Well inspite of the incoming storm, I just had to try the fins. I found a dive shop in Auburn, (1.5 hour drive away) that sells neoprene socks, but not long blade fins. I blasted down, bought some 3mm socks, and blasted home. I couldn't get my foot all the way into the pocket with the sock on, so I hit the inside of the pocket with a little "food grade silicone spray", and slipped right on, although just a tad bit snug. It was windy and fairly choppy at the lake, but in I went anyway. As soon as I slipped the fins on and stood on the bottom, they slipped off. Turned out to be just a bit too much silicone. Once it was rinsed out, the fins slipped on easily and stayed on. I'll buy fin keepers for insurance sake.
Now, for the swimmin' part...NICE! The only other long fins I've tried were the new black, stiffer Gara 2000's I borrowed last weekend from a friend. The 3000LD's are noticeably softer, which, (at least for me), means much easier to surface swim with, but still amazing on the drops. Very comfortable, easy to swim with, and, in my opinion, a huge advancement over any scuba fin I've used, and I've used lots.
My only critisism of Cressi fins is this: I'm a solid size nine, and with 3mm socks, (or even 5mm socks), the size 10-11 is too big. With the 3mm sock, the 8-9 is nearly too small. They need to make a size 9-10 for me!!!
Ron.