As much as we can, we like to spend time on our floating dock simply watching divers enter and exit. Doing so helps us identify ways to improve our facilities to help make diving here easier and more enjoyable. But it also helps us identify other problems divers experience.
All too often, we see divers struggle to don fins. In the process, they risk equipment damage and personal injury. It doesn’t have to be this way. All it takes is avoiding four common mistakes and using a simple trick that can make getting into fins vastly easier.
Mistake 1: Don’t be a stork
We’ve all seen divers trying to don their fins while balancing on one leg. This rarely works. Worse, it puts divers at risk of falling over and hurting themselves.
Instead, brace yourself by holding on with one hand to a post, railing, bench or similar fixture. In a worst-case situation, you may need to brace yourself on your buddy. This, however, requires a high degree of coordination. It’s best to brace on a solid object whenever possible.
Mistake 2: Re-attaching the quick release
Fins with old-fashioned rubber heel straps generally come with quick-release buckles. These can make getting out of the fins a lot easier.
Unfortunately, some divers assume that, because this is the easiest way to get out of their fins, the easiest way to don fins is to put the fins on and then try to re-attach the buckle. This may be possible but is generally too hard for most divers to master.
The better alternative is to re-attach the buckles before donning your fins. Then loosen the straps all the way and push them down below the foot pockets.
This will make donning your fins much easier. Once you have a fin in place, pull evenly on the ends of the straps.
This isn’t possible or necessary if using fins with spring or elastic straps. When you don this type of fin, your foot will automatically push the strap out of the way.
Mistake 3: Pulling on the strap
This is perhaps the biggest mistake we see divers make. They will hold their fins by the heel strap and try to pull them on that way.
This can create several problems, including:
- It can be harder to get the fin pocket properly aligned with your foot. This makes it difficult to get your fins on.
- If using fins with rubber or elastic heel straps, you increase the likelihood of strap breakage.
- If using fins with spring heel straps, donning fins this way can cause permanent damage to the springs, putting you out of the water for the day and requiring an expensive replacement.
Mistake 4: Fin jamming
We sometimes see divers attempt to don fins by dropping their fins on the deck and forcing their feet into them. While this may work, it comes with potential problems.
- If your feet go in easily, it may be a sign your fins are too loose.
- If you have to struggle to get your feet in, you risk losing your balance and falling over.
- Because you will be literally standing on on the strap assembly while doing this and scraping the bottom of your boot across it, you risk damage or breakage.The damage may not cause the strap or buckles to break immediately but, over time, it may cause these components to wear out prematurely.
So, if this is not an option, what is the better alternative?
The clearly better way
The best way to don fins is to start by following all the steps outlined thus far. These include:
- Re-attaching any quick-release buckles, loosening the straps all the way and then pushing the straps down out of the way.
- Bracing yourself against a solid object like a post or railing.
- Assuming a Figure 4 position.
Now comes the important part: Hold each fin by the side of the foot pocket. This will make it much easier to steer the fin onto your foot.
This will be faster and easier than any other method. It will help ensure a better fit and reduce the likelihood of strap damage.