Snorkel Set With Fins for Wide Feet?

by Jorge
(Miami, FL)

I want to buy a snorkeling set with fins for wide feet. Since I have never snorkeled before, I don't want to buy expensive equipment.

What brand or kind of fins should I look for in a snorkel set? Many searches confuse "wide fins" with "fins for wide feet"... HELP.

Comments for Snorkel Set With Fins for Wide Feet?

Click here to add your own comments

Mar 01, 2015
 Fins for Wide Feet
by: Kristen

Both my husband and I have wider feet, his being a 3E in regular shoes and we both have Oceanic Viper Open Heel adjustable fins. We have never had any problems with them. We've had them several years and used them on multiple snorkel trips.
Mar 01, 2015
 Fins for Wide Foot...
by: Cary Bennett

I will give you some suggestions of some fins to go try on locally, then, price compare online. I suggest the following: Oceanic Viper Open Heel Fin (linked to above), SeaDive Traveler Fin, and Cressi Palau Short Fin.

I hope you can find one of these that will work for you. Best of luck!
Mar 07, 2015
 Love This Info
by: Nonie

We both snorkel for hours and have wide feet. Next trip to the states I've got the list! Thank you ~
Mar 09, 2015
 Fins for Wide Feet
by: Rick

I, too, have a wide foot and have had trouble finding fins that fit comfortably. I recently purchased a pair of Tilos Getaway Travel Fins for Wide or Large Feet, and like them very much. Not only do they fit my foot, they are light weight and good for traveling.
Jul 12, 2015
 Right on Target
by: Bryan C.

This is exactly what the doctor ordered--and after using the fins that came with my travel set, I may need a doctor.

The fins in question are the U.S Diver Travel Trek Fins that came with the combo kit I bought (mask, snorkel, fins and travel bag) and I want to like the set. Everything is good-looking and it all seems well made and it actually came with a very nice travel bag.

I've had a devil of a time getting a good seal on the mask (although this site is helping me make slow progress) but those fins are so narrow that there's no way I could wear anything else on my feet and fit them in there without severe discomfort and perhaps loss of blood circulation in my feet.

I saw a recommendation that the Palau travel fins worked well with wide feet. What about the Cressi Palau Long Fins?

Thanks.
Aug 16, 2015
 Oceanic Viper Open Heel = Happy Feet
by: Bryan in Nicaragua

My feet haven't been this happy in a long, long time -- and all because Oceanic "gets" wide feet. I'm 100% happy -- my feet are hitting about 125%.

And my long-suffering spouse is glad I got a great deal. The first words out of her mouth, however, were "Wow, those are some big fins." They are, indeed.

My first reaction was, "These guys know a thing or three about wide feet." While they haven't been in the ocean yet, they've had several shakedown cruises in the pool.

Here are my impressions on my XL set and how they fit my size 12-13 flat, wide feet. I teamed these up with an ancient pair of 6mm XXL Sherwood Scuba hard-sole dive boots. It's a match made in heaven. I initially feared my toes would be uncomfortable but the soft neoprene cradles them and my whole foot. I feel like someone made me a custom pair of fins. The comfort is outstanding.

And with the boots, the fins aren't going anywhere and feel extremely securely attached, as the boots feature a bit of a protrusion where the sole meets the neoprene body. This works well with the fins' quick-release female portion that's attached to the fin -- it swivels, so it's easy to place the straps near your Achilles tendon, just above the protruding sole. Pull on the adjustment straps once you've got your booted foot in the fin and you'll lock these babies down.

So my feet are loving life and I'm feeling secure. Are the dive boots a bit of overkill for snorkeling in the tropics? I'm exploring a bay in the neighborhood and it's about as rocky as it gets, so the hard-sole boots are much appreciated. And they have zippers, which make them easier to get on and off. And I can't afford to buy anything else at the moment.

Everything about the fins seems robust and well made. The adjustment system is excellent. At this point, I feel like I've gotten excellent value for my money. Admittedly, the pool isn't the best place to test these out, mainly because I have so much additional power that I blow across it. It is deep enough to get down five feet and the fins feel great moving me through the water along the bottom. I also find I can hold my underwater position much better.

Once I get some real-world experience with these, I'll report back.
Nov 24, 2015
 Fin Follow-up
by: Bryan C. Nicaragua

Just following up on my Oceanic fins. I've had them out in the open ocean several times now and love their power, especially when diving. They're great for underwater work and still super comfortable. I find them slightly ungainly when snorkeling at the surface, but that could well be attributed to poor technique. I still feel like I got a great deal.
Nov 25, 2016
 Great Article
by: RyanSoCal

Good article for a guy who routinely has problems with his EE size feet. Thanks for helping.

Click here to add your own comments

Return to Snorkeling Equipment Stories and Q&A.

Like

Follow

Tropical Snorkeling




[?]Get Our RSS Feed
  • XML RSS
Read more about Galen & Nicole
Check out these world-class guided snorkeling travel opportunities.