Scuba Diving Fins
The scuba diving fin, a truly overlooked, yet very important part of the scuba gear a scuba diver wears. A good diving fin allows a scuba diver to swim effortlessly, while a bad fin can make the swimming more difficult than it needs to be. That is why it is a good idea to arm yourself with as much knowledge as possible before you go out to buy that first (or 50th) pair of fins.
So Many Choices, How Do I Know Which Ones to Pick?
Because of the great amount of advances made in fins over the past decade, many scuba divers find themselves intimidated. They’re not sure what the difference is between one pair of fins and another. This often leads them to pick fins that may be less than ideal for their scuba diving.
The good thing about there being so many different types of scuba diving fins is that there is a greater chance for you to find something that is perfect for you. The key to doing this is to know what to look for.
The Different Types of Fins
There are a few different types of fins, each outlined and described here:
Traditional Paddle Fins. If you’ve ever observed scuba diving, these are the fins you most commonly see divers wearing. They’re fins that have been around for a very long time. Paddle fins are fins that are rather flat and either cover the entire foot or are heal-adjustable. Traditional paddle fins essentially move the water down and up as you swim, allowing you to swim pretty freely. The heal-adjustable traditional paddle fins are most commonly used by scuba divers, while the traditional flat paddle fins are used by snorkelers.
New Paddle Fins. One of the new innovations in scuba diving fins is that of the new paddle fin. It features an optimized pivoting blade designed to give your kick a little more power.
Bio-Fins. Bio-Fins are also fairly recently invented fins that are becoming very popular in the scuba diving world. These are fins that have splits, cutouts or vents. These alterations are said to improve the efficiency and power of a scuba kick. While there is no scientific proof supporting this claim, many divers agree that Bio-Fins are effective fins for scuba diving.
Force Fins. Force Fins are shaped like a smaller version of a whale’s tail. The whole idea of this different shape is that it’s meant to make kicks more efficient and stronger.
How Do I Choose?
Ultimately, picking scuba fins isn’t all about the type or the style, but rather about comfort. Comfortable, durable fins that have a good fit will be good scuba fins for you no matter the style or type.
If you find yourself feeling comfortable in a few different types of fins, you may want to ask yourself the following questions in order to decide which to pick:
How Much Can I Spend? There’s a wide-range of prices among scuba fins, so the easiest way to narrow down your search is to decide how much you can spend. You should keep in mind that the more you spend, the better the quality of the fins.
Are They Durable Enough? Check to see how durable the material feels. Don’t pick a fin that is too flexible or not flexible enough. What Brand? Certain brands have reputations as either being really good or really poor. Read reviews on scuba web sites to determine what brands are worth checking out and what brands to stay away from.
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