There has been a great deal of difficulty regarding the sizing of these fins, so I am posting a detailed review regarding size and fit. It is my solid opinion that Amazon pull down menu sizing corresponds directly to women's US shoe sizes - for the M at least. If you use it this way, I think they are true to size. They are definitely not true to men's sizes!
I read reviews all over the internet for 45 minutes before choosing a M for my size 8-8.5 (38-39) women's foot. Some women with my foot size said the ML was perfect, while others said it was way too big. It was clear that women with a 7.5 foot liked the M and those with a 8.5-9 liked the ML (or thought it was too big). I like tight very snug fins for free movement in the water so I chose the snugger fit of a M and am happy with it.
I want to clearly state that I am displeased that the Amazon pull down menu sizes are inconsistent with the size info listed right on the page under the fins. According to the Amazon page, a M could be either a 7-8, 7-9, or 8.5-10.5 (pull down menu, men's, womens respectively). How a customer is supposed to interpret this is beyond me. I would NEVER suggest the M for ANYTHING larger than my 8.5 W / 38-39 foot. I suggest ignoring the sizing info under the fins and simply using the Amazon pull down sizing menu - the one you use to select your size to order - and assume the sizes listed there are women's US sizes.
The medium footbed is about 9" long. I read this measurement on an ebay listing and this corresponds to my foot length. See pictures below comparing my foot to the fin's footbed. I have D width feet, and if it weren't for that, these would fit perfectly. I have to push my foot up closer to the toe opening to get a bit more width out of them, but otherwise the length is perfectly fine. A 7.5 W would also be great in these.
The fins are all rubber/plastic, but two different kinds! As an industrial designer myself, it's clear to me that they use two different injection materials. The yellow part is a bit more rigid and plasticky and the blue part is more rubbery and sticky. The thick yellow part doesn't give much where the widest part of the foot hits, so consider that if you have wide feet. If you have regular or narrow feet then no problem! The heel is decently roomy - enough that I don't think the ML would be tight enough on me to stay on easily in the water. These have a lot of stretch in the foot pocket! When I am in the water, my wide feet aren't holding gravity against the ground, so my foot is narrower, which works. The length works just fine for me. I am curious how a ML would fit, but I think it could be bigger than my personal preference. The worst thing, for me, is when fins don't hug my feet solidly in the water. The last thing I want to do when snorkeling is try to keep my fins on. I'd rather have tight footed fins, let them stretch with use, and move about freely with no attention to loosing a fin at an inopportune dive moment.
| Item Package Dimensions L x W x H | 19 x 8.4 x 5.2 inches |
|---|---|
| Package Weight | 1.27 Kilograms |
| Item Weight | 2 Pounds |
| Brand Name | U.S. Divers |
| Country of Origin | Malaysia |
| Warranty Description | Manufacturer Warranty |
| Model Name | FA229O0740XL |
| Color | Yellow/Blue |
| Material | Rubber |
| Suggested Users | unisex-adult |
| Number of Items | 1 |
| Manufacturer | US Diver |
| Part Number | 240805 |
| Included Components | Swim Training Fins |
| Size | X-Large 11-13 |
| Sport Type | Diving |
