Having the right dive equipment can make a big difference to your scuba diving experience. Here are some of our best tips, tricks and strategies about getting the most out of your diving fins.

Open and Closed
If scuba diving in colder water or performing shore entries, an open-heel dive fin is most assuredly the way to go. Full-foot fins can be an attractive alternative in warm water, as they provide a streamlined, solid connection between blade and foot, and don’t require the additional effort and expense of boots.

BGIF
As in Boots Go In First. When trying on open-heel fins, make sure you are wearing a boot that is the right thickness and style for your scuba diving plans. If you want to use the same dive fins for vacation and local diving, it’s usually best to lean towards beefier footwear, as cooling warm feet is much easier than attempting to thaw cold toes.

Don’t Skid Yourself
Wet boat decks are no place to discover that your diving fins don’t have adequate non-skid texturing. Pay attention to the bottom of the footpad when sizing up a new fin.

Swim It Off
Dive fin technology continues to evolve, but ultimately, the only thing that matters is whether you are able to comfortably turn leg motion into forward energy. So forget the hype and claims, and try for a swim test before selecting new scuba diving fins.