I use snorkeling fins with ankle fasteners. If you don’t attach snorkeling fins to your ankles, almost certainly they’re going to come off in heavy surf. It isn’t fun to search for a fin while waves are breaking over you and you’re yelling, “Has anyone seen my fin?” It’s well worth it to spend a few bucks on ankle fasteners for the fin peace of mind. Or, you can get official boogie boarding fins that strap tightly to your foot, but this is impractical for most tourists.
If a large wave has already broken and you’re in front of it, you have two choices: go with it or go under it. Going under it is an essential boogie boarding skill. Just dip your head, press down on the front of the board, shut your eyes (if you wear soft contacts, like me), and kick with your fins. After the wave goes by you’ll pop up about where you were instead of halfway to the beach, which likely would have happened if you went with the wave.
Boogie board flippers come in a range of basic styles, each of which offer unique features which allow riders to select them based on personal preference. Clone bodyboarding flippers are designed for comfort, with soft rubber and generously sized foot pockets. Light, all-rubber boogie board flippers are favored by many riders who practice the dropknee style, while tech fins are heavier, offering more propulsion power and a symmetrical design specifically engineered to help prone riders maintain wave edging.
No single pair of fins should be used for boogie boarding, body boarding, snorkeling and scuba diving because each sport has its unique needs, based on water conditions, above and below the water surface. Boogie boarding and body boarding can use the same type of fins; snorkeling and scuba can use similar fins (remember, sturdier fins are better for cold water).
