Scuba & Snorkeling Fins
Purpose
Fins convert leg movement into efficient propulsion through the water, reducing effort and conserving energy. For snorkeling they greatly enhance your range and surface speed; for scuba diving they are essential — without them, moving with the weight of a tank and gear would be exhausting and impractical.
Features
Foot Pocket Style
Full-foot fins enclose the entire foot like a shoe and are worn barefoot or with a thin neoprene or lycra sock. They work best in warm, tropical water where you won't need heavy boots. Open-heel fins have an adjustable spring or buckle strap across the back of the heel and are designed to be worn over neoprene boots. They work in both warm and cold water, are easier to adjust on the fly, and are the standard choice for most scuba divers. When shore diving, consider whether the terrain calls for boots with a thick rubber sole rather than bare feet.
Blade Style & Stiffness
Fins for snorkeling may be shorter and more flexible. Fins for scuba diving need to be longer and stiffer to accommodate for the extra weight of the tank and gear that you will be pushing through the water. While scuba diving fins may be worn while snorkeling, generally snorkeling fins are not meant for scuba diving. A more flexible fin will reduce fatigue and cramping on your legs as you propel through the water, however the compromise will be less speed and power. On the other hand, a stiffer fin may cause more fatigue and cramping, when used with proper kicking technique can provide more efficient speed and power.
Strap Style
Most open-heel fins will have a quick-release style strap easily adjusts for size and unclips for easy exit. Spring straps require no adjustment at all - the spring tension holds the fin securely and makes donning and doffing much faster, particularly when wearing thick gloves. A rubber bungee style is similar to the spring strap in that it requires no adjustment and utilizes the power of the bungee to hold the strap in place. Many divers find that replacing their quick-release straps with spring or bungee straps is one of the best small investments they can make - it's life-changing!
Kicking Style
The flutter kick — straight legs with a slight knee bend, moving up and down — is the standard technique for both snorkeling and scuba diving and works well with most fins. The frog kick (also called a cave kick) uses a sweeping, circular motion similar to a breaststroke kick and is favored by experienced divers for its efficiency and minimal silting in confined spaces. Some fin designs perform equally well with both styles; others are optimized for one or the other.
Care & Maintenance
Even taking the best care of your fins, you may find that over time parts of your fins wear out or get broken. Prior to heading out on your diving or snorkeling excursion, check over your fins to ensure that the strap is still in good working condition. Try extending and tightening the strap to ensure the side buckles are also working correctly.
If you find your strap or side buckles are in disrepair, you can find some replacement parts on our website. Email us a photo of your mask and a close-up of the broken part and we'll see if we can source out a replacement part for you.
After using your fins, especially in salt water or chlorine, be sure to rinse well with clean, fresh water to rid the fins of chlorine and salty residue. Air-dry, then store out of direct sunlight. Store in a flat position and if being stored for extended periods you may want keep the plastic foot pocket shapers to store in the foot pocket to preserve the shape.