Fins.

[Luke Hickton]

Well, I have myself a ND Aquarius Drysuit. I went with one of my instructors to the local dive shop to sort out an undersuit and fins. The undersuit is sorted, however, we are unable to find a pair of fins that will fit the boot size.

It is currently a size 12 boot, but will be changing it for an 11. The problem we had was a XL fin was to small and an XXL was to big. The shop only supplies certain manufacturers, but I was wondering if anyone else had this problem? I think we will still have an issue with the size 11 as the tread on the bottom on the boot comes slightly up the side.

Does anyone know of any manufactors that would be appropiate for me to contact?

My only last option would be to change the boots on the drysuit to some others which don't have as much tread on them.

[Eddie Clamp]

Originally Posted by Luke Hickton

Well, I have myself a ND Aquarius Drysuit. I went with one of my instructors to the local dive shop to sort out an undersuit and fins. The undersuit is sorted, however, we are unable to find a pair of fins that will fit the boot size.

It is currently a size 12 boot, but will be changing it for an 11. The problem we had was a XL fin was to small and an XXL was to big. The shop only supplies certain manufacturers, but I was wondering if anyone else had this problem? I think we will still have an issue with the size 11 as the tread on the bottom on the boot comes slightly up the side.

Does anyone know of any manufactors that would be appropiate for me to contact?

My only last option would be to change the boots on the drysuit to some others which don't have as much tread on them.

Welcome to diving Tried Turtlefin? (Available in two sizes XXXL and XXL. The XXL is slightly larger than the Scubapro XL JetFin but has shorter blade) - http://www.divelife.co.uk/product_in...oducts_id=2384

Totally uncool for some but does the job for me.

[AndyA]

The ND Coda split fins have a decent size foot pocket, I would think that as you have a ND suit then their fins would be compatible with the boots they fit. Change the straps for springs though, much better.

http://ndiver.com/site/products/fins_coda.html

[PhilB]

Hi, if its not too late I think you need the XXXL Turtle fin. Its foot pocket is apparently smaller than the XXL Scubapro Jetfin and fits my size 10 heavy duty drysuit boots fine. I found the XXL Turtle fin too small for me. I think the Turtles are great fins for drysuit diving.
Hope this helps, Phil

[Howard Payne]

Originally Posted by Eddie Clamp

Welcome to diving Tried Turtlefin? (Available in two sizes XXXL and XXL. The XXL is slightly larger than the Scubapro XL JetFin but has shorter blade) - http://www.divelife.co.uk/product_in...oducts_id=2384

Totally uncool for some but does the job for me.

Exactly what Eddie and Phil suggest - the XXXL Turtles (not XXL) with a decent spring strap will do the job just fine. Being heavier than most plastic fins, they damp your "floaty" drysuit legs down a bit as well so you won't need ankle weights HTH

[northern_diver]

Originally Posted by PhilB

Hi, if its not too late I think you need the XXXL Turtle fin. Its foot pocket is apparently smaller than the XXL Scubapro JetfinPhil

Who actually comes up with they sizing? Normal fin's dont have XXXL sizes etc normally, its like the starting size for these fins is some micro person...seems really off of true to me.

I havent got XXL feet, but thats the size for say jet fins i need....its like the demographics and eronomic study for these things werent collected for children.

John

[DRW]

Originally Posted by northern_diver

Who actually comes up with they sizing? Normal fin's dont have XXXL sizes etc normally, its like the starting size for these fins is some micro person...seems really off of true to me.

I havent got XXL feet, but thats the size for say jet fins i need....its like the demographics and eronomic study for these things werent collected for children.

John

I guess the reason is that over the decades people have got out of the habit of wearing fins barefoot or over thin booties. The size embossed on the fins still represents the normal shoe size, the size we would choose when purchasing a pair of normal street footwear, which we intend to wear over thin socks, not bulky boots.

Some diving equipment manufacturers have acknowledged the problem of sizing fins for both barefoot and booted use and, more importantly, they have done something about it. The sizing data on the soles of my Japanese-made full-foot Gull Mew fins reads:

SIZE: F. 46-47
A. 12-13
J. 28-29
BOOTS 26-27

This information tells me not only the European (I think "F" stands for "French"), American and Japanese size ranges, but also the Japanese size range if the fins are worn over boots. Incidentally, the Japanese foot sizing system is easy to check - the numbers represent foot length in centimetres - and they are also compatible with the German Standard for swim fin sizing, DIN 7876 of October 1980, which encourages manufacturers to print, in millimetres, the foot length and foot width which the fin's foot pocket is designed to accommodate. Such a simple solution to the sizing problem and a way of relegating the primitive XL, XXL, XXXL system of sizing to the dustbin of history, but most fin manufacturers seem to think that the size of their fin foot pockets have the same "commercial sensitivity" as the size of the fees paid to each of the BBC's highest-paid celebrities.

[ChristianG]

Originally Posted by DRW

I guess the reason is that over the decades people have got out of the habit of wearing fins barefoot or over thin booties. The size embossed on the fins still represents the normal shoe size, the size we would choose when purchasing a pair of normal street footwear, which we intend to wear over thin socks, not bulky boots.

So you seriously believe that normal footwear is related to size, given that a thin pair of socks is employed?

Sorry, I do believe you jest.

I have size 11 shoes as well as size 9 shoes, which both fit perfectly with thin socks, or no socks at all for that matter. I think that my size, proper size, is 9.5 but I haven't seen a half size shoe for quite a time now anyway. Mind, I don't buy shoes that often, they're not exactly thick on my social register.

[DRW]

Originally Posted by ChristianG

So you seriously believe that normal footwear is related to size, given that a thin pair of socks is employed?

Sorry, I do believe you jest.

I have size 11 shoes as well as size 9 shoes, which both fit perfectly with thin socks, or no socks at all for that matter. I think that my size, proper size, is 9.5 but I haven't seen a half size shoe for quite a time now anyway. Mind, I don't buy shoes that often, they're not exactly thick on my social register.

Are the shoes you mention both made in the UK? You can't rely on the UK sizing information on imported footwear being accurate. Footwear of Far Eastern origin is frequently labelled with UK sizes two or more sizes bigger than the actual size. It's best to judge the size of shoes, or any footwear for that matter, by the size system applicable in the country where the footwear is made. There is an additional factor, of course, and that is the variable amount of space each manufacturer allows between the shoe wearer's toes and the toe of the shoe itself.

In any case, you are reinforcing the main point of my message, which was to suggest the desirability of a universal fin foot pocket sizing standard, where the length and width dimensions of foot pockets in millimetres are embossed on the fin. Such a standard already exists, DIN 7876 of October 1980. The only barrier in the way is the apparent reluctance of fin manufacturers to adopt what seems to be a simple solution to the problem of wide variation in sizing information. Millimetres are millimetres everywhere in the world, even if UK shoe size 9 seems to be an unreliable unit of measurement.