Advice on selection of fins, mask and snorkel

[robint]

Booties..Its not just if you are diving in warm water or from a boat.....many dive boats don't want you coming onboard with flipflops on (safety hazzard when wet) and you don't want to take good shoes on a boat as they will get wet. So most divers put on the booties and wear them like shoes getting on and off the boat. Piers can be nasty, covered in yucky stuff and splinters, too. Then there is the idea about shore diving. If you ever go to Bonaire, and everyone should, you will need booties.

Some people love full foot fins. That is what we bought when we got certified. I got blisters the first day out. Hubby wasn't far behind me. We replaced them with booties and open-heeled fins when we got back from our first trip. We still have those fins but only use them in a pool.

Also, you do lose heat from your feet, and booties help keep your feet warm. I have 3 pairs of booties, a 3mm pair I rarely use, 5mm pair that I use when shore diving as they have nice thick sole like gym shoes, and a 7mm pair that I use 90% of the time, even in warm water. My feet are always toasty warm!

robin

 

[CaliJoe]

For the $.02 they're worth here is what I recommend:

Fins - If you will be staying recreational go with split fins(Apollo Bio-Fin XT). They are far easier on the your legs and they have a lot of speed. Paddle junkies will tell you that they dont work in a current but this just ain't true. That said I do own three pairs of paddles(Tilos F8100, SP Jet Fins and Aqualung Rocket 2 - in order of preference) they're great for U/W photography. As for silting, that is primarily caused by poor fin technique and/or poor trim. Can you push doubles with split fins? Sure. I do it every time I dive off Laguna Beach and I've done it dragging another diver behind me while he was breathing off my long hose.

Snorkel - Since you plan on racking up a lot snorkeling time, I suggest investing in a good snorkel that you will enjoy using on the water's surface. I personally don't use one. I bought one for certication and gave it away as soon as Laguna allowed diving without one.

Mask - Low volume(Omer Sub)/Frameless(Atomic and Tilos). Great field of view and easily cleared when you flood your mask; intentionally or otherwise.

Lastly, welcome to diving. Be safe and have fun!