Best snorkel/fins to use snorkeling

[holdingmybreath]

get a full foot that fits and it won't fall off.. no need to be dealing with broken fin straps. The avanti quattro fins are great but kinda heavy, popular with the underwater hockey players. everyone seems to be suggestion fins that are very poplular in the freediving circles.. don't be so concerned at looking at the omer milleniums, or the cressi gara's, or any other long fin.. sounds like you'll be at the surface more than under the water and freediving fins for the most part are not real good on the surface unless you're swimming on your back or side.
Forget the split fins.. they're junk. My wife likes her seaquest advantage fins and has never liked any of the freediving fins I've gotten for her. She's content to do a lot of surface snorkeling and says they're comfortable, easy to use, and work.
good luck.

 

[Zak OHara]

Krissy,
I have to agree if you are doing mostly "snorkeling" I'd go with a full foot fin as you will get more power transfer from your leg into the fin. Full foots also are generally less expensive. A good fitting full foot fin should not fall off. Also remember should you choose an open heel fin you will also most likely need some sort of bootie for a better fit and also foot protection "strap chaffe on the achilles".
Below are MSRP's for the Mares full foot fins.

• 
  Volo Race $89. These are the best fins for snorkeling / scuba that we make. With our proprietary Optimal Pivoting Blade technology in combination with channel thrust technology, these fins offer the most power w/ the least resistance or energy spent kicking them.

• 
  Avanti Tre $59. These are great for snorkeling and scuba, they channel the water very effeciently and produce great power. Not as easy as the volo's but still great.

• 
  Avanti HP $49. Also a great fin, just doesn't have all the water channeling properties as the Avanti Tre.

Zak

 

[krissy19747]

the avanti tre are the open heeled ones right?

 

[Zak OHara]

Krissy,

the Avanti tres are the full foot version of the Avanti X-3 open heel. The blades are almost identical, only the footpockets are different.

Zak

 

[krissy19747]

i found them thanks..: )

 

[Amphibious]

I see people pushing the scuba fins. invest in a freediving fin. honestly, how long can you stay at the surface for before you want to start diving? and once you leave the surface those little short scuba fins just arn;t going to cut it.

 

[freediver]

The differences in the Avantis would be the number of channels they have. They have two, three and four channel fins. I believe the Avantis are a bit longer than a standard fin but I wouldn't suggest getting a freediving fin that may result in a cramp several feet submerged when you find out your legs were not ready for them.
The full foot fins are fine but keep in mind that if you rip the foot pocket on a full foot fin, it becomes a wall ornament. If you break a strap on an open heel fin you can simply replace the strap. However, if the full foot fin is sized correctly and you take care of them they should last a while.

 

[Zak OHara]

freediver,
you are correct by stating the Avanti fins come with different channels. I specifically was comparing the Avanti tres which is a 3 channel full foot and the Avanti X-3 which is a 3 channel open heel. These two fins for all intensive purposes are the same except for the foot pocket.

The Avant Quattro open heel has 4 channels, we do not make this in a closed foot any longer. The Avantis X-3 open heel is 3 channels and the full foot version is called the Avanti tres. The Avanti HP is a closed foot pocket and is a 2 channel, we do not make this in an open heel any longer.

As for the foot pocket vs open heel. I suggest a full foot pocket. It is much better for snorkeling and non serious freediving. As you know most more serious freedivers wear a fullfoot long fin as opposed to an open heel. You will always get much more power transfer per kick cycle, which results in fewer kicks, and ultimately longer breath holds.

Whether one should by an open heel fin because the strap is replaceable. I say for 60 - 80$ you buy what is best for your application and enjoy it. Heck $80 hardly buys a dinner and a bottle of wine which is consumed and enjoyed in a couple of hours. One will get many years from one of our full foot fins assuming one doesn't drag it behind the car.

 

[Amphibious]

I wouldn't suggest getting a freediving fin that may result in a cramp several feet submerged when you find out your legs were not ready for them.
The full foot fins are fine but keep in mind that if you rip the foot pocket on a full foot fin, it becomes a wall ornament. If you break a strap on an open heel fin you can simply replace the strap. However, if the full foot fin is sized correctly and you take care of them they should last a while.

1. a properly fitted, soft freediving fin will not be anymore likely to cramp your leg then a short, inefficient scubafin. the advantage of the Omer's or Sporasub's is the blades are remmoveable so you can "upgrade" down the road.

2. I have 1000's of hours on my freediving fins and have never torn a pocket. foot pockets are the ONLY way to go for snorkling/freediving. they are far more efficent then a strap fin and are usually a tighter fit (less slop = less likely for arch cramps)

 

[freediver]

1. a properly fitted, soft freediving fin will not be anymore likely to cramp your leg then a short, inefficient scubafin. the advantage of the Omer's or Sporasub's is the blades are remmoveable so you can "upgrade" down the road.

Perhaps, but I still believe that a smaller fin may better suit the purpose of snorkeling. The poster twice referred to "only snorkeling". Again, I would venture to guess that a smaller fin would be better suited for surface swimming/snorkeling. The mere length of the blade makes a freediving fin challenging at the surface.

2. I have 1000's of hours on my freediving fins and have never torn a pocket. foot pockets are the ONLY way to go for snorkling/freediving. they are far more efficent then a strap fin and are usually a tighter fit (less slop = less likely for arch cramps)

As stated earlier, I wear a neoprene sleeve over my foot with fin keepers and I get great transfer of power and engagement of water. Congratulations on never tearing a foot pocket though!