Allrounder Fins for beginners

[Ski_Lounge]

I would love to get your input/recommendations on what fins would work best for me. I used to flutter kick but want to try more frog kicking. We'll be diving Raja Ampat (ahhhhhh! so excited!) next month so I want fins that work well in currents.

I started out with a pair of SeaWing Novas. They're a wonderful fin and quite powerful when doing flutter kick, but are no good for frog kicking. For frog kicks you will require stiffer blades -- the Nova is quite pliable hence not suitable.

A stiff blade does not need to be heavy, there are both light and heavy stiff blades. Deep 6 Eddy's are quite light yet stiff (and near-neutrally buoyant) while Hollis F1's are heavy and stiff (and quite negatively buoyant).

My personal experience has been tech fins that are good for frog kicks (and related back kicks/helicopter kicks) are less effective for flutter kicks, and the opposite is true for the SeaWing Novas.

I've heard mixed things about the Scubapro Go Sport with regards to currents. Does anyone have any experience here?

The Go Sport is a good in-between. My girlfriend dives the Go Sport and gets decent propulsion on all kicks. Not sure about currents, we've never dealt with current in any of these fins.

 

[Ontwreckdiver]

Mares Avanti Quattro, the best all around fins you can get. I have had a set for over 20 years for dive vacations.

 

[SlugLife]

I've been certified for a long time but haven't really dived more than just 2-5 dives here and there every couple years in the past 10 years.
I've always rented most equipment but as I'm now going on my first real dive vacation since forever ago, I have now accumulated mask, snorkel and wetsuit.
I'm thinking about completing the set with some soft soled booties and fins.

I would love to get your input/recommendations on what fins would work best for me. I used to flutter kick but want to try more frog kicking. We'll be diving Raja Ampat (ahhhhhh! so excited!) next month so I want fins that work well in currents.
It would be great if they weren't the biggest/heaviest fins on the market as I'll be traveling with them but that's secondary to function, really.

I'd say, i'm a pretty decent swimmer and generally strong. Don't know if that is even important, when choosing fins. I'm pretty clueless.

I've had my eyes on the Mares Avanti Quattro Plus (they seem like the kind of boring but great allrounder?^^) and the Seawing Novas (that make my "ooh look, fancy" radar go off). Am I overlooking any other great allrounder fins?

Thanks in advance!

I have both:

• Sea Wing Novas
• Mares Plana Avanti Quattro (most of the Avanti Quattro fins are similar)

The Sea Wing Novas are AMAZING for forward propulsion and flutter kick. As far as frog-kick and reverse-kick, I can't seem to make them work. One odd thing about these fins, is the closed-heel ones are half the price of the ones with a strap. Literally, the only difference is the heel. They're also awesome for swimming or free-diving; a short but rapid flutter-kick and I'm flying across or under the water like a torpedo. Helicopter-turn works just fine.

I bought the Avanti Quattros for learning frog and reverse kick (which I haven't quite done yet). They're pretty good at flutter-kick, but maybe not quite as absurdly good as the Novas. I can't report on frog-kick or reverse-kick, because I'm lacking in skill, but reviews of these fins is they're great for frog-kick. The other great thing about the Avanti Quattro fins, is they often show up used one eBay at a significant discount.

For dive boots, you can get some 2-3mm ones on Amazon in the $20 to $35 range, which are more than good enough for most diving.

 

[lowwall]

I've heard mixed things about the Scubapro Go Sport with regards to currents. Does anyone have any experience here?

I have a pair. Go Sports are fine in current. Sometimes people get them confused with the Go Travel fins which are not meant for scuba. Go Sports aren't up to the high standard of the Quattros or Novas when flutter kicking, but they are at least as good as all the tech fins and other all-rounders. They are also better suited to the frog kick than the Quattro and Nova and they are easier to pack.

 

[UFOrb]

Just gonna throw in another option:


Look similar to Avanti Quattro but with some added benefits, like being largely made from recycled materials and being cheaper (in the UK at least). The micro adjustments on the straps sound good too.
I really like FE gear, and their company values. I believe they're fairly new into the hardware market but I'm sure it's as high quality as their soft gear!

 

[Juli124]

Just gonna throw in another option:


Look similar to Avanti Quattro but with some added benefits, like being largely made from recycled materials and being cheaper (in the UK at least). The micro adjustments on the straps sound good too.
I really like FE gear, and their company values. I believe they're fairly new into the hardware market but I'm sure it's as high quality as their soft gear!

Oh, they're pretty! Will definitely look into them!

I have a pair. Go Sports are fine in current. Sometimes people get them confused with the Go Travel fins which are not meant for scuba. Go Sports aren't up to the high standard of the Quattros or Novas when flutter kicking, but they are at least as good as all the tech fins and other all-rounders. They are also better suited to the frog kick than the Quattro and Nova and they are easier to pack.

Thank you! I DID get them confused with the Go Travel ones, I think!

Dang, this is getting more difficult rather than easier, haha. So many good option!