Scuba Diving Article
Choosing a Pair of Scuba Fins
What ever you do don't call them "flippers". What is worn on the feet of a Scuba Diver to ease swimming at the surface and below the water are "fins" or "swim fins" and today's scuba diver has many to choose from.
Today's high tech swim fins are a true marvel of engineering and the physics of movement through water. Using sophisticated mathematics and Computer Aided Design techniques, many models of fins bear little resemblance to the traditional full blade or paddle scuba fin. These strongly angled or split fins have been designed to maximize efficiency and glide the diver through the water with minimal expenditure of energy, thus increasing bottom time. But the best measure of how good a scuba fin works is not its design or efficiency, but its comfort - even the best designed scuba fin won't get you from point "A" to point "B" if you are not comfortable wearing it.
Whether the traditional full blade or paddle style, or the more modern split and cut out designs scuba fins are basically divided into two categories, "Full Foot" or "Open Heel. Full Foot fins fit onto the foot like a shoe or boot, "open heel" as the name implies close with an adjustable strap around the heel after the foot is slid inside. Most scuba divers prefer the open heeled models for their versatility. They can be easily worn with other foot accessories like boots, making them usable over a broader range of diving conditions. If you know you are only going to be diving in warm waters, and will not need to wear boots, then full foot fins are probably a better choice, they are a little smaller, and lighter then open heeled fins, and are a little easier to maneuver. Full Foot fins are popular with snorklers.
Many scuba divers still prefer the traditional full blade or paddle fins, yet even these have evolved since their inception, being made from newer and more flexible materials. The key to how a fin works is the size of its blade the bigger the blade the more thrust but the more energy you will expend to move it. Several knew styles of fins, try to maximize thrust and minimize energy use by cutting vents into the blades, changing angles, or splitting the blade. The split blade is the most popular of these innovative designs. The split fin also called bio-fins, dramatically improve the power of a single kick, and therefore decrease the number of kicks needed to cover similar distance using a traditional fin. Other new designs in scuba diving fins carve vents into the blades along with the splits, that force water out with each kick, thus these scuba fins act more like a propeller then a paddle.
Whatever type of fins you choose you should always check them out for fit and comfort like in a pool first, before taking them out to the open water. A good fitting pair of efficient fins is a piece of equipment all divers should own, and will help you get a kick out of scuba diving.
