Probably a dumb question from a newbie

[tstormdiver]

Even diving from a boat is no guarantee that you can get by with just full foot fins. My instructor put together a dive trip & the dive boat sank in about 10ft of water about 100yds offshore. Everyone had to swim to shore over a bunch of coral. Everyone from the store had full 3mm wetsuits, booties & open heel fins. The dive masters on the boat only had shorties & full foot fins. When everyone got to shore, everyone from the dive store had rough looking wetsuits & booties, but were fine, the poor dive masters looked like they had been through a meat grinder from going over the coral. Although probably a very isolated event, you never know........

 

[miketsp]

Even diving from a boat is no guarantee that you can get by with just full foot fins. My instructor put together a dive trip & the dive boat sank in about 10ft of water about 100yds offshore. Everyone had to swim to shore over a bunch of coral. Everyone from the store had full 3mm wetsuits, booties & open heel fins. The dive masters on the boat only had shorties & full foot fins. When everyone got to shore, everyone from the dive store had rough looking wetsuits & booties, but were fine, the poor dive masters looked like they had been through a meat grinder from going over the coral. Although probably a very isolated event, you never know........

No problem, if I was in that situation I'd willingly whip out my knife and trim my much cheaper full foot fins down to make booties... ... and then ask the dive op for a new pair.

 

[billeelou]

Save the $$ get full foots, then when you are "hooked" use em for your back-ups. snorkling fins, or sell on Ebay...the $ you save can be better put to use...

 

[CompuDude]

The full footers are fine for boat diving and some sandy beaches ONLY.

Open heel + a booty are good for everything else.

If you know, without a doubt, that the first situation is the ONLY type of diving you will EVER do, the full foot fins are great. If you want something more flexible, I'd get open heel.

Or, you could get both. But that's a lot to travel with...