OMER Footpocket Size Question

How about the other way around? I wear 10 1/2 (43-45) shoes and OMER 42-44 foot pockets are near perfect barefoot. Sporasub pockets seem to have a little more width and a little less arch. 44-46 fits OK with 3mm socks.
Aloha
Bill

Follow Bill's advise. Go down a size in the foot pockets. I have a US shoe size of 10, and I need to wear 3mm socks with my 9-11 (42-44) Omer foot pockets.

IMHO you should be good with the Omer foot pocket in size 7-9 (40-42) for your size 8 wide shoe size. You were originally given the proper advice to try Omer since it is a rather wide foot pocket.

When you get your fins and try them for the first time, wear a short thick wool sock (a cotton athletic sock will do) for comfort. If you discover that you have enough room, you may want to try a 1mm neoprene sock.

The Omer pockets are not the most comfortable foot pocket for a bare foot.

Hi tenob,

You might find than wearing some kind of sock with the omers is a good idea. A couple of years ago, I was looking to upgrade from cressi 2000hfs and got a lot of advice to the effect that the omer footpocket was very rough on bare feet. I chose sporasubs because they were supposed to be much more comfortable barefoot.
They were fine, but still not nearly as comfy as the much softer cressi pockets.

Good luck with your search,

Connor

Connor is right that the Millenium foot-pockets will require socks. Any modular (interchangeable footpocket/blade) foot pocket system that I'm aware of should always be worn with at least a 1.5mm sock. If you dive in a cold place up to a 5mm, and if you dive where it's warm a 2mm is fine.

The reason you should wear socks is that while you might be okay for an hour or two without, any GOOD foopockets used in freediving fins will cause blisters and wear and tear on your feet otherwise. If they are so soft that you don't need a sock then you're wasting a ton of energy. The fact is that any fin that's 34-36" long if secured to your feet right will generate considerable strain on your feet if it's a powerful fin. Just ask anyone who has tried a one piece foot-pocket fin system and then switched to a modular system like Omer's. And also ask them if having to wear a sock to avoid blisters is reason to go back to a comfy fin that's not as efficient.

When I first started freediving the only two fins on the market were Sporasub and Cressi. Then, 20 years ago, Dessault's Sporasub footpocket was similar to the modern Sporasub pocket used up until today since they just discontinued production of them recently. The Cressi, Rondine Gara, was also a two piece system that had a replaceable grey blade much like Spora's. This is what everyone used since they were the best.
Well, to give you a bit of fast forward history they were both discontinued and replaced in favor of a more convenient and quick one piece production moulding. I loved the original Cressi footpocket, and for good reason, it must have been expensive to produce considering it used several rubber compounds to maximize comfort and power simultaneously.
Omer and a few other smaller companies then still sensing the market and demand by hard core spearfisherman for the two piece ones began selling their own version of replaceable foot-pocket systems. Omer's previous pocket was called the Tuna, same pocket used today by Biller, Spetton, C4, JBL and recently another American company picked it up for their new fin line. It was and still is today the only other molded separate footpocket available (made by an outside company) aside from Sporasub's and Omer's proprietary shoes. It is made from one rubber and only comes in three sizes, and as we remembered it, it was a horse shoe compared to then Sporasub's, and people always complained.
Omer in early 99-2000 developed the 5 molds of different sizes for the Millenium and whala', introduced the only multiple compound modular footpocket still available on the market today and that will be for years to come. Yes, more expensive to produce but the best and you can choose what blades and narrow down what size fits you with more choices than before. The Millenium puts a soft rubber in the neck of the foot, heel, and toes and a uses a stiffer rubber compound in the braces across the top, the sole and the ribs for the blade for efficient power transfer. A little bit of footpocket 101 since it's something I know a thing or two about

Probably more than you asked for and maybe you see why we we went through all this trouble..., you are a 40-42 based on what I read by the way.

Mark

Mark,

Thanks for the detail. I learned some interesting stuff. Sorry to find out the sporas are discontinued. I can wear mine for a full day barefoot, but if the trip is more than a day, a nylon sock, at minimum, is required.
I agree with you on the cressi rondines. Still have mine, but they are too dry rotted to be anything but spares. For anyone who still has them, blades that fit omers can be forced into that pocket.

Connor



Connor

Conner,

We represent the "Brotherhood of the Rondine Gara".

I have had mine for twenty years. I have always maintained them, however they have begun to dry rot just in the past 18 months. There is one substantial tear at the toe area, but fortunately it has ceased getting any bigger and doesn't affect the performance of the fin. It is almost as if the tear doesn't exist (thank God).

I constantly watch Ebay for a pair in good condition in my size so that I can replace my foot pockets. Last week Martin Stepaneck was holding them and looking at the tear when I told him, "It will be a sad day for me when these fins finally fall apart".

Jim

You are lucky for having a wide foot. I am size 8 as well and the 40-42 OMER foot pockets fit me perfectly lengthwise, however they are way too wide for my narrow feet and I have to compensate by wearing 5mm socks.

Now, as far as diving, this footpockets without ANY socks, forget about it. This footpockets are pretty hard and you will have blisters after a few minutes of finning. I would get 3mm neoprene socks if i was you.

Best of luck and safe diving.

tenobb said:

I’m about to buy a pair of OMER Millenniums online. I’m just not sure what size to get. My regular shoe size is US 8 Wide. Would my foot fit into the OMER 40-42 (Size Small – US size 7-9) or should I go with the next size up (42-44 Med – US size 9-10). I live in the Virgin Islands and I will probably not wear a sock (Although I may wear a sock for comfort or better fit). Do OMER foot pockets run small? Anyone out there who is a US 8 wide and what foot pockets do you use?

Click to expand...

Hi Jimdoe,

One of mine is ok, the other shot. If you ever see a size 44-45 for sale, even just one, please let me know. Maybe I can trade you a farallon.
Those fins were pretty tough, a little split like yours should last a long time. I wore mine for over a year of hard diving with one of the blades split half way accross. It didn't even affect performance noticably.

Connor

What would your advice be to a person buyinga monofin with omer footpockets? My feet are narrow and I often like when the fins stick hard to my feet. I wear a size 44-45 Cressi Gara 3000 with 3mm socks. It would not kill me though if they were a bit tighter. Still i find them comfortable, but i have reached the conclusion that the Omer footpockets are wider than the garas. Wich size should i chose fore a OMER footpocket monofin? Is it crazy to go for a size UP to 44 occh should i go for the size up to 45?

perow1,

My first advice is to post a new thread in the Freediving Equipment section regarding the purchase of a monofin. Find those who are really knowledgable and can help you with this specifically.

My second bit of advice is for you to ask around about other available foot pockets on the market. If you are wearing 3mm socks with your Cressi foot pockets, I would think you are far from being a candidate for using Omer foot pockets. Bottom line: Your feet sound really narrow and Omer foot pockets are really wide, not a good match.

Now go type that new post!

Jim

Perow1,

You can try Beuchat Footpockets more or less like the OMER (In Size) but softer.

I sell Monofins and let me Tell you that The Omer Footpocket is the one to go. at least that you plan to buy a Monofin for Swimming where the nmost appropiate footpocket is an Openheel.

Cheers

Ivan

My feet are wide at the toes and narrow at the heel. I haven't tried the new OMER Millenium footpockets, but the old Tuna's seemed narrow at the toes and generous around the heel. My Cressi 2000HF's were narrow all around and I had to use a .5mm sock that was a bit cold for SoCal. Sporasubs and Picassos seem to fit me great with a 3mm sock.

Maybe when the new Ice fins come out I'll get around to trying the Milleniums...

Guys, all good considerations and to sum it up the best thing you can do is visit your local dive store that carries Omer and other freediving fins and try them on! Speculating about foot pocket sizing is like speculating weather Nikes or NB's will fit you better, so much easier to go to Foot Locker and try them.

I've heard people say our Milleniums are especially good for people with wide feet but I can tell you that they fit all feet. The proper sock thickness will also help you to achive the snug fit.

I have a normal size 13 foot and I use a 3mm sock with a 46-48 pocket(12-13). I use a 5mm sock in the same pocket in winter and a 2mm during summer. Once I was letting a bunch of newbies borrow a bunch of my used equipment and we went out on a little boat spearfishing trip when I realized I'd left my fins! The closest size my friend had was a 44-46 (10-12) and since he was having ear trouble I used them for two hours without a problem and was surprised that they weren't that tight.

So I really think it's worth visiting your local dive shop, if you're lucky to have one that stocks freediving fins, and give them the business so you can try them on and compare. Take out the guesswork or the bother of having to send it back for an exchange in the event it doesn't fit, if you need a different size they'll either have it in or will get it for you.

Mark