Please help me! Where can I buy flippers for swimming training (NOT snorkelling) in central London?

[roisin]

I hate shopping, and do not want to spend my holiday time in London this week hoiking round shops.

But dh has just promised ds1 that whilst we are there we will get him some flippers, because the ones I got him from JJB are the wrong type of flippers apparently.

I know you can get them online, but he needs to try them on as sizing can be tricky.

Aarrgghhh... swimming club provide flippers for training, but they are too small for him because he has huge feet!

decathlon?

There is an excellent dive shop called Ocean Leisure down by Embankment tube station. They may have them (we call them "fins" by the way, Flipper is a dolphin (sad diver joke))

Here's their details, call and ask

I was going to say the sad diver joke!

You can also order them online from a company called Deep Blue Dive. We've bought loads from them and they're really good.

A lot of pool fins are adjustable, they should have a strap on the back.

Yes, do NOT get the ones that have a sort of shoe built in. Fins with a strap, much better and adjustable, and some neoprene boots. He can whizz around the side of the pool in the boots and then chuck the fins on when he gets in.

Mares are good, and Tusa - I have Tusa Imprex, they are excellent (although probably a bit much for his needs!)

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Oh this is all sounding a lot more complicated than I anticipated! But we are staying at County Hall so a shop by Embankment tube that's open til 7pm sounds ideal. I'll send dh with him!

The swim club ones are mostly for age 7-9, and aren't adjustable.

Cod I have no idea! This swimming club thing is all a complete mystery to me: I can "not drown" and potter along happily, but I've never been a swimmer.

But for the first half of each training session they all have fins [I'm learning] on and zip up and down like lightning.

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Cos rabbit scuba dives, fishie

fins help them learn to keep their legs straight and just kick feet ..

and kids love wearing 'em so it adds to fun because they go faster

OK, ds1 tells me the usual ones they have at club are more like these ones They are much shorter than regular 'diving' fins.

So I think he wants some like this. Is it good or bad to have shorter ones?

Does this mean a diving shop won't really have what I need?

Second ones down on that link - the yellow ones, not the blue ones.

Ah, OK. They may not have them (although they have a normal sports bit that sells swimming costumes etc, so it is worth asking). I think the fins I was thinking of are too advanced.

My local pool sells all the Zoggs stuff, have you looked at yours?

OK, thanks. I think I'll probably get them online: seems the easiest thing to do.