Apeks RK3 Fins

[Divealpha]

Well, my Seawing Nova's finally broke after 3 & a half years use.... The best I could find while on holiday in the Philippines was Apex RK3. Nice fins, escpecially when maneuvering in tight spaces, but not as good as the Nova's in my opinion. RK3 are smaller,maybe lighter(had Nova XL), but I found the Nova's better in very strong currents.... So I will sell my RK3's and buy the new model Nova's, in L this time...

 

[buddhasummer]

I have them in Medium, I'm a 6.5US, in 4th Element Amphbian boots with insole they fit fine. I really like them, I'd take them over Jets any day of the week, assuming weight wasn't a consideration.

 

[scuba_mc]

Hi

Can anyone advise what size would fit size 10 5mm wetsuit boots?

 

[savsuds]

scuba_mc,

Go with a Large.

 

[211ratsbud]

I just ordered a black and a white pair in super. Lookinh forward!

 

[211ratsbud]

Got them in from AL. The super sized variant is a we bit on the big side for 14 5mm wet boots. My turbo soles should fit similarly if not a hair better. Thrust is good and frog kick is easier than straight bladed fins. I can't compare to any other rocket or jet style fins

 

[Gaucho223]

If you prefer manufacturers over manu-packers, then the following must must be true
anything Apeks other than their regulators
pretty much everything scubapro makes, they used to manufacture direct, but most is contracted now including most of the regulators which are made by Tabata, still speculation on whether or not the MK25 is done in house or not, but Tusa does have the license to make it for Halcyon
Everything Poseidon except their regulators/rebreathers, though parts of the breathers are contracted out
Most every computer ever made-the big run of Dive Rite Nitek Duo's/Cressi Archimede II and all the others were made by Seiko, SP and AUP contract theirs out. Dive Rite has the Nitek Q contracted out, Shearwater does make theirs in house
Most every wetsuit ever made-most are made by big wetsuit manufacturers, including 4th element and waterproof
Most BC's/BPW's made today-Halcyon, Deep Sea Supply, Oxycheq, and I think that's it actually mfg their wings in house, every one else contract mfg's, but no one except Oxycheq and Deep Sea Supply actually do the plates in house.
Nothing from Atomic other than regulators
Nothing from Zeagle except their BC's but even those are being partially outsourced right now

fwiw: Common manufacturing factories are, well, pretty common. But the design, material composition & compounds, additives, curing and heating, and formulation can vary between sponsors or customers. It may be a stretch or incorrect to say that one factory implies common products. It your statement was true then we would all have the same tires only with different names pressed on the sidewall.

 

[tbone1004]

@Gaucho223 your tire analogy is grossly inaccurate btw. All of the big manufacturers are extraordinarily secretive about their manufacturing and even the equipment manufacturers for the lines when brought in go through a walled off tunnel to the specific part they have to work on and can't see anything else. Michelin, Goodyear, Dunlop, Continental etc. all operate like that. The cheap chinese ones may not, but all of the big name tire manufacturers have dedicated facilities and there is a lot of proprietary stuff going on inside of them.
Common manufacturing facilities are common for commodity items, specialty items are typically done in dedicated facilities to prevent cross contamination. I.e. why Dive Rite no longer has their regulators manufactured by ODS

 

[Gaucho223]

I appreciate your response. Truly. Sorry, but I would humbly disagree (based on previous engineering and manufacturing processes experiences). Comparative analogies are not supposed to be accurate--only reflective of distinctions presented. By detailing the manufacturing process with speculations or to diagnose walled or secretive actions seems you seem (and I an only surmise) to be amplifying this informative thread (which I thought was the real intent of the original question) into an argumentative position. I choose not to argue. Good luck, stay safe, and keep diving.

 

[Diving Dubai]

Movign back to the original quastion

Both my wife and I invested in a pair each.. I've put perhaps 20 dives on mine. I'm not blown away with them. I give them an okay rating. They are comfortable for sure. But I much prefer my DR XT's especially in current.

Now it could be that I need to modify my kick style for the Apex fins, and for sure when I switch back to the XT's they feel like planks of wood. I'm just not sold on my RX3's