I am looking for some fins on the less expensive side for my trip in January for snorkeling and perhaps a little freediving. Many people have recommended excellent fins, but most are over $100 which is way out of my price range. Is it possible to find anything good for 50 and under or am I better off just buying the expensive kind. I am only looking for open-heel because I have booties and want to do some shore-snorkeling. Lastly are there any places that will rent out good fins? I tried asking Carib Inn, but they only offer services for guests.

If you could stand the full foot kind Tusa Expert Zoom are really good fins for about $40 online

I am afraid I would cut the fins up on the shore, everyone seems to reccommend open heel only.

Anton, buy the good ones! It is close to christmas, maybe a earlly present? The good fins will last you the rest of your life. You get what you pay for. Maybe latter, you might want to try diving? Your new fins will be your main sorce of transpertation. I'll bet you don't have a cheap car. ;-)

Hi, Anton! We always stop over to the Caribbe Inn to buy our fins. Usually has a nice selection and his prices are very decent, too. We now use the open fins and use booties with them....excellent for Bonaire.

Have a great trip!! cb

I am considering Mares Quattro vs Force fins Original. The Force fins are more expensive, but I hear rave reviews about them. Does anyone have a comment that might push me one way or the other.

We had Scubapro twin jets but switched to Mares Quattro six years ago, they are great fins. We added spring straps which make them great for shore diving as they are very easy to put on in the water.

Hi Anton,

You might try http://www.leisurepro.com/Catalog.aspx?op=Info&Topic=Home.

Fins are one of the things that you have to try on with your booties to get the right fit. That's why I don't like to buy them online. With a $50 target you will be hard pressed to find decent fins at a dive shop. If you do order fins online, decide which size will most likely fit you and order the next larger size. You will have more flexibility in finding booties to fit them.

Anton, your concern about tearing up the fins is not quite right. First, you do not want to be walking around with your fins on before you get into water deep enough to swim with them. That can be very dangerous since you are likely to trip and fall. THAT can ruin your whole day on iron shore like Bonaire's. The preference for open heel fins is that they allow you to wear booties to protect you feet from the coral while you are entering/exiting the water.

All that being said, we use the Tusa Expert Zoom open heel fins and love them. After your mask, your choice of booties/fins are the most important pieces of gear you will buy. A good fit is more important other people's rave reviews.

I bought a pair of Force Fins and I hate them.

Some people love them, but I don't.

I will sell them to you cheap if you want them...barely used.

Hey Sot, what size and what price?? I LOVE those fins. Do you have the originals or others??

Hey Martin, I have the originals (blue), size medium/large. I offered them to Anton above, but if he does not want them I will let you know.

Scott

Sounds good, but I need XXL... Thanks any way! (Anton, I think they are word the money...

Yea I need them in XL or XXL too. Martin try selling them on ebay, people are buying originals for 100+.

I have used Force Fins for years and I love them. And bright yellow gets the conversation going. The kick is a little different and they are easy on the legs.

I love my Force Fins. Less stress on my legs so I can snorkel for hours. I find them easy to put on and take off, plus they are easy to pack. I have the bright pink ones, though they are fading with all the use.

You can also try getting full foot fins that are large enough to go over your booties.

Hi there, I brought open fins with boots that I borrowed from my sister, but when I used them to snorkel they were way too heavy and uncomfortable.

So, I rented some full fins from BelMar (Buddy dive) and Buddy Dive...each were $5 per day or $25 for the week. They were way more comfortable and I just stuck my boots in my suit after I got out over the coral. (or on shore when I could manage). I did stay in these places but it is hard to believe they would not rent them out.

I highly recommend the full ones. Also, I got them a little larger than my shoe size and they were more comfortable. Bring some large waterproof bandages though to make sure if you get sore you have something to pad your heel. Have fun! It was just awesome.

My favorite snorkel location was Karpata, but you are on a one way road there, so do it when you have time to drive around the island. (like the end of the day).

Please watch out for the coral there. It is very close to the shore. We saw some divers wading out backwards (standing) and it broke my heart. They were very careless. We snorkelers also want to preserve the close in coral!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

we use full foot, we either sit on shore and then slide out with outgoing wave or walk out a LITTLE way backwards and then swim from there.
The coral isnt really that razor sharp in most places that it would tear up a fin, I even walk in barefoot and then put on fins with no problems...pick your entry area and no problems.

Patti, most dive sites have areas that the coral is dead or it is iron shore rock, these are the areas that most divers (I know not all do) go into the water. We can only hope that divers, snorkelers and swimmers stay off of the coral.