need advice on oceanic viper fin fitting

[Seraphim]

Hey all new to the board and to diving in general. I bought my equipment from scubatoys. I bought my oceanic viper fins and a pair of tusa 5mm boots.
Now I read in a book that the fin should reach my ankle. The fins currently dont reach my ankle they are about an inch away. Are these to small i mean they feel fine and the strap reaches but there still not right on top of where my foot meets my leg. Im a size 10 and im wearing a regular size fin. Im afraid to go up in size because xl is size 12 and up. Any advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated...

 

[almitywife]

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A ScubaBoard Staff Message...

g'day divers.... please all take a moment to step away from the keyboard and chill a bit

during this time, please read the ToS of this forum and you will see that name calling is a no no so please refrain from it when responding to posts you dont agree with or find unhelpful

BUT, also note that this forum exist with special rules, and they are: "This forum has special rules. This forum is intended to be a very friendly, "flame free zone" where divers of any skill level may ask questions about basic scuba topics without fear of being accosted. Please show respect and courtesy at all times. Remember that the inquirer is looking for answers that they can understand. This is a learning zone and consequently, any off-topic or overly harsh responses will be removed"

as they say, a little bit of sugar gets you better results than vinegar so lets raise the tempo here to at least polite and attempt for friendly

many thanks and cheers

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[parrothead600]

Welcome to:sblogo:.
I had the same issue with my first set of fins. I bought them on Ebay with the sizing advise of the seller. With my boots on, the top of the foot pocket did not reach my ankle. I used them for about 2 years before I decided to upgrade to the Vipers.
When I did upgrade, I went to the LDS to get fitted properly. Also, I found that the dive shop's price on these fins was very close to Leisure Pro's price.
If your fins are too small, they will still work & may even feel right. However, they will be more difficult to put them on an you will loose some efficiency in your kick. The issue that you are now faced with is that if you decide to exchange the fins, you will need to pay the shipping.
FWIW: my fins are a size XL, I use size 12 5mm soft soled boots.

 

[RJP]

Hey all new to the board and to diving in general. I bought my equipment from scubatoys. I bought my oceanic viper fins and a pair of tusa 5mm boots.
Now I read in a book that the fin should reach my ankle. The fins currently dont reach my ankle they are about an inch away. Are these to small i mean they feel fine and the strap reaches but there still not right on top of where my foot meets my leg. Im a size 10 and im wearing a regular size fin. Im afraid to go up in size because xl is size 12 and up. Any advice you can give me would be greatly appreciated...

Are you certified yet? If not, I suggest that you bring your booties and fins to your first class and ask your instructor to help you determine if they fit appropriately.

When it comes to scuba gear sizing, forget "what size you are" and what size you "think" you should wear. In scuba gear there are only two sizes: gear that fits and gear that doesn't fit. (I wear size 10 Scubapro boots and XL SP Jet fins, which fit perfectly even though "on paper" the fins should be too big.)

Your foot (in your booties) should fit firmly into the fin. The fin should not "flop around" on your foot, and your foot should go most of the way into the fin with the top of the fin pretty far back on your foot. Typically if a fin is too small it is not WIDE enough for your foot. From what you describe and the information you provide there's really no way for us to determine if the fins fit or not. Perhaps you can post a picture?

 

[siikik]

I have these fins, also size regular and wear a size 10 soft boot and they work just fine for me. The only trouble I have now is I purchased hard sole boots (size 11) and the fit is a little snug, enough that I'm considering the next size up.

I don't have any trouble swimming around with while using either boots... doesn't feel like anything is slipping off/around to me.



Ken

 

[Abidon]

I also have these fins. If I wear my 6.5mm boots (which isn't often), they come up about an inch short from my ankle as yours do. When I wear my 3mm booties, they reach my ankle. I haven't noticed any difference in feel or performance when comparing one fit to the other. I can also say that I highly recommend them. I have yet to experience any cramping or fatigue while diving or snorkeling with them.

I don't know what was posted here yesterday, but how on earth can a name-calling flame war break-out in response to the OP's rather inocuous question?

 

[RJP]

I don't know what was posted here yesterday, but how on earth can a name-calling flame war break-out in response to the OP's rather inocuous question?

Welcome to ScubaBoard. You must be new here!

 

[Abidon]

Welcome to ScubaBoard. You must be new here!

I missed the part where the OP mentioned Scubatoys. I guess that's like saying "Niagra Falls" around Moe Howard.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zdGzugQIBKk&feature=related

 

[RJP]

I missed the part where the OP mentioned Scubatoys. I guess that's like saying "Niagra Falls" around Moe Howard.

Or "Susquehanna Hat Company"...

YouTube - Abbott & Costello - Susquehannah Hat Company