I cannot stress enough how much easier open heel are to put on and take off especially when you're new to to scuba.

I'm getting back into diving after a 15 year hiatus, this youtube channel is brilliant for tips. Thank you so much. 🙏 Can't wait for my first tropical dive in thailand, after only ever diving in the cold irish sea!

I used to dive in tropical waters with full foot fins but they do have a lot of drawbacks, they hurt your feet while kicking in current for extended time, they also tend to "eat" the Achilles' heels and worst of all, they are extremely difficult to remove when going back on board with surface agitation!!! I recently switched to open heels with booties and boy, what a difference!

I've never seen a situation where booties were not the best choice. Beach dive or boat dive. The bootie protects from the random shard of glass or coral on the beach, rough boat ladders, better protection on board, etc. Never had "overheated" feet that ruined a dive. Though cold feet, you betcha. Get a single grain of sand in a "carib" fin and that will drive you crazy. As to weight... do ounces really matter? We get two sets of dive gear in a bag (for warm water) and never hit the max. I honestly don't know why they make closed heel fins.

I've got to say: you have a video for EVERY subject I have been looking for. Need a mask? You've got a video for it. Need to know how to not die while underwater? You've got a video for it. Need to know if Poseidon exists or not? I'm pretty sure you've got a vide for that too. Good job, and thanks.

Wear closed heel fins with 3mm neoprene socks all the time. For spearfishing. Luckily had them with me when my diving fins strap snapped. Extra failure point on those open fins.

New ones have come into the market where the boot is the same but the front flipper can be removed/attached to the front

James, travelling is only one aspect in fin selection. Weight is therefore not always a bad thing. I switched from plastic open heel fins to rubber ones. Normally diving with dry suit and with quite thick under garmet I noticed that my legs were too light with plastic fins. Having now those JetFin clones my trim is near perfect. The only thing I changed was the fins.

James, Good video.... Many point that you made I pass on to my students...

I don't know why, but it's funny hearing James say booties :)

INTRO LOOKING N SOUNDING GOOD

James ty for the review, I am looking to update my fins.

Great video James. Thanks for the tips.

Just got the Tecline Lightjet fins. extra light but rigid ideal for travelling (open heel fin)

I have two seperate pairs of fins just because I needed something that would fit my drysuit boots and I was already in the biggest size available in the brand I already owned that I use for diving wet. I took the boots with me to every dive ship I went to and finally found the one that fit me for the drysuit. lots of trial and error this also involved lots of online shopping and returns.

FF fins are perfectly fine for warm water destinations - until you have to walk across rocks to the entry point. Learned it the hard way.

We were diving last weekend and one of the woman had these Scubapro Go and there was a strong current. He dive lasted 5 min… These are for real calm water, especially with small feet

Thanks for the tips!

James, I noticed that your Mares fins are collapsing on the sides of the foot pocket, as mine have (probably a bit more than yours, even). I have plastic inserts I keep in them to try and help it hold its shape but even so I find it to be a little difficult at times to fit my foots into the foot pocket. I generally have to put my foot in a little tilted (yawed, if you will) to get it in then try to set it right and then push to get thing in all the way, expect the boot doesn't go all the way in with the little grip I often seem to have on a boat deck for just "kicking" it in. Instead I have to rely on cranking hard on the bungee to get it over my heel and only THEN with a little tap or two on the deck does my boot get pushed all the way into the fin (the extra pressure and angle sometimes undoes one of those buckles off of the knob on the side of the fin, too, which is always fun as I have to then remove the fin, fix the buckle and start the process over again... all while HOPEFULLY nobody else is waiting for me to do this painful little jig. All of which is a very long way of saying... any good advice on better ways for putting on fins?

What about fin buoyancy? Dumping my non buoyant (not heavy) fins cured my feet always low trim problem. Borrow or rent before you buy 😊

Jetfins ❤️

Gonna go against the other commenters and say I enjoy my pair of closed heel fins. Tools do a job. My fins serve well for a close beach entry in a stronger current because they are longer and the foot pocket takes the dive socks I’ve got on to make the short walk out to the the surf. The RK3 or similar have their place and are pretty well rounded, but a longer fin in the closed heel setup does a better job in the scenarios I see more frequently

Hello James, thank you for your great videos, which I'm practically inhaling due to the new start after 7 years of abstinence from diving. A question about the fins: is it embarrassing now when you show up on vacation with split fins? I still have some from my early days and was surprised at the propulsion these "defective" fins produce :)

Hey James, Q) I've been asking my favourite content providers for their opinion re air integration, a good or bad idea do you think? Some have VERY strong views on this. Personally, I dive analogue as_well_as AI dongles because as a relative newbie (

Hi James what’s your take on the Apple Watch Ultra with the dive Computer from Oceanic+ add on a lot of people talking about but no reviews

Great video but I’m still waiting to hear your thoughts on carbon fiber and removable fins. Are they worth the cost? Who should buy them? Thanks for the videos

Good afternoon, I am considering buying a Cressy moray eel fin, what can you say about the quality in Italy, thank you...

Off-topic (not fins related), will you review the apeks dsx?

James, thank you for all your content. My 10yr old daughter is wanting to go diving with me so bad so I was wondering at what age I should get my kids into Scuba diving? What age have you seen success? I know PADI allows young adults 10 and up to get certified but I would like to know your thoughts. Also is there equipment you would recommend starting her out on? We do fun dives in the pool with her on my octo to get her used to breathing under water (only about 10ft) but I would like to get her own equipment to practice on before we go for a cert. Thoughts?

James ,, what about Force,Fins

I like the video content on the foot pocket but so much goes into fin decisions outside of just the foot pocket style.

Where you at? no posts in 2 weeks

What are your opinions on the rk3, James?

I’m looking for cold-water sidemount regulators 2:41 . I’ve looked at Hollis LX200/DCX, Apeks MTX-R, Scubapro mk19/G260 and mares 28xr. But which one is better?

I am shopping for a good ladies BCD . Any suggestions?

If you do shore dives get some buoyant fins. Like the sea wing novas. Makes getting in and out so much easier

Is it odd how many people I know in the video just by the fins :), open heel all the way love my booties. It does suck when I forget the booties when I go from Dry suit to non dry suit on the first dive and forget my booties. That is not fun at all

Tech fins? Free diving fins? Split fins 🤢? Surely differentiating a bit more will help new divers make their decision on buying fins.

Watching this video in Bonaire. My wife just broke the spring strap on her scuba pro Jet fins on the last dive. Ironic to hear about how indestructible they are!

All closed heel fins are terrible, change my mind.

👍😎🤿Another great one!