Full foot fins and booties?

[lmorin]

Several tests indicate that full foot fins are more efficient than open heel fins. I'd like to move to the full foot variety (specifically the new Mares Avanti Superchannel), but don't want to give up my booties. Anybody have any experience with the combination of booties and full foot fins? I worry that the heel of the fin may not come up high enough on the achilles tendon. Insight would be appreciated.

 

[David Wilson]

Full foot fins with booties were commonly worn in the 1960s when I began diving and the combination still works perfectly well so long as you check the fit when you purchase your fins. Bring your booties along to the store. Some modern full-foot fins are designed to be worn with booties, e.g. Apollo Bio and Gull Mew Fins.

 

[iceaxe]

I absolutely can't stand the clunky feel of open heel fins compared to full foot (I don't know what I'm going to do when I start diving in cold water...). I use some thin o'neill booties in both my free diving fins (cressi gara 3000s) and my scuba fins(mares volo race). Just make sure you size appropriately--BTW the Mares run a little large, if you get your street shoe size, you should have no problem fitting them with booties.

 

[Divers Direct]

It depends what kind of booties you have. You may be more comfortable in a lycra sock or a 1mm neoprene sock rather than booties. Most booties have an incredibly hard sole which really don't work with booties too well. The thicker sole makes it difficult to get into fins. If you go up a size or two it may not fit correctly. Again, take your boots to your LDS and try them on.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

Boots are very unlikley to work with a full foot fin. You might have to purchase dive socks nylon/lycra or 2,3,5 mm neoprene, depending on temperature

 

[realdiver7]

I like my Mares Avanti Quattro Power full-foot fins a lot, but don't get to use them very much, except for local diving when the water temp is warm. They are too long and heavy for my airline luggage, and do not keep my feet as warm as 5mm booties and open heel fins. Also, when I wear booties with open heel fins, I have something on my feet for traction on the boat after I remove my fins.

I can't use booties with my full-foot fins, but I can use neoprene bootie socks. They are harder to get on and off with the socks, but I can make it work OK. You might be able to use a soft sole, flexible booty as long as you buy a full-foot fin that has a foot pocket large enough to accommodate the booty. I personally do not care for that setup, but you may like it.

Additionally, the only time I ever got a bad leg cramp was when I used my full-foot fins. There is more weight forward of the foot so the center of gravity is different than on open heel fins. There are pros an cons, but the choice is very personal. That is why I have both designs.

 

[crtraveler]

What are freedivers using in cold water? Are they using full foot fins and some sort of sock or open heel freediving fins? I want to buy a pair of freedive fins but also want to be able to use them in cold water as well as warm. Is this possible?

 

[dumpsterDiver]

You can always wear thick socks in warm water, I doubt your feet will overheat in warm water if you want to just buy one pair of fins and socks.