Fins are to water enthusiasts as shoes are to runners – the right choice can make all the difference to your experience. It doesn’t matter if you just want to lounge around with your face in the water or dive into the depths – good fins are essential. It’s just that it’s not easy to navigate the different types. Let’s take a look at what makes them different and what activities each type is best suited for.
Snorkelling fins: Lightweight and practical
Snorkelling is probably the most accessible water activity – you don’t need complicated training or a lot of equipment. And that’s exactly what snorkelling fins are – simple and effortless.
A typical snorkeling fin has a short blade that makes it easy to maneuver without extra strong legs. You’ll especially appreciate this in crowded snorkeling spots, where there’s less risk of accidentally kicking other swimmers or damaging coral.
Another plus is practicality – it’s easy to walk on the beach or climb up a ladder to the boat in short fins. Travel models measure only 38-50 cm including the shoe, while the more traditional ones measure up to 64 cm.
Most snorkelling fins have a closed shoe so you can wear them barefoot. Some have an open heel where you can put on neoprene boots.
What’s typical:
Short and lightweight
Flexible and stretchy
Easy to travel with
Comfortable even for beginners
They do not require much strength in the legs
Diving fins: Strength and performance
Imagine carrying all your diving equipment on your back – a tank, a weight belt, a vest… It all makes you like an underwater tank. That’s why diving fins need to have more reach than snorkelling fins.
They typically have a longer blade (64-76 cm) and various enhancements for more efficient movement. You’ll often find channels, cutouts or splits on them to help better direct the water current and reduce fatigue on longer dives.
Diving fins are also stiffer and stronger. The longer and stiffer the fin, the more strength it will give you – but you’ll also need stronger legs. It’s a quid pro quo.
Unlike snorkeling fins, diving fins usually have an open heel so you can put neoprene boots in them to protect you from the cold.
What’s typical of them:
Longer and sturdier
Tougher material for better bite
Room for diving boots
Thoughtful design for efficient kicks
Suitable for currents and more challenging conditions
Freediving fins: Length first
You know freediving fins at a glance – they are really long, sometimes up to around a metre. Standard models measure 79-97 cm without the boot. Why such a length? Simply because it pushes more water away with each kick, which moves the freediver forward faster and saves precious oxygen.
Of course, it’s not free. Such long fins are harder to maneuver, so they’re not ideal for exploring coral reefs or swimming in confined spaces.
These fins are also quite stiff, which combined with their length means that each kick requires considerable force. For a beginner, they can be exhausting at first, but with practice and gradual muscle strengthening, they deliver unparalleled performance.
Blades are made from plastic, fibreglass or carbon – so they are lighter but also more fragile than diving blades. The shoe is usually closed.
What’s typical:
Extremely long leaf
Lightweight but fragile materials
Requires technique and muscle strength
Provide the most efficient forward propulsion
More challenging to transport (they don’t fit in regular luggage)
A special kind of freediving fin is the monofin – a futuristic-looking device where one large fin is attached to both legs, much like a whale’s tail. It takes practice, but according to experienced freedivers, it is the most efficient way to move underwater.
Can I just have one fin for everything?
This is a common question, especially for people who don’t want to invest in multiple pairs of fins. The short answer is: yes, but with compromises.
Snorkeling is the least demanding on specific equipment, so in theory you can snorkel with any fins. It’s a bit clunky with scuba, maybe even comical with freedivers, but it’s doable.
For diving, it’s not so easy. Snorkel fins are too short and weak for deeper dives or swimming in the current. Freediving fins do provide adequate performance, but their length and fragility make them impractical for casual recreational diving.
If you are freediving, shorter fins will give you more comfort when manoeuvring, but you will pay the price with less time underwater and less depth reached.
So if you do multiple water activities, consider getting specialized fins for each. Your experience and safety are worth the investment.