Fabulous Fin Finder: How to Choose the Perfect Fin
If you have ever gotten a salt water sea blister from a too small fin or experienced the excruciating pain of an underwater fin cramp you understand the importance of having the right fitting fins.
In Scuba Diving as with any sport, your equipment greatly impacts your experience and performance. Fins are usually one of the first pieces of equipment that divers buy (Read: Five Equipment Essentials for Every Scuba Diver).
Dive shops typically offer basic entry level fins, which are great when you are a newbie. But as you become a more experienced diver you will want to progress to a fin that offers a more personalized experience, greater power and propulsion.
Why do we use fins?
Humans have always looked to nature for inspiration, and Leonardo da Vinci’s 15th century sketches are the first known historical concept of fins. Our first modern version of the fins we have today were patented in the 1930s by Louis de Corlieu, who called them “propulseurs de natation et de sauvetage” (swimming and rescue propulsion devices).
Today, fins have evolved to be an essential piece of equipment for swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, freediving and spearfishing. Fins continue to evolve with new innovations being developed in materials, design and different features.
While the design might continue to evolve the science behind fins remains the same. Fins serve a single purpose, to increase your propulsion and reduce effort. By using fins, divers expend less effort moving through the water. This reduces oxygen consumption, extending bottom time for scuba divers. When we use fins we move further, faster and with less effort. Minimizing effort is particularly important in freediving and scuba diving where we want to minimize air consumption.
Moving in water requires more effort than on land, as water is nearly 800 times denser than air. When we wear fins it increases the surface area of our feet, and a greater surface area means that with every kick stroke we displace more water. Along with a greater surface area, wearing fins extends the length of the leg of the diver, creating a longer leaver for each stroke. A longer leaver with greater surface area means that with each kick we displace more water which increases the power of each fin cycle, resulting in greater thrust and less energy expenditure.
Types of Fins
While there are different styles of fins for different water sports there are two basic different fin styles:
Full-Foot Fins: These are worn barefoot and are great for warm waters and snorkeling. They’re lightweight and convenient for traveling.
Example: TUSA FULL FOOT RUBBER FIN
Open-Heel Fins: Require dive boots and offer a more adjustable fit, making them ideal for scuba diving and colder waters.
Example: MARES AVANTI QUATTRO OPEN HEEL FIN WITH BUNGEE STRAP
When you are trying to decide between full-foot and open-heel fins, your dive shop expert might ask you:
Do you do most of your diving here in the Caribbean or do you dive somewhere else?
When we ask you this question, we are looking to find out what temperature of water you are typically diving in. If you do most of your diving here in the Caribbean Sea where the water is between 26°C-30°C you do not need to wear boots to protect from the cold. You can comfortably dive without boots, in a closed heel fin. If you are prone to cold, you can always add light neoprene sock for extra protection.
If you are diving in colder water you will want to choose an open-heel fin with a neoprene boot. The boots will provide protection against the cold.
Boots for your fins
While you might not need boots for diving in the Caribbean, most dive professionals choose to use open-heel fins with boots.
Example: AQUALUNG Manta Boots
Full-foot fins can wear out more quickly, especially if constantly taken on and off. Open-heel fins with boots tend to be more durable and can handle a variety of conditions.
Choosing the boot and open heel fin means better fit and comfort when diving. When you add a boot to your fin you lengthen your leg leaver and the support of the boot helps maintain a straighter position, strengthening your kick. As the open heel fins are adjustable it means a better fit with less slack. This creates smoother kick cycles, for greater propulsion. Adding a boot also gives you more stability in your kicks, which is particularly beneficial if there are strong currents and waves.
Perhaps the most important reason why divers choose boots with their fins, is for the foot protection. Many shore entrances are rocky, the boat deck can be slippery and there is often a walk on hot sand or stones to the launch. To protect their feet for the time when they are not in the water, divers will choose the fin with boot configuration.
Example: Manta Boot and Seawing Nova Fin
When shopping for fins, the next question your dive expert might ask is:
What type of diving do you do-Sea or Cenote, Ocean or Lakes?
You might be wondering why this is an important consideration when choosing your fins?
If you are diving in the Caribbean Sea it is saltwater, if you are in lakes or cenotes it is freshwater. Saltwater is denser than freshwater, this means that it requires more effort to move through saltwater than freshwater.
Saltwater is more buoyant than freshwater, which means you will more naturally float in saltwater. In order to offset this floatability you will want to choose fins that are negative or neutrally buoyant.
Since saltwater is denser, you will want to choose fins that offer more thrust and efficiency, like paddle or vented fins. In freshwater cave or cavern diving, where precision is key, divers often use stiff, compact fins for better control in tight spaces.
Other Design Considerations
There are a few other design considerations when choosing your fins such as Blade Design, Stiffness, and Recreational versus Technical Diving.
Blade Design:
- Vented Blades: Reduce drag and improve thrust, ideal for strong currents.
- Channel Blades: Help direct water flow for a more efficient kick.
- Rigid vs. Flexible Blades: Rigid blades provide more power but require stronger legs, while flexible blades are easier to use but may not offer as much propulsion.
Stiffness
- Soft Fins: Easier to kick, great for beginners and snorkelers.
- Stiff Fins: Require more effort but provide more thrust, preferred by experienced divers and freedivers.
Recreational vs. Technical Diving
- Recreational divers: can choose closed heel or basic fins
- Technical divers: require more powerful blade designs.
Fit and Comfort
The most important factor in choosing a fin is that it fits comfortably. Whenever possible try before you buy. Take note of the brands and styles you try with your rental gear, ask to borrow a dive buddies fins, get recommendations from friends, instructors and dive professionals!
More than just blisters and cramps the wrong fin can impact your buoyancy, and control in different underwater environments.
Xico Dive Shop's Top Fin Picks:
High-Performance Fins: Our top choice for high performance fins are the SCUBAPRO Seawing Series. Available in the Seawing Nova Series and the Seawing Super Nova Series, these fins combine beautiful aesthetic with power and performance. Available in multiple colours you can effortlessly coordinate your fit to match your mood.
The Seawing Nova combines the power, acceleration, and maneuverability of a blade fin with the comfort and efficiency of a split fin. Its unique design provides excellent thrust and reduces leg fatigue, making it suitable for divers seeking high performance with minimal effort.
An evolution of the Seawing Nova, the Seawing Supernova offers enhanced performance, construction, fit, and versatility. It provides maximum power when needed, increased speed, and excellent maneuverability across various kick techniques. The Supernova's design addresses stability issues noted in earlier models, offering improved performance for advanced divers.
Key Differences: While both fins share a similar foundational design, the Supernova features advancements that enhance stability and versatility, making it a preferred choice for divers seeking top-tier performance.
Versatile Multi-Level Fins: If you are looking for great fins that wont break the bank and that will stay with you as you progress from beginner to pro you will want to check out the Bonassi Marlin and the Scubapro Jet Sport fins. Both fins have similar design styles with adjustable straps and rigid blades.
The Bonassi Marlin fins are designed for adaptability across different diving conditions. Their balanced design offers reliable performance, making them a great choice for divers who engage in various diving activities.
The Jet Sport fins are known for their excellent thrust and maneuverability. They are lightweight yet robust, providing a comfortable fit and efficient performance, suitable for both novice and experienced divers.
Premium Technical Diving Fins: Dive professionals and technical divers require a different caliber of fins from regular recreational divers. Our top pick is the Scubapro Jet Pro fins, in classic black and camo green these are the technical divers go to fin.
For technical divers, the SCUBAPRO Jet Pro fins are a premium choice. Built for demanding environments, these rugged fins offer unparalleled durability and control. With advanced features like vented blades and reinforced materials, they excel in challenging conditions such as wreck or cave diving.
Introductory and Rental Fins: If you are just starting out on your journey as a diver and you are only diving in the Caribbean Sea, there is no need to break the bank on buying top of the line fins. The Aqualung Express and the Aqualung Stratos are the perfect choice for the warm water recreational diver. A favorite for rentals among dive shops and centers.
The Aqualung Express fins are excellent for beginners, offering ease of use and efficient performance. Their design ensures comfortable wear, making them ideal for dive shops and rental gear.
Designed with durability and flexibility in mind, the Aqualung Stratos fins are perfect for dive centers and novice divers. Their robust construction ensures longevity, even with frequent use, making them a reliable choice for rental equipment.
Travel-Friendly Warm Water Fins: And the winner for best economical and travel fin are the TUSA full foot rubber fin. On sale now for $650 MXN these wont last long!
TUSA fins are renowned for their lightweight and compact design, making them ideal for warm water travel, pool sessions, snorkeling, and diving. Their comfortable fit and efficient performance cater to divers and snorkelers seeking convenience without compromising on quality.
Final Tips
Choosing the right fins can make a huge difference in your underwater experience. Whether you're gliding over a coral reef or diving deep into a cenote, the right fins will keep you moving comfortably and efficiently.
- Always test your fins in the water before committing to long dives.
- Buy travel-friendly fins if you dive in multiple locations.
- Invest in quality. A good pair of fins will last for years!
Visit Xico Dive Shop in Playa del Carmen and let one of our experts help you find the fin of your dreams. We are located on Calle Flamingos between Calle 38 and Calle 40. Open daily from 9am-8pm and online shopping at www.xicodiveshop.com.