal of the year, those are the ones I use now.
I like the "control" and size of the Jets (easy to pack, as they are relatively short) but leg cramps do happen, I like the Twin Jets as they feel like there is nothing on your feet, they are just so easy to dive with.
Jets are heavy - which can be an advantage in a dry suit as you may not need ankle weights if you currently use them.
I have used both fins in a dry suit, with doubles, with a camera and other than "fine control" I prefer the Twins. From my perspective (unscientific) Jets accelerate faster but Twins are easier to hold at top speed for longer, as in trying to catch up to a dive group after lingering far to long in one spot to try and take a picture or if long surface swims.
My son and I dove the Yucatan Cenotes last summer him with Twin Jets me with Jets, we both moved easily through the water without kicking up silt.
My recommendation is to try a bunch on fins before you buy a pair, your fining style may dictate a preference for one versus the other.
Just my thoughts...M
I have both yellow ScubaPro Twin Jets (split fin) and Jets, a dry suit pair fitted with SS springs, a warm water pair with the standard straps.
I started with the Twin Jets, and my wife bought a set of plain paddle fins (can't even remember which ones), she kept getting leg cramps at the end of longer dives so one day she took my Tiwn Jets for a dive, from that day on she has used the Twin Jets exclusively. When our children became certified she immediately got them there own pair of yellow Twin Jets "no child of ours shall ever endure the pain of leg cramps" hers were pretty bad.
I found a pair of very, very used Jets (old rentals no less) at a local dive store clean out sale for $5 and used them for a few years when we all dove together, then one day she found 2 pairs of Jets (still in the boxes) at a yard sale and bought them for $10 a pair, deal of the year, those are the ones I use now.
I like the "control" and size of the Jets (easy to pack, as they are relatively short) but leg cramps do happen, I like the Twin Jets as they feel like there is nothing on your feet, they are just so easy to dive with.
Jets are heavy - which can be an advantage in a dry suit as you may not need ankle weights if you currently use them.
I have used both fins in a dry suit, with doubles, with a camera and other than "fine control" I prefer the Twins. From my perspective (unscientific) Jets accelerate faster but Twins are easier to hold at top speed for longer, as in trying to catch up to a dive group after lingering far to long in one spot to try and take a picture or if long surface swims.
My son and I dove the Yucatan Cenotes last summer him with Twin Jets me with Jets, we both moved easily through the water without kicking up silt.
My recommendation is to try a bunch on fins before you buy a pair, your fining style may dictate a preference for one versus the other.
Just my thoughts...M
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