Mares fins

[Zept]

Looking for enlightenment...

I'd like to replace my AvantiHP full-foot fins with open-heel fins. The two obvious choices are Avanti X3 and Avanti Quattro. Has anyone compared these two?

AFAIK, the X3 fins have a slightly smaller blade, come in a wider range of sizes, and are a whole lot cheaper. OTOH, the Quattros do better in most reviews, and I guess there's a reason why they're almost twice the price.

I am small and female and I'm not looking to churn up the ocean.

Any advice?


Zept

 

[H2o Man]

hi

I've got the avanti x-3 and i believe from my experience with

them that there just fine.

There very comfortable they do a great job there made by a

great company plus for the price you can't go wrong.

Save your hard earned cash for the more "vital" equipment.

Hope this helps.

 

[narced_1]

I have been diving my Quattros now for a long time....they are tough, reliable, stable and durable. they have been through the preverbial grinder with me...in my humble opinion you can NOT go wrong with these fins. They are consisitantly in the top of the PADDLE fin reviews. i would recommend them to any one. you may do well to look into the split fins. i also dive my twin jets. love em. although i can't say that i like one better than the onther. surer for a specific situation i like on better than the other, but all in all, i like them both....BTW, my air improved with the twin jets they will both remain in my inventory for a long time.


Narced_1

 

[Zept]

Doesn't look as if I can have either, because they are both way too wide for my skinny feet. Bother.

Thanks for your input, though.

Z

 

[narced_1]

This may definatly sound like a silly question....but have you tried on the fins WITH booties? not just the ones you own but also several different brands and styles?if they are that wide, you could also try the rock boots from DUI, they have a "sock" that you can wear with the boots so that you can wear them with a wetsuit...this could be an option to the narrow feet problem



Narced_1

 

[Zept]

I think the gap is too big -- I'd need boots made from 13mm (!) neoprene to have any chance of filling all the empty space.

Z

 

[ifukuda]

The foot pockets on the Mares (and Dacor), open heel fins are larger than those of other manufactures.

My feet are size 8 US / size 7 UK / 26.0cm metric. If I were wearing S-Pro fins, I would wear Medium size. But, when I wear Mares (or Dacor) fins, I wear Small size... Moreover, my feet seem to be barely large enough for the smalls.

It would not be a suprise if Mares fins do not fit a lot of women, or even smaller men.

 

[Zept]

I wonder if Mares has changed the fit of their fins. Several people recommended them for people with small/narrow feet, so I tried a couple of pairs... and they were just enormous. I guess they'd be okay if I wanted to put both feet in one fin! To be fair, my Mares full-foot fins actually fit pretty well.

I ended up buying Cressi Frogs, which are much narrower.

Z

 

[Jarhead]

Alot of people with small feet leave the plastic spacer (I don't know what to call it) in the fins. It's the plastic piece that comes in new fins to keep the foot pocket from collapsing while it's on the shelf (or in storage).

Just a thought.

KD4RFA

 

[CaptHaddock]

I feel that if you are small and do not possess much strength in the legs, you should consider getting split fins rather than the Quattro types, I feel that the quattros were made for more powerful people who want to go really fast. Alot of people have condemmed split fins in the past saying that they are crap in current but that is not true, it all depends on the way you kick.