Freedive fins for UW Photography

I know awhile back there was a thread on fins in general for photography.

That said, I am wondering how many of us out there use freedive fins for underwater photography. I have not but have seen it used. I do find taking my booties and open heeled fins to be heavy for travel and bouyant underwater.

I'm curious as to how many have tried freedive fins and their thoughts on them.

Cheers

Todd

I use full foot Mares Avanti L's and before that Technisub 'ALA's" - both are very comfortable and extremely effecient.

Hi Todd,

If I know I'll be swimming a lot (pelagics trip) then I use the freedive fins. I have the sporasub variant fins with break in half so you can fit them in your bag. They are foot pocket fins, which can be a problem on some boats, where you are "supposed to" slide your fins up your arms before you get on the boarding ladder. In that case I just tuck them in my cumberbund/waistbelt.

Cheers

James

I wear free diving fins most of the time, unless making a rocky entry or diving in caverns.

I use Cressi 2000LD's (the less-stiff grey ones) and love em. They do require a bit of leg power and can give you nasty cramps after a long day of diving. I would guess that's why they're not marketed to scuba divers.

They produce some awesome power and are dubbed my 'whale shark chasing fins' - perfect for blue water diving in ripping currents.

They don't work so well in tight spaces. They have their place.

Mine don't fold in half and I find myself travelling with a bag just big enough... though I have strapped them to the outside of a suitcase before.

and they just look cool...

i am completely fine with normal fins. even in strong currents (which we have in maldives). but yes, i also don't like booties (they are desgusting when they dont dry properly) ... i just dive my open heels without boots. works perfect.

but i had a work mate who used freedive fins ... i tried them once in the chanel. it's nice ... but only in strong current. other than that (i think) they are in the way.

serge

hi

these fins have been getting good reviews

Cressi Reaction Pro

apparently quite big blades and full foot , i don't think they are free diving fins thou

in a recent dive mag they came out the fastest

worth a look

i am off to redsea tomorrow and my friend is gonna buy some if we see them over there

so will let you know what they are like if he gets some

vinny

I used to use the Cressi GARA 2000 .. the cheapest free dive fins i could find.

I just wanted big fins.

Now even though i did love them, they were awkward in confined spaces like swim throughs etc.

The great thing I found for them was it made hovering in a stable way to take a photo without holding onto anything VERY easy.

its all i use, Cressis

You could try the Mares Quattro full foot. It's kind of in between the size of a full free dive fin and a standard scuba fin.

hi

just an update for an earlier post

my friend couldn't find the full footed cressi reaction pros

so i can't tell you what they are like

the shop we went in only had open heeled , the clear/yellow ones looked good thou

vinny