Do fins "compress" after use?

[sytech]

I bought a pair of Oceanic "Caribe" full foot fins for tropical diving.

They are size 44/45 which are a little on the big side but I did that purposely to accomodate the rubber soled booties I bought to wear with them. I like to have the extra traction on my feet when getting back onto the boat.

Was wondering if fins (like wetsuits) compress at depth and if the compression remains or if the rubber/plastic material "rebounds" afterwards?

Thanks,

Sy

 

[DaneGardner]

Probably not (or at least not enough that you would notice) unless your boot is made out of neoprene. Most materials don't 'compress' noticably unless there is air (or other compressible gas) in the material you're asking about. As the pressure from water depth increases, the volume of gas inside the materials will be reduced.

Wetsuits use air trapped in bubbles within the neoprene as an insulator. As you dive deeper, there is more local pressure applied from the surrounding water, and the air volume is decreased to account for it.

For more info, check out Boyle's Law of gasses.

 

[CompuDude]

Nope. Neoprene compresses because the air bubbles in the foam rubber compress, not the rubber itself. There won't be any significant compression to the fin material at anything short of a mile deep...

 

[wunat]

Was wondering if fins (like wetsuits) compress at depth and if the compression remains or if the rubber/plastic material "rebounds" afterwards?

Nope, they don't compress like wetsuits. There are no air bubbles in rubber.

 

[Marek K]

However, your neoprene booties would compress inside the fins' foot pockets.

The hard footsoles wouldn't compress, though... in any case, I've never noticed a difference, but I use open-heel fins...