Outdoors

Mountain meets the sea in new diving fin design

Mountain meets the sea in new diving fin design
The Finclip system can be retrofitted to any open-heel type fins
The Finclip system can be retrofitted to any open-heel type fins
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The Finclip system can be retrofitted to any open-heel type fins
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The Finclip system can be retrofitted to any open-heel type fins
Finclip should be available in multiple colors
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Finclip should be available in multiple colors

Inspired by modern click-in/click-out ski binding systems, Italian entrepreneur Paolo Piumatti figured that scuba divers could benefit from something just as convenient. The resulting Finclip system lets divers get their fins on with no awkward bending over or sitting down.

Because wearing fins makes it difficult to walk around, they typically go on last when suiting up for a dive. This means that the diver is already wearing their heavy tanks and weight belt, so bending down and balancing on one foot to pull on the fins can be difficult – even potentially treacherous.

Finclip is designed to address this problem. It replaces the heel strap of any open-heel type fin with a shoe horn-like device, that stays attached full-time. Users just push their booted foot in, step down, and the integrated strap lever will snap up against their heel.

Finclip should be available in multiple colors
Finclip should be available in multiple colors

Getting out still does require the user to reach down, although they just need to flip the lever back over when doing so.

Finclip is currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign, where a pledge of €36 (about US$40) will get you a set. If they reach production, deliveries should begin next January.

The system is demo'd in the video below.

Source: Kickstarter

UPDATE (Apr. 30/18): Finclip is now in production, and can be purchased online.

FINCLIP, the easiest way to don/doff your scuba diving fins

1 comment
1 comment
Dax Wagner
I ski and snorkel/dive. I see a design flaw: unlike skiing which keeps your foot stabilized, you need a lot of flexibility in the water to kick efficiently. That hard, big flip-up buckle looks like it will uncomfortably dig into the achilles tendon (even the lower calf!) with every kick.