Apollo Bio Pro- talk about controversy!

[Jarrett]

Take into consideration that I am a warm water noob with light experience, but I love my Apollos. For warm water, light gear, lookin' at the fishies diving I really think they are the best thing going. I've never dived a drysuit, doubles, caves, rapid currents or any of the other extreme types of diving where these fins might not be appropriate, so I can't comment on that.

In the search for different fins over the last few months, I've tried:

Blade:
Dacor Tigers
Tusa Imprex Tri-EX SF-6 fins

Splits:
Atomic Splits
Tusa X-Pert Zoom splits (currently for sale in the classifieds)
Yellow Apollo Bio-Fins

Here are my findings on them:

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=159434

I'd still like to try some other fins just for fun since lots of people talk about them like:

Mares Plana Avanti Quattro
Mares Volo Power Fins
ScubaPro Jet fins
ScubaPro Twin Jets

But I bet in the end my Apollos will still be my main fins even if I get the chance.

Based on what you said, I would definitely feel comfortable recommending them to you. You just need to decide if you want the stiffer ones or not. I like the yellow ones just fine.

 

[dannobee]

I was diving from a friend's boat a few weeks ago. Six of us total, with one GUE/DIR guy on board. We get back on the boat by throwing our fins in the boat, then walk up the ladder. All of the fins end up in a pile near the transom, but it works great. This particular week, there was one set of Jet Fins and FIVE pair of Apollo Bio's in various colors and styles.

Mine are XT's, and I think they're great. They sure aren't soft at all, and sure don't fold up.

As a matter of fact, check out my profile pic, you can see one.

 

[Bobbin-along]

the most fascinating thing we did was spend the weekend trying out fins with my lds. We tried 12 sets of fins including bio-fins, twin jets, 6gills, a couple tusa models, and loads of others. Current was hoofing through several points of the weekend and we set off knowing we could rock crawl if things got too crazy. We will get around to compiling everyone's results into a white paper, but we gotta get the pumpkin contest over with first. We dive cold water, fair to strong current, half of us were tech divers, the other half 3x a week recreational divers (I fall into the latter).


Here is what we learned. People with strong kicks can and do overpower every pair of split fins when they fin like the fins are non-split. As a result everyone who has strong kicks that didn't adapt to small flutters hated the split fins and said they suck for current. Everyone who adapted their kick thought they were the cat's pants. We also did helicopter turns, frog kicks, and backing up in all the fins. We could do those skills in splits after a couple of minutes of adpating the kick.

Six Gills: for all the media about how little silt they kick up, holy toledo batman! The guy I followed behind left us in a trail of silt and he was 4' above the bottom. he also said frogging in them was weird but might be able to get used to them. He did say they were excellent in maneuvering and had nice short blades. The girls all said they could take or leave them.....

The shop owner split a brand new pair of Oceanic Vortexes with his kick, which is pretty aggressive.

Tusa xpert zooms were pretty popular among everyone though as a good all purpose split fin.

Traditional fins all performed as we expected them. No surprises.

 

[harleythedog]

I own a pair of Mares Quattro and Apollo XT. The mares would consistently give me leg cramps although I do like them. I decided on the XT because I wanted something on the stiffer side but not as stiff as a large paddle, the XT was the right choice for me. I feel them on, I can do some version of a frog kick, I have some control and manueverability. It is my skill level thats the limiting factor, not the fins ability to perform.

This past weekend I found myself a long way from the boat, against mild current. The other 2 divers had paddles, one had mares volo and the other a generic paddle. I was able to easily keep up with them and made it back with less exhaustion. I wasnt trying to beat them so not sure I could of. All I know is I had no problem in a long swim, against mild current, keeping up with others and I was less exhausted. The real winner for me was no leg cramps. My mares would of given me cramps for sure on such a long swim.

my vote is for the XT, you do need to learn to use them. hope this helps.

 

[Charlie99]

People with strong kicks can and do overpower every pair of split fins when they fin like the fins are non-split. As a result everyone who has strong kicks that didn't adapt to small flutters hated the split fins and said they suck for current. Everyone who adapted their kick thought they were the cat's pants.

Very true. I'm convinced that this is the basis of the common "don't work in currents" complaint. You need the discipline to maintain the proper kick and increase the rate not the strength or amplitude of the kick.

 

[BKP]

Ditto the above.

I had a pair for some time and liked them, but found them too soft and they tend to fold up in current, or when kicking hard.

I like the SP version (power Jets?), in black, which is stiffer rubber.

Jack

That's the point... "kicking hard" or using a wide scissor kick defeats the design of the split fin... It's designed for an easy flutter...

"Folding up in current" is the opinion of someone that hasn't yet learned how to kick in splits... Current does zero, zip, zilch, to the effectiveness of splits, any more then it does to paddles. I've done easy flutters against heavy current, and cruised...

As stated on this board, ad infinitum, splits and paddles are a matter of personal preference, and like any other diving apparatus, it's understanding how to properly use a piece of gear...

 

[JackConnick]

Oh, excuse me. I'm sorry I don't know how to kick properly. I guess 600 dives in 10 countries teaches you nothing. Especially coming fom someone with your >100 dives. Glad you know it all. I don't.

Around here we dive in drysuits wearing a lot of gear. I usually push a camera around. i dove them for like 2 years. I flutter kicked 'tell my eyes turned red. They folded up. The original Bios didn't work well in our conditions. That was my opinion and an opinion shared by many. Obviously true, since Apollo addressed it with a stiffer fin.

I use split fins now, dude. SP black Twin Jets that are stiffer and work better for me and a lot of divers. I have speed, power and control. I can swim backwards with a bit of toeing in. I can frog kick very well. Most of which wasn't true with the original Bios. I don't know about the stiffer model.

Look, they are a good fin for lighter use. Just not for me.

Jack

 

[BKP]

Oh, excuse me. I'm sorry I don't know how to kick properly. I guess 600 dives in 10 countries teaches you nothing. Especially coming fom someone with your >100 dives. Glad you know it all. I don't.

Around here we dive in drysuits wearing a lot of gear. I usually push a camera around. i dove them for like 2 years. I flutter kicked 'tell my eyes turned red. They folded up. The original Bios didn't work well in our conditions. That was my opinion and an opinion shared by many. Obviously true, since Apollo addressed it with a stiffer fin.

I use split fins now, dude. SP black Twin Jets that are stiffer and work better for me and a lot of divers. I have speed, power and control. I can swim backwards with a bit of toeing in. I can frog kick very well. Most of which wasn't true with the original Bios. I don't know about the stiffer model.

Look, they are a good fin for lighter use. Just not for me.

Jack

Nope... never professed to knowing it all (but, thanks for the vote of confidence ).

However, < 100 dives was enough to figure out that splits don't fold up any more then paddles in current. And, that was my point of contention...dude... (But don't take it from me... ask Apollo, Scuba Labs, Larry at ScubaToys (with over 2400 more dives than you, since you're counting) - http://www.scubatoys.com/store/joelarry/splitcurrent.asp, etc.

However, to be fair, like you, the splits I've used have been Atomics, which are known to be relatively stiff, as splits go, along the lines of the Bio XT. They're more conducive to frogs, and tactile response, as you (or someone) mentioned relative to the XT (and is also Apollo's contention). The stiffer XT does not necessarily deliver more thrust, though, or compensate for a tendancy to "fold up in current." See Apollo ... http://www.apollosportsusa.com/Products/Fins/Overview.htm#stiffer see: "Would a stiffer fin be more powerful?).

However, kudos for the open mind, and working with the XTs... That tends to be rare for experienced divers (or experienced anyone) conditioned into a particular philosophy/process.

 

[aznlmpulse]

wow....people sure are taking this debate personally. My first pair of fins were oceanic vortex v12's...liked how they looked, but turned out to be a little too heavy and stiff for my ankles...bought apollo bio's and fell in love. I wouldn't mind having scubapro jets, but they're pretty stiff too....I just like how they look.

probably didn't help you out any, but that's my opinion. I've never had a problem keeping up with my dive buddies..that's for sure.

 

[BKP]

wow....people sure are taking this debate personally.

Yup... religion, politics, split fins... (not necessarily in that order)...