Which Fins/Mask for $200?

[SharkEsq]

I'm finally looking to buy a set of fins and a mask, and am looking to spend about $200. I do all my diving as vacation diving, so ease-of-travel is a plus - and the water temp will generally be 75 to 80. Any thing I should be looking for (or to avoid) for this purchase? Full foot vs. open-foot-and-booties? Any brands/models I should look at (or avoid)?

I know this is likely a somewhat religious topic, but any practical/secular advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Doug

 

[OtherHalf]

Get a low volume mask that fits comfortably. I have a beuchat and an aqualung. Both have slap straps. for fins, if you are traveling, look for something light. I like my jet fins but they are heavy. Get spring straps, don't rely on a dive op somewhere else having a strap to fit your fins when the rubber snaps. Simple, non split design. i recommend open heel. I like having my boots on. If you're a closed heel kind of diver, you might look into removable blade freediving fins. Broke down some may even fit into carry on luggage. Mako is a sponsor and can probably help you with dimensions if that's appeals to you.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I could put you in a full set of personal gear with good quality stuff. Mask, snorkel, fins, and boots for under 150. Mask 40, fins 45, snorkel 15, neoprene boots 30. Don't get caught up in prices. More than 25 for a snorkel is wasting money. For warm water vacation diving I'd still want open heel fins. Masks for the most part are made by one or two companies and just rebadged. The same mask one company has an msrp of 70 for I sell for 40.

 

[MAKO Spearguns]

I'm finally looking to buy a set of fins and a mask, and am looking to spend about $200. I do all my diving as vacation diving, so ease-of-travel is a plus - and the water temp will generally be 75 to 80. Any thing I should be looking for (or to avoid) for this purchase? Full foot vs. open-foot-and-booties? Any brands/models I should look at (or avoid)?

I know this is likely a somewhat religious topic, but any practical/secular advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Doug

If you are interested in a good set of gear that will function well for both scuba and freediving, please take a look at these packages. We sell direct to the consumer, which eliminates an importer, the wholesale agent and the typical retail dive store overhead from the normal distribution chain. We pass on the cost savings to the consumer- so the prices may be less than you expect.

We have 2 packages that may work for you:

Freediver 1 Gear Package | MAKO Spearguns

Freediver 2 Gear Package | MAKO Spearguns

 

[Jim Lapenta]

I'd go for the second one. Just to get the rubber belt. Best thing for scuba and free diving. I own two of them.

 

[tbone1004]

Mares Avanti Quattros, or Dive Rite XT's, Hog Razorbak mask. Neotek 5mm socks and a pair of chuck tailors. Should be under $200. I'd avoid the snorkel, waste unless you're planning on snorkeling they're pretty useless for diving....

 

[Hatul]

I'm finally looking to buy a set of fins and a mask, and am looking to spend about $200. I do all my diving as vacation diving, so ease-of-travel is a plus - and the water temp will generally be 75 to 80. Any thing I should be looking for (or to avoid) for this purchase? Full foot vs. open-foot-and-booties? Any brands/models I should look at (or avoid)?

I know this is likely a somewhat religious topic, but any practical/secular advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,
Doug

Both need good fit, so I'd avoid online and fit at a shop.

 

[SharkEsq]

I've noticed some fins that look shorter and wider, compared to the average ones. For instance, Divers Direct (which has a shop near where I'll be diving next) has a house brand (EVO) fin that looks shorter, and advertise itself as good for travel. It doesn't have the size specs on the website, but I've seen in other discussions comments about varying length fins. Is there a significant disadvantage to getting shorter/wider fins?

 

[diversteve]

The EVO is a snorkel fin. EVO Largo Snorkel Package at Divers Direct So may not hold up to diving as well. If it's too short, it won't provide enough propulsion for a fully loaded diver - takes much less to push a snorkeler along the top of the water. I have a friend who only snorkels - on the same boats we dive from. His fins - just an off-the-rack brand - are about 4-5" shorter than my dive fins. However mine are too long to go in anything but checked luggage at around 26" long.

Aeris makes a specifically designed travel fin. It's a dive fin but just short enough to just fit in a carry-on - based on U.S. carrier requirements. Not sure if that applies in your area. AERIS : Accel Fin

They're $100 U.S. but I'm not thrilled with the strap. They look to have a standard pin on them so can be replaced with a different one - or spring straps. If you look at the closeup of the red fin, see how the post is notched. My Tusa's have the same notch and I've also had Mares straps work on them. You'll never break/wear out a set of spring straps either. They're often found well under $50 which leaves room for a mask still under $200.

Divers Direct doesn't show them on their website but their store in West Palm Beach is listed as a dealer which I assume means all their locations are also. The stores are huge also, the one near the Fort Lauderdale airport may be the biggest dive store I've ever seen so they only list a small fraction of what they have on their website oddly. Plus there's about 40-50 other Aeris dealers in South Florida.

Agree with the others, buy a mask at Divers Direct that fits. Their prices are competitive. I have an $80 Tusa mask and a $22 Sherwood. Guess which one never leaks...

 

[SharkEsq]

I know it's included in their snorkel package, but the individual fin listing shows it as a scuba fin. And I guess I assumed that snorkelers wouldn't spend so much money (or buy open heeled fins), since every snorkeler I've ever seen has been wearing fins that look like you'd get them for $25 at Walmart. But the larger question remains - do the extra few inches of length provide that much more propulsion (and propulsion that can't be gained by extra width)? If so, I guess I'll get regular length fins and accept that I'll have to check them.

And while we're at it - booties. What's the pro/con for socks vs. soft heel vs hard heel? Are socks even an option for open heel fins, or are they just for comfort with full foot fins? Since I'll only be doing boat diving, I assumed the heel thickness wouldn't matter too much, so was assuming I'd get soft heeled booties. Is that right?