What fins have you used and how did you find them? I thought it could be an interesting thread........... what diver doesn't like talking about fins!? I have used Oceanic Vipers open heel, Cressi Master Frogs open heel and Seac Shout S900.
The Vipers were easy on the legs but didn't have the power to handle reasonable current in my opinion. You couldn't get the power into them, like a low gear on a bike, the kicks didn't transfer into sufficient power for what I needed, too flexible and didn't move enough water. They were very comfortable and reasonably priced but I wouldn't want to get into a tricky situation whilst wearing them to be honest.
Cressi Master Frogs, great fins, move a lot of water, comfortable, rugged but......................... not for the weak of leg, if you weren't used to any exercise and bought these you would find your legs struggling very quickly. A great all around fin in my opinion and very reasonably priced but to dive with them, you really should keep a fitness programme involving leg and core strengthening exercises between dives if your dives are infrequent, which I feel is important for being in the water anyway. I have used them for bodyboarding before, not ideal I know but they took a bit of a beating and survived unscathed. For an open heel they are great and reliably transfer leg power into motion. Would happily wear these in any conditions.
Seac Shout S900, fantastic fins, stiffness is just about right for me, moderate efforts give good motion and if you put your back into them they really deliver. Very well priced, great foot pockets, I recommend fin retainers as they increase performance even further, at least in my experience. I spend a fair time surface swimming as opposed to diving deep and for this situation they are ideal, they deliver more propulsion and torque for want of a better word than the Master Frogs but are no were near as tiring on the legs. My float when I use it
is made from boat fenders and not the most hydrodynamic thing in the water and I use a home made drogue with it which I can happily tow around all day as necessary with these fins, cant recommend them enough. Only downside is the crippling walk on pebble beaches if I am not using my float and have nowhere to store my neoprene slippers
The Vipers were easy on the legs but didn't have the power to handle reasonable current in my opinion. You couldn't get the power into them, like a low gear on a bike, the kicks didn't transfer into sufficient power for what I needed, too flexible and didn't move enough water. They were very comfortable and reasonably priced but I wouldn't want to get into a tricky situation whilst wearing them to be honest.
Cressi Master Frogs, great fins, move a lot of water, comfortable, rugged but......................... not for the weak of leg, if you weren't used to any exercise and bought these you would find your legs struggling very quickly. A great all around fin in my opinion and very reasonably priced but to dive with them, you really should keep a fitness programme involving leg and core strengthening exercises between dives if your dives are infrequent, which I feel is important for being in the water anyway. I have used them for bodyboarding before, not ideal I know but they took a bit of a beating and survived unscathed. For an open heel they are great and reliably transfer leg power into motion. Would happily wear these in any conditions.
Seac Shout S900, fantastic fins, stiffness is just about right for me, moderate efforts give good motion and if you put your back into them they really deliver. Very well priced, great foot pockets, I recommend fin retainers as they increase performance even further, at least in my experience. I spend a fair time surface swimming as opposed to diving deep and for this situation they are ideal, they deliver more propulsion and torque for want of a better word than the Master Frogs but are no were near as tiring on the legs. My float when I use it
is made from boat fenders and not the most hydrodynamic thing in the water and I use a home made drogue with it which I can happily tow around all day as necessary with these fins, cant recommend them enough. Only downside is the crippling walk on pebble beaches if I am not using my float and have nowhere to store my neoprene slippers 
