Fins for small feet

[reefwatch]

I have a friend in S Florida that used to freedive many years ago. In those days, I think she just used conventional fins. She would like to start again, but finds that the long fins are all too large for her feet (size 3 I think). I have looked at some in dive shops and find they start at my (admittedly fairly small male) size of 6 or 7.
Can anybody help, or do all manufacturers assume that freedivers are medium to large males????

 

[donmoore]

Reefwatch,
Your fears are mostly correct. Freedive foot pocket manufactures only think people’s feet are from small to large men sizes. Lots of people get left out on both ends.

With a small wife and two young daughters, this is an ongoing quest for me. Since most of us have to order over the internet to get good freediving gear, you need to become as familiar as possible with foot sizes. You said you think she is a 3. Is it 3 women’s or 3 men’s? Most freediving fins use the Eurpoean sizes. Here is a link to the best shoe size conversion chart I have found http://www.discountshoerack.com/static/sizechart

The smallest snorkeling fins I could find are Oceanic Carbie fins size 3-4 men’s. My wife wears a size 6 women’s, which by the chart the fins should have fit her perfect, but they were still too large. Had to get her 3mm socks.

These fins are quite soft, although they do propel a light person pretty good. She is only 85 lbs and 5’ 3”. My 10-year old already has bigger feet than the wife, so she has graduated to the smallest of the freedive pockets, 38-40 with 3 mm socks. Getting thicker socks is an option.

I believe there are some fin swimming fins with smaller pockets. You could send an e-mail to Jyri at Special Fins and see if he can do anything for her. He told me once that he could have some fins custom made for my daughter, which I took to mean smaller in all dimensions. http://www.specialfins.com
don

 

[reefwatch]

Thanks for your advice Don
Although my friend is in Florida, I am actually located in the UK, so European sizes are not a problem for me (even though we use the same system as you but one size different, for some reason).
I shall look at the websites you mention.
Glad to know other people have the same problem.... maybe we should pressure the manufacturers.
Geoff

 

[Jon]

My wife also has a ladies size 6 foot and can wear my size 42-44 fins IF she wears a full 6mm wetsuit boot, with sole, inside of them.

I have often wondered about putting a ski-boot orthadic (sp?) insole inside of a freediving fin. That would be the next step in power transfer. One of the jobs I had in college was to foam-fit downhill ski boots for customers. Having a boot with the proper orthadic in it made sure that you could transfer subtle pressures to the edges on your skiis for quicker turning. The same is true for cross country skate-ski boots. I would think that they could be made to use in freediving fins as well.

I think that I also remember an old Mares freediving fin that had a removable foot insert, with an arch support, in it. Does anyone else remember what fin this was? I just remember that the blade was made out of green plastic and it had a black rubber foot pocket on it.

Jon