Fins for big feet

[belgianbrew]

I recently did my first pool session, and the whole time I was hampered by and self conscious about my fins. I bought OMS thrust fins because none of the sporty fins seemed to fit my feet without some pain, and all the jets seemed way too clunky. I've been snorkeling in a lake and a beach with them, but doing a flutter kick is just way too hard (although the frog kick is not so bad). I want a fin that swims like my natural rubber snorkeling fins, but thats big enough to to fit some one with size 14 feet with a thick soled boot. Am I asking for the impossible? I cycle, and swimming with the Thrusts is harder than climbing hill!

 

[tc]

Size 13, thick soled boots too, I feel your pain.

The XL Jets or the turtles will fit but you need to work out with them to get your legs in shape for a flutter kick.

I've got a pair of XL Oceanic splits that I love, decent thrust for very easy kicks.

I have a pair of the TUSA splits that are good as well but won't work with the really wide boots.

The USD blades have a pretty good sized foot pocket and kick well too.

On any of them get a well fit pair of spring straps, it makes life sooooo much nicer.

Good luck!

 

[tc]

Oh, almost forgot,
Welcome to ScubaBoard!!!!

 

[belgianbrew]

Thanks! I actually stepped up to springs after losing one of the strap assemblies in a zero visibility lake. Also what about the adjustable force fins or apollos. Although they are kind of pricey.

 

[tc]

I've heard good things about the apollo's, their stiffness is very similar to the Oceanic. Never tried them so I'm not sure on the foot pocket.

Force makes fins large enough that they will fit over combat boots (Huge). I had a pair back in the early/mid 90's that I liked but lost one boogie boarding.

They were OK for diving but terrible for snorkling or kicking back to the boat face down. (No power on the upstroke at all) They kick more like the splits than the other fins.

If you can find a shop that stocks any of them see if you can try em out in a pool to see how they feel to you, thats the only thing that really matters.

 

[String]

Jet fins or turtles for large feet. Guaranteed those will fit any large size foot.

 

[driftwood]

When I was looking for fins, I fell in love with the Tusa split fins. One set that I turned down was the Atomic splits. On the XL fins the foot pocket was too wide for my 12d feet and 3mm boots.

 

[meesier42]

Thanks! I actually stepped up to springs after losing one of the strap assemblies in a zero visibility lake. Also what about the adjustable force fins or apollos. Although they are kind of pricey.

The FF adjustable and the FF Originals are actually very good to great fins and the work well for snorkelling. The FF Pro and the TanDelta are not as good for snorkelling and you have to modify your kick to really do well, as the rebound they have is more likely to pop them out of the water on the upstroke. For scuba, the FF's will match or beat every split fin on the market. Although they feel somewhat similar to splits, they have a much lower kick frequency, its still higher than a standard paddle fin, its probably half that of splits. This lower kick frequency allows you to maintain the speed over a real distance (making headway against a current). They aren't the cheapest fins on the market but they are worth every cent, just might take you a couple of days to realize it

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Size 13, thick soled boots too, I feel your pain.

The XL Jets or the turtles will fit but you need to work out with them to get your legs in shape for a flutter kick.

I suspect you meant XXL Jets ... the XL's won't even fit my size 10 Bare rock boots, which is why I dive Turtles.

For the OP ... might want to look into a pair of OMS Slipstreams - size XXL. They're lighter weight (by about half) than the Jets, with all the performance. I'd own a pair ... but like the Jets, their XXL is designed for basketball players and their XL is designed for midgets ... nothing in between for "regular" size drysuit boots ...

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[belgianbrew]

Thanks for all the suggestions, I settled on a pair of Scubapro twin jets. The fit my feet quite well and they're quite flexible too. As for the apollos the biggest size is quite small.