How to choose scuba fins
Start with the foot pocket, then the blade. Open-heel fins worn with boots tend to be the better choice for South African diving. Boots protect your feet on rocky shore entries and add warmth in Cape water and winter quarries. Full-foot fins suit warm water and boat dives where nobody walks to the water. Most open-heel scuba fins on this page cost between about R1,500 and R3,500, and full-foot fins start from about R350.
Blade stiffness and style
- Softer blades ask less of the legs and ankles, which helps newer divers and anyone prone to cramp.
- Stiffer paddle blades move more water per kick and give better control in current and on the frog kick.
- Compact, stiff designs such as the Scubapro Jet Fin, Apeks RK3 and XDEEP EX1 suit frog kicks, back kicks and trim work. You'll find them with our technical fins.
- Travel fins such as the Scubapro Go Travel are short and light enough for a tight baggage allowance.
Fit and straps
Try open-heel fins with the boots you'll dive in, since a thick boot needs a bigger pocket than a thin sock. The heel should stay down when you flex the blade, with no pressure across the top of the foot. Full-foot fins are sized like shoes and worn barefoot or over a neoprene sock. Spring straps replace rubber straps on many models and make fins quicker to get on and off with cold hands. Brands here include Cressi, Mares, Scubapro, Apeks and Tusa, and you can try fins on with dive boots at the shop in Glenvista.
Questions we get asked
Should I buy open-heel or closed-heel fins?
Open-heel fins with boots tend to suit South African diving, from rocky shore entries to cold water, and they adjust with a strap. Closed-heel or full-foot fins are lighter and simpler for warm-water boat dives and snorkelling.
How should open-heel fins fit?
With your dive boot on, your foot should slide to the end of the pocket and the strap should sit snug behind the heel. If the heel lifts when you flex the blade, the pocket is too big; if the top of the foot aches, it's too small.
Which scuba fins are best for beginners?
An open-heel fin with a medium or soft blade, worn with boots that fit. A pocket that fits beats a blade with good reviews, and a stiff fin on untrained legs tends to bring on cramp.
What is the difference between scuba fins and snorkelling fins?
Scuba fins are built to push a diver carrying a cylinder and BCD, so they tend to be longer and stiffer. Snorkelling fins are shorter and lighter, which is fine at the surface but gives less control at depth.
Are spring straps worth it?
For most divers, yes. A stainless spring doesn't perish the way a rubber strap does, and it lets you pull the fin on and off without adjusting a buckle.