>>107657>>111603>unless you are going to start skin diving but short soft fins with heelstraps instead of foot-pocketsHonestly I don't think the way they attach to your foot matters at all, unless you have issues with cold in which case the strap fins will allow you to wear insulting boots (though not very thick ones for snorkeling, as it makes swimming at the surface a pain.)
If someone wants to get into snorkeling they'd be best advised to get themselves a pair of decent snorkeling fins (will run about $30 - $40 unless your area doesn't have many dive shops or is a tourist trap) and seeing where they want to go from there. Those should last years anyway. Snorkeling fins are the somewhat flexible ones that are slightly longer than your thigh. Don't get scuba fins; they're the ones with heel straps (though not all heel straps are dive fins) and cup holsters. They're terrible for swimming on the surface and also more expensive. Also stay away from the split fin or spring fin or whatever new tacticool thing they came out with this season.
If you're going to stay snorkeling, what fins you'll get from there will depend upon if you're going to be freediving and how deep. If you're not going to be freediving or you're going to be freediving in water ~30' or less, you'll probably be best served sticking with the snorkeling fins. If you're going to be freediving in deeper water than that then get freediving fins (they're stiffer and longer than snorkeling fins.)
