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Fins for freediving and scuba

Thread Status: Hello , There was no answer in this thread for more than 60 days.
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WhenPigsSwim

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Dec 1, 2021
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I had a look at previous forums but the one I saw was posted in 2014, possibly outdated with lots of new products being brought out. I am interested in purchasing some fins for recreational freediving that can also be used for recreational scuba. I was recommended gull super mew fins for freediving which can also be used for scuba but I would like to get your opinions! Cheers
 
Not familiar with this particular fin, but, based on appearance, these will be good for scuba but leave a lot to be desired for freediving. If you are planning freediving in 30-40 ft or less in fairly warm water (light wetsuit), they will be fine, but much less so for more.

Well designed freediving fins work fine for scuba, excellent if you are planning swimming a lot of distance. Their length makes them bulky and slightly harder to handle, but I found they to be great for scuba.
 
Which brand or model would you recommend?
 
had a look at seac talent, and beuchat mundial one, cressi gara modular sprint...
 
That is a very tricky scenario, with many considerations for both needs. You want durable stiff fins if you are going to be considerably heavier while scuba diving but also something that is not going to wear you out. An elastic foot pocket would be recommended as some firm freediving fins would be a nightmare to put on with scuba kit on and also useless for waking around for walk in dives. Something like the Cressi Gara 3000 or 2000 models would work well but are more comfortable for narrow feet. The Gara 2000 HDs are popular for both scuba and freediving, both fins will be quite stiff but very durable. I would not suggest compromising with fins that are for using boots unless your freediving aspirations take a back seat. You will need to be very specific on what sock thickness if any will be used as the fit range will be somewhat narrow.
 
looking at full foot pockets so no boots, but possibly socks for cooler temperatures.
 
maybe short freediving fins would be ideal as I plan to do more underwater photography when scubadiving.
 
The Gull range includes a freediving fin called the Barracuda, said to be the world's longest all-rubber fin:
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I love the power I get from freediving fins. But they are big and they have to be worn on a bare foot or with a thin neoprene sock so dry suit diving is out. The compromise I have used - but only wetsuit diving - is the Beuchat Mundial 1-50. It's cheap but effective for freediving, and not so big that you can't (carefully) cross a boat deck. If you are shore diving anywhere other than a smooth beach you need some kind of footwear to get you to the point where you don your fins. So they are a faff. But they are great underwater. You hardly need to fin at all to keep position with your buddies but in low viz or silty environments you need to be careful not to kick your buddies or stir up the bottom. I much prefer them to the RK3's that dry suit diving imposes on me for much of the year.
 
like 78diver said, this is a tricky area. Lots of variation depending on how you will use the fin, how strong you are, foot shape, etc. If you feet are narrow, the Garas are a great choice. Unless you are large and your legs are very strong, I'd stay away from the stiffer blades, the 2000ld should work well. I started with longfins and scuba using the first Gara longfin, which was extremely soft. Zilch acceleration, but once you got going, wonderful, plenty fast enough and did not wear my legs out even with a lot of distance. It all depends on you and what you will be doing.
 
We have a lot of customers who do both freediving and scuba. I can reinforce some of the comments already made.
Some general ideas:
  • In general, scuba divers are going to want a blade that tends to be stiffer
  • Scuba divers are often kicking near the bottom and in general are tougher on fins than freedivers, so very durable plastic (composite) or fiberglass blades are usually recommended.
  • Foot pocket comfort/fit etc. should not be different for scuba versus free, but with a closed heel fin, you are going to wear neoprene socks or something thinner but not a dive boot (with a thick sole).

  • We offer several different fins that meet the general criteria above.
 
OK what cdavis and Mako spearguns said, I agree with. Before I recommend my snorkeling/scuba fins, there is a problem with the weight difference, and in the "stiffness" of fins used for freediving and scuba. I bought fairly lightweight scuba fins, open heel so my 2mm dive boot will slip into them, from my dive shop owner. She recommended Oceanic Viper open heel (they make a full foot fin too, if you are in areas with warm water and sandy beaches). That model of fin, may not be adequate for serious freediving. So I don't know what else to add except the best option might be to buy two different pairs of fins if it will fit in your budget.
 
I bought a Scuba_Pro Seawing Gorilla full foot fins. Used for freediving as well as scuba. Price is affordable, performance is better than jet fin. However, you must have strong legs or you'll not get optimum performance from it. Material is made of monoprene elastomer, stronger than most plastics.
Review: https://proadventureguide.com/scubapro-seawing-nova-review/
 
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