Advice on selection of fins, mask and snorkel

[chrisandk]

Hi,

I am new to SB and have plan learning diving sometime soon.

I snorkel once and will be going to snorkel again in December 08 and have plan learning diving in May 09 in Bali.

Prior to purchasing some equipments, i would like to get some advices from you on choice of equipment (Fins, mask and snorkel).

I did a research and found that i like the fins below:

Fins
------
1. Scubapro Twin Jet Max (split fins)
2. Mares Volo Power Adjustable Strap Fins (paddle fins)

What is the difference between Scubapro jet and Scubapro twin jet?

Snorkel
-------
1. Oceanic ultradry snorkel



Mask
-----
Undecided


Thanks.

 

[ucfdiver]

I suggest getting a low profile mask, and scubapro jet fins (not twins or splits).

Reason-
Low profile masks are easier to clear, because there's less volume to be clearing.
"Split" (twin) fins are somewhat (although small) of a tangle hazard, are hard to back kick in, and many people struggle to avoid silting in them.

 

[danvolker]

Hi,

I am new to SB and have plan learning diving sometime soon.

I snorkel once and will be going to snorkel again in December 08 and have plan learning diving in May 09 in Bali.

Prior to purchasing some equipments, i would like to get some advices from you on choice of equipment (Fins, mask and snorkel).

I did a research and found that i like the fins below:

Fins
------
1. Scubapro Twin Jet Max (split fins)
2. Mares Volo Power Adjustable Strap Fins (paddle fins)

What is the difference between Scubapro jet and Scubapro twin jet?

Snorkel
-------
1. Oceanic ultradry snorkel



Mask
-----
Undecided


Thanks.

My advice on the best gear for freediving/snorkeling, and also optimal for scuba:

• Mask : Cressi Superochio ( low profile, great skirt does not leak, good view angles) example-- Adrenaline Spearfishing Supplies - Dive Equipment Specalists
• Snorkel --Omer example-- see Adrenaline Spearfishing Supplies - Dive Equipment Specalists
• Fins...great freediving fin that will anihilate the performance of any of the scuba fins, whether used for snorkeling or scuba.... specialfins.com These are the B&W Specials....I got mine from Florida Freedivers - Spearfishing & Freediving Gear which is a shop near West Palm Beach, fl.

**note** I am not suggesting you buy the gear from australia...this particular shop has a big selection, so it made answering your post easier


You do not want a snorkel with a purge....this is one of the most ludicrous items a person who plans on learning to dive could ever buy...for a "Never-Ever", on a one time only snorkel session, the purge makes some sense....other wise, it is big profit for the dive shop, and crappy **** that could bite you in the ass later. Do not get a purge snorkel. Learn in calm water with a straight J snorkel. A decent freediver with a straight J snorkel is fine in 8 foot seas.

Freediving fins take a few sessions to learn the coordination for, but once you get them, the difference is dramatic.

REgards,
Dan Volker

 

[chrisandk]

Thanks for all your feedbacks.

Sounds like i should go for paddle fins.

As for Dan's advice, i am not into freediving. I guess, freediving fins will not be suitable for me?

I am new to diving, i just did a search on free diving, tech diving and normal diving (with cylinder) and finally understand what's the difference

I am after a pair for fin, mask and snorkel for normal diving, not tech diving, not free diving.

As for the purge thing on mask, you are right. I did snorkeling without a purge mask and i am fine with it. Thanks for your 2 cents

It would be great if anyone can answer my question below.

What is the difference between Scubapro jet and Scubapro twin jet?

Will split fin be a dangle hazard? I have the same thought too and Ucfdiver has also highlighted that ... anyone have experience this before?

Please advise.

Thanks.

 

[Sas]

Some people love split fins so it might be worthwhile to give both a shot if you have some available. I know a lot of people with 100s of dives in split fins who have never been entangled... There are huge debates about split fins, which I would take with a grain of salt, use what is comfortable for you! I personally dive with paddle fins that I like well enough but I don't fin a lot when diving so perhaps I am not the best judge of what makes a good fin!

With mask, avoid gimmicks like purge valves (very unnecessary) and yes, a low volume mask is good! Fit is very important with the masks so if you get it from a shop spend some time trying out heaps to see what you like best. Some thing to think about is that some people do not like clear skirts as they stain and apparently cause more glare if it is sunny.

With a snorkel, get the cheapest possible one you can, and one that folds up. The cheapest I have found is $10. Snorkels are overpriced and you may find you never end up using it again after your OW class. I hate wearing one and don't know a lot of people who still have theirs on dives. If you do love your snorkel on when diving then you've only spent $10 and can get a new fancy one! If you hate it and have bought a fancy one then that is a lot of money to waste.

Good luck with your diving!

 

[robint]

paddle fins vs. split fins....... big debates here on SB so I won't get one started again. I like splits as they are less stressful on my joints and I don't have a silting problem.

Mask --- a mask must be fitted to your face. Some people have very average size and shape faces so most masks fit them (like my husband, he can wear about any mask). Me and daughter on the other hand are different - we have small narrow faces, 95% of masks that fit everyone else don't fit us. Some people have wrinkles, some people have eyes closer together, large noses, etc. that make fitting a mask more challenging. So my opinion is GO to your LDS and have the clerk there help you fit a mask.

 

[stairman]

UCFDIVER is a caver like myself which explains his distaste for split fins.They are harder to frogkick with and dont have the thrust to push steel twin tanks against a brisk current.As for the entanglement issue I dont see a problem there as most OWdivers dont run many lines like we do.Like Sas said it would be nice to try both,but if overhead diving is in your future youll be getting jetts with spring heels Im sure.A mask that fits is most important,even if no air seeps in while inhaling through it,push it tight against your forehead to simulate water pressure and if it presses against your forehead too hard a headache will occur so avoid it,and try another.Small profile IMO is not important.Neither is a snorkle.A cheap tube works great.I havent used one for scuba in years.It creates drag,is a line entanglement hazard,and could be a cause of a dislodged mask.The pro's are,you can breathe on the surface while looking down.

 

[chrisandk]

Next question Open Heel Fins vs Full Foot Fins?

Do we all need open heel fins for scuba diving? Is it compulsory to wear the 'shoes'?

Most of the time, i snorkel in warm water, thus i don't really care what type of fin i am wearing.

But for scuba diving, if the water is warm on the surface, if i go down 30m, the chances for it to be cold is pretty high, right? Does that mean a pair of shoes is needed with open heel fins?

Can we wear open heel fins without scuba shoes?

Thanks for your 2 cents

-----------------------------
Research results:
Seems like i should go for scubapro kinetix fin and for aqualung slingshot, i guess it is too advance for me as a newbie? maybe i won't get use of the flip flop sound as it retracts.

 

[Daggnabit]

One thing that you also might want to take into consideration is what a mask is made of. Silicone skirt masks make for a better fit around the face but it is a more expensive material then say PVC. At my job I deal a lot with the PVC masks and about half that come in are deformed and can deform later if stored in a hot place. I have to check every single one to make sure they fit properly and it's very annoying.

Full foot fins are nice if you are in warm waters with out booties on, open heel fin I would suggest wearing booties because all the ones that I have seen are designed for that. I suggest open heal fins for scuba because you can wear booties and if the strap breaks you can replace it without having to buy a whole new set of fins. You can find booties with various thicknesses and can buy a pair accordingly. I personally have 7mm but the dives I go on are at the very least 60 ft and on a warm summer day its in the 50's.

 

[Winterpeg]

Next question Open Heel Fins vs Full Foot Fins?

I am a new diver but will tell you about my experience with full foot fins. I had the same question as you - why wear boots in warm water??
I went on a cruise last winter and booked dive excursions in 4 ports in the Caribbean. I had only my own mask and snorkel and relied on rental gear for the rest. In the first of our 4 ports there were a large group of divers from our ship and when we got to the dive shop we were given a pile of full foot fins to try on. I tried a couple of pairs and wasn't truly happy with them but chose the pair I thought were the best fit. We headed out for a 2 tank dive. During the first dive I could feel the fins rubbing the tops of my feet. I tried wiggling around in them but it didn't get any better. By the end of the dive I was in agony. During the surface interval I removed my fins to find open blisters rubbed raw.:shocked2: I told the divemaster I didn't feel I could manage the second dive and showed him my feet. He gave me his own socks right out of his running shoes and a larger pair of full foot fins and told me to wear the fins over my socks, which I did and managed to complete the second dive. Needless to say, when we got back to the dive shop I purchased a pair of fins and boots, as I still had 3 days of diving left.
So the short answer to your question is that the boots add padding and prevent rubbing and blisters, and are more comfortable than full foot fins. You don't need thick boots in warm water. Hope this helps.