Split fins for reef diving newbie?

[johnnyscience]

I'm a newbie who will be mostly reef diving & doing so in Cozumel first.

There are obviously a handful of different fins to choose from, but I have no idea how to begin.

I was thinking the split fins?

Are those good for reef diving & what are the real benefits to them?

I guess I want a pair that makes kicking easier?

 

[danvolker]

I'm a newbie who will be mostly reef diving & doing so in Cozumel first.

There are obviously a handful of different fins to choose from, but I have no idea how to begin.

I was thinking the split fins?

Are those good for reef diving & what are the real benefits to them?

I guess I want a pair that makes kicking easier?

Kicking gets easier as you build coordination and muscle specific adaptations occur....You "could" say that one of those tricycle bicycles older people use are "easier" to ride than a 14 pound racing bicycle, but this is really a case of deficient coordination requiring the 3 wheels, as well as no interest in getting professionally fitted to the bike...
With soft freediving fins, like Cressi Gara 3000 LD's , you would need to learn the coordination, and you might even need a freedver or good diver who knows freediving fins, to show you how to use them ( the mechanics of efficiently kicking a freedive fin--very slow frequency, large amplitude kick..more from the hip than a split fin) ....Once you learn them, you would become a far superior scuba diver or snorkeler ( propulsively and comfort-wise) to your evil twin using the splits....

Splits limit your effort, AND limit your speed and ability to deal with currents. In water as still as a swimming pool, it will not matter....if your diving takes you to where currents are larger, and the life tends to congregate more in places like this, then you will quickly see the advantage with freediving fins.

Regards,
DanV

 

[motorref]

Splits limit your effort, AND limit your speed and ability to deal with currents. I water as still as a swimming pool, it will not matter....if your diving takes you to where currents are larger, and the life tends to congregate more in places like this, then you will quickly see the advantage.

Regards,
DanV

Thanks Dan; As anothe newbie I have been investigating fins quite a bit; I had been told that the splits are better for people w/ bad knees, but hadn't heard about their limiting speed/agility issue.
Guess I'll find out next week in Freeport!

KevinL

 

[diver 85]

Thanks Dan; As anothe newbie I have been investigating fins quite a bit; I had been told that the splits are better for people w/ bad knees, but hadn't heard about their limiting speed/agility issue.
Guess I'll find out next week in Freeport!

KevinL

I'm gunna disagree with the speed & agility thingy--------example, last month @ Beqa Lagoon, Fiji, on the one dive that we encountered-a lot of-current, only the DM & myself(both using splits) made it for the 'whole dive'--we had a 50 minute bottom time while the rest(~12 others) recorded anywhere from 25 to 35 minutes.....'the rest' whimped out & a lot were using non-splits.....

 

[danvolker]

I'm gunna disagree with the speed & agility thingy--------example, last month @ Beqa Lagoon, Fiji, on the one dive that we encountered(a lot) of current, only the DM & myself made it for the 'whole dive'--we had a 50 minute bottom time while the rest(~12 others) recorded anywhere from 25 to 35 minutes.....'the rest' whimped out & a lot were using non-splits.....

To put this in perspective, I was with a group( 15) of very advanced Florida Divers ( people who dive every single week)....Diving at the Beqa. lagoon Resort ......Our group dove as well or better than any divemaster in Fiji....
Because of this, they took us to all "their" favorite hot spots, in addition to the main dives....With my freediving fins, there was never a time I felt like there was a current, certainly nothing compared to South Florida Drift Diving. There was however, one older florida diver, who used split fins....and on one day I did have to pull him the last 20 feet to the ladder, as he could not keep up with what I consider a mild current.

This difference between freedive fins and splits is enormous.....

Regards,
DanV

 

[DevonDiver]

Split Fins..... sure, why not? There are some good designs available, in well performing materials that offer good performance. A well designed pair of split fins will offer benefits comapred to conventional designed, maintstream fins.

If asked for a recommendation, I would always advise investigating Force Fins, as these offer very high performance, at a very low effort. The drawback is cost - but I don't skimp with my scuba equipment.

The majority of the tech community (all advanced divers) opt for Jet Fins, because of the pure performance, at the expense of effort. This is particularly important when dealing with the higher drag of multiple cylinders.

Both Jet fins and Force Fins offer extremely good maneuvorability.

 

[johnnyscience]

Ok so I know this opens a can of worms as everyone has their preference but lets dig a little deeper.

So someone is actually suggesting free diving fins vs anything else. Arent free dive fins really long?

And another is suggesting more "normal" fins

I should mention that I dont plan on doing much free diving, just scuba & snorkel in warm water reefs...

And yet even some people still say split.

But DanV says that hes seen people crap out with split fins while another says split fins allowed them to complete the dive where others couldnt.

Hmm.

Is there a specific material I should be looking for the fins to be made out of? Maybe that will help narrow it down? What are the really good options when it comes to material?

 

[danvolker]

Ok so I know this opens a can of worms as everyone has their preference but lets dig a little deeper.

So someone is actually suggesting free diving fins vs anything else. Arent free dive fins really long?

And another is suggesting more "normal" fins

I should mention that I dont plan on doing much free diving, just scuba & snorkel in warm water reefs...

And yet even some people still say split.

But DanV says that hes seen people crap out with split fins while another says split fins allowed them to complete the dive where others couldnt.

Hmm.

Is there a specific material I should be looking for the fins to be made out of? Maybe that will help narrow it down? What are the really good options when it comes to material?

Just to clarify, I am recommending Freedive Fins for scuba diving ( it is just a bonus you can snorkel with this too).

1. The complaint that freedive fins are too long is nonsense. If I am on a dive charter boat that holds 20 divers, it is easy for me to gear up and walk with them...So maybe you need to practice walking in them for 5 minutes when you first get them...you hold your toes up, you plan where you are going. You don't giant stride, you can step forward and do twisting roll in air to back flop, or you can dive in headfirst with chin down( what I do). You DO NOT want to float on the surface like a duck anyway--you might as well be swimming down the instant you hit the water.
2. The complaint that they don't fit into your luggage or dive bag....I would not choose my Laptop computer by the laptop case I already have....My freedive fins will fit in to my larger suitcases, if I want them to, but I purchased a Freediver style dive bag for fins and other dive gear....lots of room for freedive fins, mask, wetsuit, even backplate and wing with reg. I think my bag is a Rob allen bag, but there are plenty of these by many freedive companies....not all dive stores will sell these ( why you probably have not seen them) because they really need to order what is being advertised to the masses, and what the masses are looking for..But you can get much better....
3. That they will be too much fin for you.....they do take more coordination. They actually take less strength, to go at a given speed...which means you can be better on air....but they kick differently, and use different muscle groups--require a different firing order for your neuro-muscular development. Apparently the lame testers of Rodales Magazine are too uncoordinated to get good test scores in a single day's use of the worst of the freediving fins that are made( the ones they have tested), but this could also be the testers told NOT to do well with these fins, due to much larger split fin ad budgets, or other equivalent nonsense.
4. That the freedive fin will destroy the coral or silt the bottom.....that is an issue of very bad trim....no one should be swimming head up and feet down....if you resemble that, you have much bigger problems than fin selction. If you are flat horizontal, the freedive fins will do no damage, and if you need to be extra careful, you can adjust slow speed trim for head down and feet up at a 5 to 10 degree angle....you would still be vastly more efficient

Regards,
DanV

 

[motorref]

It seems to me that some trial and error is going to be involved; what works for one may be a death knell for another.
In another post, someone had suggested looking at the used equipment here, and try to find the type you want there first; another option may be "demo days" at your local shop.
I'm hoping to get a chance to try several different types next week, and that should help significantly in making a more informed decision.

KL

 

[DMDavid]

Ask ten divers their fin preference and you'll get several different answers.
Just don't ask which flavor of Koolaid is best.
I have a locker full of different types of fins and each one serves its purpose.
Try as many as you can then make your decission or buy them all as I ended up doing.