Free diving in Jet Fins?

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Wyatt1225

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I'm thinking of freediving in SoCal with my friend next weekend, but not sure if any places near me rent free diving fins. How do you think it would go with Scubapro Jet Fins? I've only used them for Scuba.
 
I think they should work.

However, I think an inexpensive, plastic freedive fin will perform much better. If you are in the market for a very inexpensive and powerful fin.. check this out.

Freedive Hunter Freediving Fins | MAKO Spearguns

MFHFF-2T.jpg
 
I'm thinking of freediving in SoCal with my friend next weekend, but not sure if any places near me rent free diving fins. How do you think it would go with Scubapro Jet Fins? I've only used them for Scuba.

they work just fine, been doing it for close to a decade. Maybe not as fast or efficient as the ones Dano is recommending, but I freedive with jetfins pretty regularly. Definitely don't have a "dedicated" set of freedive fins

I have a distinct aversion to full-foot fin pockets because I have very wide feet and I have yet to find a fin that fits without squeezing my feet
 
A lot of people up here in Norcal used to use jets for abalone freediving before real freediving fins were discovered. Jets are great for for diving in close around the rocks, shallow stuff, rooting around in the surf zone where sloshy water breaks up around wash rocks. Diving down to maybe 15 or 20 feet. Jets can take all this punishment as they get scratched, bent, stuck with urchin spines, generally thrashed. For this they’re great.
For diving further out in more pristine unobstructed water where long deep freedives can be achieved, not so much. Jets are a really inefficient fin for long sweeping strokes that are needed for more purist freediving.
Nothing can really replace a freediving fin for successful freediving. Even a bottom end entry level freediving fin is better than the best scuba fin for freediving.
 
I have a distinct aversion to full-foot fin pockets because I have very wide feet and I have yet to find a fin that fits without squeezing my feet

Need to get the sock you are going to wear and try on footpockets. 12EEEE Nike tennis shoe. I use Picasso and Mares footpockets with 4mm socks.
 
There are inexpensive full footpocket fins available. I have one piece Mares and Apollo. I also use fiberglass and carbon blades with footpockets. For Southern California try a 2mm Argos Stealth bootie then try on fins at your local shop. For specific freedive fins try Freedive N Spear Hermosa Beach.
 
they work just fine, been doing it for close to a decade. Maybe not as fast or efficient as the ones Dano is recommending, but I freedive with jetfins pretty regularly. Definitely don't have a "dedicated" set of freedive fins

I have a distinct aversion to full-foot fin pockets because I have very wide feet and I have yet to find a fin that fits without squeezing my feet

A fin that is too narrow and crushes the foot side to side, becomes uncomfortable very quickly. Foot cramps are often the result. Zero fun and totally unacceptable.

One option that people with really wide feet might consider is to buy the largest pocket that is within the correct range and then use fin keepers which go over the heels to ensure that the somewhat looser fitting fins remain in place. The last thing a freediver needs when coming off the bottom at 80 feet is to have a fin pop off.

These are also more popular with cold water divers who are wearing a thick neoprene sock which gets thinner at depth.

Most divers do NOT need fin keepers, but for some situations they are very effective, Might be worth a look.


Freedive Fin Keepers

MFDFK-2T.jpg


dive-fin-keeper.jpg
 
@MAKO Spearguns doesn't help when your feet are already in the biggest size....

LOL. Our largest foot pocket size is bigger than most other manufacturers, but there are limits of course. We go to about 15 1/2 shoes size.
 

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