Hello, new here, got a question...

[Kat]

I started with full foot fins. They were my snorkel fins. They were awful for diving. I then got booties & strap fins. Surprise...couldn't get the boots inside the fins. So try the boot & fins on together.
Your LDS having only 1 brand of fin is a problem. Try out what they have, then find an LDS that has a better selection & dive as many as you can. Make an educated choice. Don't buy the fins at your LDS because that's all they've got. More than likely, you will end up with a small collection of fins anyway. That is just how it goes. Sometimes it takes me many dives to decide that I really don't like a piece of gear. Other times you'll know immediately that something is not right for you. It can truly be trial & error.

 

[J75]

Definitely go with strap fins, as they are the most versatile. Even if you decide to go with a shorty suit, boots are a good thing for walking around the boat or beach. Save yourself some cash and go with the strap fins and boots now, because odds are you'll end up with them in the future anyway. You'll have to try on boots to get an idea of what size you'll need as it's not always the same as your shoe size. If your local dive shop (LDS) doesn't have a style that you like, you can always try another shop or look online.

 

[emtdan]

As well, and strangly, age falls into it.

Full foot are cheaper then strp fins, but dont last as long, and if you grow out of them, they are useless
Strap fins are more expensive as a base price, and booties are aditional $$...
So, if you are still *growing*, i would say strap fins.