Anyone used the Gull Mew Fin?

[David Wilson]

Like the original Cressi Rondines, they're a classic design.

 

[David Wilson]

What's your verdict on these fins, Bld_Thrst, now that you've tried them? Are they comfortable? How stiff are the blades? I tried emailing Gull a week ago ordering a pair of XL sized Mew and Warp fins. The prices given do seem reasonable. However, I've received no reply yet and I'm wondering whether, and why, the Japanese manufacturer as well as the retailers are still reluctant to market Gull equipment outside the Far East.

 

[phhappy]

I have just tried out a pair of Gull Mantis fin today. They seem to feel between a pair of very flexible full foot Mares Volo Race and the stiff Jet Fin. As for me, a newbie, to the diving world. I still prefer a more flexible fin like Volo Race. But the Mantis gives you a better and immediate response to backward frog kick, and it is not as hard as a Jet fin. The Gull comes in different length depending on the foot sizes. The overall surface area seems to be slightly smaller than a regular fin.

Happy and safe diving.

 

[BLD_THRST]

What's your verdict on these fins, Bld_Thrst, now that you've tried them? Are they comfortable? How stiff are the blades? I tried emailing Gull a week ago ordering a pair of XL sized Mew and Warp fins. The prices given do seem reasonable. However, I've received no reply yet and I'm wondering whether, and why, the Japanese manufacturer as well as the retailers are still reluctant to market Gull equipment outside the Far East.

Hi David,

Just got back from my dive yesterday... the fin was great.... no cramps.... maneuverable and good for alternate kicks..... the only problem was slight blisters on my heel.... the fin is meant for sizes 8-9 and i wear a size 8.... will probably get a pair of neoprene socks.... the white fin i got is definitely visible.... no worries about my buddy finding me....

The blades are ok..... you can really feel the snap when u kick hard.... jus need to get used to using a blade as compared to a split before..... its negatively buoyant.... will find out more the next dive.....

cheers...

 

[BLD_THRST]

i still cant help but think how will a apollo bio fin pro perform as compared to the Gull Mew Fin..... the price is way more expensive than the Gull .... well, this is a never ending debate on which is better..... the blade or the split.... heheheh

 

[BLD_THRST]

I really need some help from the Malaysian, Singaporean and Phuket divers.... I am looking for the neoprene boots which is specifically for the Gull Mew Fin but is unable to find them anywhere.... Anyone has any idea where can I find them?

 

[jbb]

I met some Live aboard dive operators from Thailand while in the Philippines. They both had the white fins - they like to use them for white balancing their cameras. The did mention the white ones in particular tend to grow mold unless you rinse them and keep them dry. I also met some divers in Bohol who really liked the fin. Evidently the stiffer fin is good for underwater hockey so I will probably get those - no rainbow of color choice for me.

 

[David Wilson]

Since my first contribution to this thread, I've acquired a black pair of Hard Mew fins and a white pair of regular Mew fins. Both are excellent fins, well worth the wait and the price, and I use them when snorkelling in the North Sea off the North East coast of England. Thank you for the tip about the white Mews; I will be sure to check that they are completely dry before storing them away!

Hard Mews are indeed candidates for use in underwater hockey now that Technisub have ceased production of their iconic Ala fins. They are now available online here in the West when ordered from CanAm Underwater Hockey Gear, which is based in Missouri:
Gull Mew Hard Fin | CanAm Underwater Hockey Gear
Another excellent and reliable online source of Gull full-foot fins for us in the West is the Hong Kong based company Marinetone at
Marinetone Scuba Diving Gears > Fins > Full Foot Fins
My white fins and blue fin grips took just three days to arrive here in the UK. Marinetone retails Mews in a range of solid colours as well as other Gull full-foot fins such as the Supermew and the long-bladed Barracuda.

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Since my first contribution to this thread, I've acquired a black pair of Hard Mew fins and a white pair of regular Mew fins. Both are excellent fins, well worth the wait and the price, and I use them when snorkelling in the North Sea off the North East coast of England. Thank you for the tip about the white Mews; I will be sure to check that they are completely dry before storing them away!

Hard Mews are indeed candidates for use in underwater hockey now that Technisub have ceased production of their iconic Ala fins. They are now available online here in the West when ordered from CanAm Underwater Hockey Gear, which is based in Missouri:
Gull Mew Hard Fin | CanAm Underwater Hockey Gear
Another excellent and reliable online source of Gull full-foot fins for us in the West is the Hong Kong based company Marinetone at
Marinetone Scuba Diving Gears > Fins > Full Foot Fins
My white fins and blue fin grips took just three days to arrive here in the UK. Marinetone retails Mews in a range of solid colours as well as other Gull full-foot fins such as the Supermew and the long-bladed Barracuda.

David,

Thanks for the links, as the original ones further up this thread are broken. I looked at this Gull Mew Hard Fin, and it looks almost identical to a Mares fin I had (still have, actually) from the 1980s. It has a long blade, and worked very well for my open water finswimming.

SeaRat

 

[Marc111n]

Since my first contribution to this thread, I've acquired a black pair of Hard Mew fins and a white pair of regular Mew fins.

Hi David, could you compare those versions? Is the hard version too hard for flutter kicks? I am thinking about buying it mainly because I use frog kick 90% of the time, but if they are so hard that I would get cramps every time I did flutter kick - then it's a no. Also, is the regular version too soft for frog?