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When assembling your water adventure gear, you’ll want to find the best fins for you. With so many colors and styles to choose from, let TFG help you find the perfect pair!
Best Fins for Scuba Diving
Written By: Laura Pulling
Table Of Contents
When you’re beneath the ocean and bobbling along, you need more power than you can get with just your normal swimming kick. Behold scuba fins!
Fins (not called scuba flippers if you’re a serious diver!) are a personal choice, and there are a ton of styles to choose from. Some are better for cave (or tech) diving, some are longer for freediving, or some are short and stubby for snorkeling.
Scuba manufacturers are becoming more aware of women within the sport, and thus are making dive fins in a range of cute styles and colors. Whatever your level and whatever your style, you’ll find a pair of fins to suit you.
So which ones do you choose? Check out TFG’s recommendations for the best scuba fins!
Best Diving Fins
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Editors Pick: ScubaPro Seawing Nova Scuba Diver Fins
The Scubapro Nova fins are our top pick because editor-in-chief Alex has this very style and loves them! Not only are they visually attractive and available in a palette of gorgeous colors, but they are also great for diving in strong currents, and the pivot control technology ensures you kick efficiently, without wasting energy.
Editor-in-chief Alex scuba diving in Galapagos
One reviewer shares, “LOVE Scubapro Novas, super light to pack and cut through a current!”
If you need more power you can also get the Seawing Nova Gorilla fin, which is a tougher, indestructible version.
Shop: Amazon
Mares Avanti Quattro Fins Diving
Mares Quattro fins are a favorite of many diving instructors across the globe. Their traditional, but attractive, design is longer than a lot of other fins but powerful for use in strong currents.
One user shares, “I love Mares dive fins. Good design, bungee straps make them easy to get on and off. Quattros are powerful and work well in current and are simple and therefore harder to destroy!”
Shop: Amazon
SEAC Diving Propulsion Fins Scuba
SEAC Propulsion fins combine power and performance. They have channels designed to help displace the water for easy kicking and adjustable heel straps to adjust the fin to your feet snugly, it sits high on the ankle for comfort and to prevent rubbing.
One diver shares, “I have Seac Propulsion diving flippers and I absolutely love them. Very powerful fins, they are a bit on the long side.”
Shop: Amazon
Cressi Frog Plus Fins
Cressi Frog fins are attractive and durable. Their design incorporates Cressi’s patented positioning of the foot pocket below the fin blade which in turn produces 20% more power with each kick. The back is secured with adjustable straps and are available in a range of color options.
Shop: Amazon
US Divers Fins
These US Divers flippers are a good budget option for a new diver. They’re flexible and have vent holes, yet still offer power when it’s needed. They are a little shorter than some other fins (but this may be good if you want to take them in your carry-on). The ankle strap is adjustable and fits snugly with or without boots.
Are you a first-time diver? Check out these 5 must-do tips!
Best Scuba Travel Fins
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Scubapro GO Fins for Travel
These Scubapro fins are especially designed for travel. They are super lightweight and have a clever stacking design that allows them to fit closely on top of one another so they fit in your case easily, without taking up a ton of room.
They are designed to be worn without boots (saving even more room when you travel) and fit snugly to a bare foot or with scuba socks. The angled blade still provides power, but obviously not as much as other styles.
One user explains, “For traveling, I have Scuba pro fins GO. These are positively buoyant. Fit in my carry-on and are extremely light too.”
Shop: Amazon
Aqua Lung HotShot Diving Fin
These AquaLung dive fins are quite small compared to others, so works well for traveling. They have a solid foot shell that’s soft and flexible for use either barefoot or with dive neoprene socks. These fins have adjustable gears so you can adjust the rigidity and flexibility to change the power so even though they are small, they are still mighty.
One diver shares, “I have Aqua Lung Hot Shots and love them!! Travel with them everywhere!!”
Shop: Amazon
TUSA Hyflex Switch Scuba Diving Fins
These TUSA dive fins have a softer blade than other fins, that gives a little less power, but makes them responsive when kicking and turning in the water. The foot pocket has a soft upper, but harder sole for transferring power from your feet.
They have a bungee heel strap that is easy to pull on and are adjustable.
With these fins you can disconnect the footpocket from the blade using a small Allen key so they fit into a small rucksack, making them some of the best scuba fins for travel.
Top up more of your dive kit with the most lightweight scuba gear for travel!
Best Split Fins
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Scubapro Twin Jet Max Split Diving Fins
The Scubapro Twin Jet has a split in the fins, this design allows them to flex more when kicking, and therefore creates more propulsion than a traditional blade fin. However, if you kick harder with these fins, you won’t gain power or go faster. Split fins are good for people with joint or knee pains but aren’t recommended for places with strong currents.
These Scubapro split fins have strong rubber edges that help them feel firmer, and vents under the foot pockets to allow the water to pass through and over the blade. The spring straps are easy to pull on and off and compress as you dive deeper around your boot.
Shop: Amazon
TUSA Zoom Z3 Scuba Split Fins
These TUSA Zoom fins feel strong and solid. The split fin design can channel water through which creates a vortex of water for greater propulsion with less kick effort. The chunky rails on the sides of the fins keep the water on the blade of the fin for better kicking.
They have a large pocket for a boot, and comfortable ankle straps that are adjustable and have a quick-release system.
Shop: Amazon
Atomic Aquatics Split Fin
Atomic split fins come in a full foot pocket that is made from a soft, comfort fit rubber material. The blades are made from a dual material that propels you through the water without taking too much energy from your legs. The edges of the blades are rigid to help the splits to pass water across.
You can also get these Atomic fins with a heel strap, instead of the full foot style.
Check out more diving gear with these cute aqua lung diving accessories!
Best Freediving Fins
Cressi Gara 3000 Long Blade Free Diving Fins
These Cressi fins have full feet pockets so they are designed to be worn either barefoot or with a thin neo sock. The foot pocket is made of a double material, a part that’s soft to hug your feet comfortably, and a harder section that takes the power from your kicks and transfers it along the blade for maximum propulsion in the water.
The extra-long blade on these free dive fins is softer than on traditional scuba diving flippers to allow for greater flexibility, which makes them good for long-distance and endurance, and they are rugged and durable.
These Cressi dive fins come complete with their own travel bag for taking them on your freediving trips.
SEAC Motus Long Diving Fins
These SEAC freediving fins are a medium to hard thickness fin that is good for beginners and intermediate freedivers. The footpocket encompasses the entire foot and has a special design that transfers the energy from the kick to the blade of the fin for better propulsion.
The blade is removable, which can be changed over if needed for a different firmness—but not necessarily easily for travel. The back of the fin has small blades to keep the kick motion smooth and straight.
Best Tech Diving Fins
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Hollis F-2 Technical Diving Fins
The Hollis F2 fins are a more compact and lighter version of the Hollis F1 (available here). The adjustable spring steel strap is sturdy and reliable. It has a cord inside for double protection if the spring ever happens to fail, and large thumb loops for pulling them over your boots easily (even with gloves on).
These fins are pretty flat and have good tread for walking on a shore entry, or on a boat. The dual-layered fins are designed with a lot of vents to channel the water to improve the efficiency and reduce drag, making them an effective fin, even though they’re quite small in size.
Shop: Amazon
Apeks RK3 Military Rubber Fins
The Apeks RK3 fins are short, but strong and wide which is taken from a military-style design. The whole fin is made from thermo molded rubber that is solid but still allows flexibility. It has vents below the footbox, that allows water to pass through, for less drag. The back has a spring heel strap and the footpocket is sturdy to fit your boot inside.
These fins are adored by divers all over who rate them for being the best fins for strong currents, for their good travel size and for their gorgeous color selection.
Shop: Amazon
SCUBAPRO Jet Diving Fins
Scubapro Jet Fins have a traditional design that is solid and short. They have a spring strap that is nylon covered, and a large footpocket for your boot. The vented design reduces drag and pushes the water through.
This fin is virtually indestructible, made of a single piece of rubber. They are very strong and loved by tech and commercial divers, but you can still love it for recreational diving too as it comes in a ton of cute colors. These fins are a bit heavier than regular fins, and lots of people prefer them for drysuit diving.
One user explains, “Of all the fins I’ve tried, these are the best dive fins. Great in all kinds of conditions. Yes, they are heavy, but you’ll get used to them fast and then it’s very rewarding.”
Best Full Foot Fins
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Mares Avanti Superchannel Full Foot Fins
These Mares scuba fins enclose your full foot. They are small and compact with a soft and comfortable foot pocket. The toe and ankle area rubber is thinner and flexible for a snug fit that won’t rub your feet.
The blade is made of two materials, a softer black rubber and a tougher colored plastic that channels the water over to push you through the water. These Mares diving fins are quite lightweight, so they would be good to travel with and could fit in a carry-on.
Cressi Reaction Pro Full Foot Fins
The foot pocket on these Cressi fins are made of a soft rubber that snugly hugs your foot for a comfy feel. As the blade of the fin is long and flat, it could also be used for freediving or snorkeling. It’s simple design makes you move through the water easily. They are quite lightweight too, but may be a bit long for your carry-on. (You might be able to strap them to the outside-depending on your carrier.)
One diver shares, “I have the Cressi Reaction fins for warm water diving. Excellent response vs. energy output.”
Best Snorkeling Fins
Cressi Pro Light Fins
Snorkel fins are much shorter than regular scuba or freediving fins. These cannot be used to scuba dive, as they will not give you enough propulsion, however, they may help you when snorkeling on the surface of the water. They don’t use as much energy as longer dive fins do, so are easier on your leg muscles, but you don’t need as much power when snorkeling.
These short Cressi snorkel fins have a full foot pocket and a short blade for kicking. They hug your foot closely and provide extra power on the surface, without being long enough that they kick or damage a shallow reef.
Shop: Amazon
Phantom Aquatics Snorkeling Flippers
These Phantom short snorkel fins have a strap that’s adjustable, so you can share these with other members of your family. The rubber foot pocket can be worn barefoot, or with booties. The length of these short fins means they can easily fit into a beach bag or in your carry on, so they are one of the best travel snorkel fins you can find for the price.
Best Swim Fin Socks
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Cressi Water Sport Socks
These Cressi fin socks are designed to give you a snug fit when using a full foot fin. They let you wear the fin for hours of dives or snorkeling, without chafing or getting blisters.
Made from a quick drying elasticated fabric, these are ideal for people who use full foot fins, or maybe if you plan on getting rental fins from a dive store, to give you a better fit.
Best Scuba Fin Boots
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Cressi Minorca 3mm Neoprene Boots
If you have open back fins, or dive in colder water, you generally would use the fins with boots. These Cressi boots are 3mm thick so provide a light coverage for your feet. The thick rubber sole is sturdy, which is great for shore divers.
They come in both a long style, with zippers at the ankle, or as short ankle cuff fin booties.
You can also get this style in a 5mm boot too!
Shop: Amazon
Mares Neoprene 2mm Dive Boots
These Mares ankle booties have a thick textured sole and are lightweight. They can be worn with your ankle strap fins easily, or you may wish to use them to get a more comfortable fit with rental fins. The 2mm neoprene isn’t too thick, and they can be used for other watersports or as water shoes too.
Best Scuba Fin Bag
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Phantom Aquatics Diving Gear Bag
This Phantom Aquatics bag is the perfect size for transporting your snorkel fins (or shorter dive fins) and mask. Sized at 24 inches tall by 10 inches wide, you can also fit in your swim gear too. It has a zipper closure and a front external pocket for additional storage.
The shoulder straps are comfortable and ergonomically designed, plus it has mesh material on the bottom to help your gear dry quickly.
Shop: Amazon
Cressi Freediving & Scuba Gear Bag
This Cressi scuba bag is great for longer fins (including extra-long freediving fins!). It has the space to store diving gear; mask and snorkel, scuba fins, and boots, plus a few other essentials.
It’s made from durable and quick-drying nylon and features a handle on the top and an adjustable shoulder strap for easy carrying.
Fins vs Flippers?
In a dive shop, the conventional terminology is to say “fins”. It’s the more professional terminology that experienced divers use.
What Is the Difference Between Full Foot Fins Or Heel Strap Fins?
If you choose to have full foot fins you generally wear them barefoot. This is fine for sandy areas or on boat dives. Some people find that full foot fins can rub a little if they don’t fit perfectly. (Consider wearing them with dive socks!)
Most ankle strap fins are designed to be worn with booties. Boots are great because they keep your feet extra warm and also good for entry on shore dives when the surface can be rocky. If you plan on diving a lot, a set of fins with a heel strap and boots tend to be more comfortable. And these are also much easier to take off and put on.
Which Are Better, Blade Fins or Split Fins?
There has long been a debate about the difference between blade fins and split fins in the diving community. Often split fins are not seen as powerful as blade fins are and while this is true to an extent, split fins still provide good propulsion but aren’t necessarily as effective in a strong current.
Split fins tend to be better for people who have knee or ankle problems as they provide less resistance in the water.
Can I Use Snorkelling Fins for Scuba Diving?
Simply put, no. Short fins for snorkeling are not appropriate for scuba diving. Snorkel fins are designed to be used on the surface of the water and the length means that they are not strong enough to propel you in deep water. The short swim fins length also means that you will not kick the reef when snorkeling in shallow areas.
What Is the Difference Between Scuba Fins and Free Diving Fins?
Freediving fins are much longer than scuba diving fins and also they tend to be flatter. Freediving fins are generally more flexible. They displace more water per kick, using less energy and oxygen.
What do you think are the best flippers for diving? Share with us below!
For more water activity tips, please read:
- 5 Scuba Diving Essentials for the First Time Diver
- Scuba Gear for Women: Cute Aqua Lung Diving Accessories
- Scuba Gear Packing Tips for Liveaboards and Diving Holidays
- What to Pack for a Galapagos Scuba Diving Trip
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