Do you know what the most important items are when you go snorkeling on holiday?
If you’re like most people you’ll be satisfied as long as you take your mask, snorkel, and fins. Don’t be like most people.
Instead, you should really think about wearing the best fin socks for snorkeling. It will make your life a million times more enjoyable when you’re in the water.
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Best Fin Socks For Snorkeling: Main Benefits
You wear socks with your shoes so it’s surprising how many people ignore them when it comes to snorkeling. It’s probably because they don’t understand how much benefits they’ll get versus the cost. Let’s take a look at why they go so well with the best snorkeling fins:
- Protect your feet from chafing
- Don’t lose your fins in the water
- Insulate your feet from the cold
- Neoprene is naturally buoyant
- Much safer stepping on things
- Flexible grippy rubber soles
1 – Protect your feet from chafing – Rubber and bare skin don’t go well together. It’s even worse when the rubber is wet and your skin is soft and tender due to the salt water. Imagine what your feet will end up like if they’ve been rubbing up and down on your snorkel fins all day.
It’s even worse if you don’t go snorkeling often because your skin won’t be tough. When you come out the water your feet will be damaged and soon-to-be blistered. But if you wear the best neoprene fin socks for snorkeling your feet will be left unscathed.
2 – Don’t lose your fins in the water – There are two main foot pocket designs: closed pocket and open-heel. The closed pocket design is one you’re probably used to seeing on most standard fins. All you need to do is slip your feet inside and you’ll be ready to go.
Open-heel pockets have straps you’ll need to tighten before going into the water. Your feet can slip out either of these designs and you might lose your fins in the middle of the ocean. When you’re wearing fin socks to snorkel they’re a lot more likely to stay on your feet.
3 – Insulate your feet from the cold – Most snorkel socks are made from neoprene which is the same material you’ll find in wetsuits. The reason it’s so popular is because it’s going to keep you warm. It will keep your feet toasty to ensure your snorkeling experience is comfortable.
Do you plan on visiting tropical paradises with stunning reefs? Even though the sun is shining your feet can still get cold under the water and it’s worse when you stay submerged for hours. When snorkeling in colder climates fin socks should definitely go in your suitcase.
4 – Neoprene is naturally buoyant – Anything that helps you stay afloat is beneficial whether it’s the best snorkeling vest or a cheap pair of flippers. Neoprene fin socks don’t sit at the top of the list but they will help you from sinking because the material is naturally buoyant.
Due to the fact they’re on your feet it will lift them up making it easier to stay in the prone position without kicking non stop. It’s the ideal position to be in when you’re wearing the best full face snorkel mask because your face will be submerged and you’ll see everything.
5 – Much safer stepping on things – We can break this down into different categories because the benefits you’ll get depends on the foot pocket design. Here is a quick breakdown of each one along with the positives it provides:
- Open-heel pocket
- Closed pocket
Open-heel pocket – If your snorkeling fins have an open-heel foot pocket and you don’t wear socks get ready for pain. I’m sure a sea urchin is just waiting to jab you in the foot. Even if you accidentally bang into any coral reefs you might end up with bad cuts on your feet.
Closed pocket – Your feet will have protection if your fins have closed foot pockets. But snorkel socks will still give you an extra bit of cushion when you stand on something. If you have to walk over rocks when snorkeling from the beach they won’t give you too much trouble.
6 – Flexible grippy rubber soles – Snorkel socks with great traction won’t make any difference if you’re wearing closed foot pocket flippers, but it’s the complete opposite when wearing open-heel ones. How many times have you nearly slipped on a boat because your feet were wet?
Grippy rubber soles will prevent this from happening so you can rest easy when you climb out the water. Fin socks are usually much more flexible than dive booties too. You’ll get the same type of traction while being able to squash them into your travel bag much easier.
Choosing The Right Snorkel Fin Socks
The best fin socks for snorkeling aren’t all made equal. There are some big differences between certain ones. You have to make sure you choose the ideal fin socks before going on holiday, so let’s take a look at the major differences you’re going to notice immediately:
- Fin sock materials
- Fin sock height
- Fin sock thickness
Fin sock materials – We’ve already talked about the fact most snorkel socks are made from neoprene foam. Once they come into contact with water your body will warm up any trapped between your skin and the socks. It’s the reason why they’ll keep your feet warm in cold water.
Some snorkel socks are made from lycra so you’ll come across a few of those too. Even though they are okay the material doesn’t have the ability to keep you as warm as neoprene. It’s a lot less buoyant too, so the only real reason to choose lycra is because it’s very thin.
Fin sock height – Low cut flippers socks sit below your ankles and high cut socks sit above your ankles. If you were to look at them from a distance one would look like shoes while the other would look like boots. In most cases, the style you choose comes down to individual preference.
High cut fin socks will obviously offer you more insulation along with extra protection if your feet bang into anything sharp. Stick to these ones when you’re wearing a wetsuit because you’ll be able to tuck them into the legs. It’s ideal for total warmth and complete sun protection.
Fin sock thickness – Dive boots tend to have a wider choice when it comes to thickness, but neoprene snorkel socks come in different thicknesses too. In general, they’ll be a few millimeters thick and stretch over your feet like a regular pair of socks you wear every day.
An extra millimeter of thickness might come in handy when you’re snorkeling in colder climates, but it will make little difference to your comfort level. Plus we’ve already mentioned the fact lycra fin socks will be around a millimeter thick and thinner than neoprene foam.
You Need The Best Fin Socks For Snorkeling
There are so many benefits it’s well worth owning snorkel fin socks, especially considering they hardly cost anything. If you’ve never worn them before you’ll become a huge fan after the first day. Just make sure you choose the right ones depending on your specific needs.
Although snorkeling fin socks are pretty similar there are still minor differences between them. Some have cool little features you won’t find on others. You should click on the links to read the reviews on Amazon because it’s helpful to get advice on products from multiple people.
