Are apollo bio fins really the best fins in the world?

[Jim Lapenta]

I have used the Bio Fins and like them for certain conditions. I have also tried Force Fins, jets, blades, quattros, V-12's, rockets, super rockets, vipers, etc. They all do what they are supposed to do. Get me thru the water. So do the Kmart Body Glove fins I use when teaching a snorkeling class in the pool for kids.

Currently for the OW diving I do I use Hollis F-1's and at this time, under the conditions I dive, they are the best fin I've used so far.

Also any fin that costs me more than $125 is a fin I will not consider because that takes away from other areas.
I am also one of the slowest swimmers there is. That is by choice. I couldn't care less if a fin allows me to go 1.5 or 1.8 mph. That is not why I dive. I also will not dive with someone who thinks jetting around underwater is how it's done. You miss too much stuff that way. What I care about is durability and comfort on my feet. Anything else really has no place in my consideration of what fin to use.

 

[Jorgy]

While a Scuba Magazine Review may not be the definitive fin test...it does compare a number of fins side by side under the same conditions with the same evaluators...

But fins are very subjective - I had a set of Hollis F1s, sorta like a SP Lighting Jets with a better foot pocket, my drysuit x-larges where just so heavy.......I gave them away.......

I stand by my earlier post - best all rounder are the Seawings.....light, comfortable, easy to pack, easy on the legs and when needed fast (really fast), I've been in current (St Lawrence drift), in wrecks, taking pictures, traveling......they worked great in all situations.....

So for me it is my fin of choice...

My next pair will be white so my darling bride can find me in a group easier.......

M

 

[sambolino44]

I hope you can see by now that there is no one best fin. Somebody used the analogy of cars; I was going to use shoes - nobody wants to make do with only one pair of shoes. I really like my Force Fin Tan Deltas, and I feel they are a great one-fin-meets-most-needs fin.

One thing most people leave out when comparing fins (to Force Fins) is the difference in the foot pocket. I don't see any other fins with a foot pocket like these, and it makes a huge difference in comfort.

I think the Bio-Fins only come out on top of these comparison tests when they test only flutter-kick forward motion, and they don't include Foil Force Fins.

Having said that, I truly wish you happiness with your new fins! Get out there and use them! Then let us know what you think.

 

[Jorgy]

yeah ....sambolina44 makes a great point.....go enjoy diving...

I had to use a pair of beat up kid sized no name plastic blades in the Red Sea - still had some great dives......

M

 

[meesier42]

there is no such thing as "best fin in the world"

the most accomplished divers in the world have many pairs of fins, they know what each one does best and select the fin for the dive they are going to do.

 

[Jorgy]

Hey meesier42 don't tell the DIR guys there is more than one fin....

SP Lighting Jets with SS straps....the only fin you'll ever need........:shocked2:

M

 

[danvolker]

I have used the Bio Fins and like them for certain conditions. I have also tried Force Fins, jets, blades, quattros, V-12's, rockets, super rockets, vipers, etc. They all do what they are supposed to do. Get me thru the water. So do the Kmart Body Glove fins I use when teaching a snorkeling class in the pool for kids.

Currently for the OW diving I do I use Hollis F-1's and at this time, under the conditions I dive, they are the best fin I've used so far.

Also any fin that costs me more than $125 is a fin I will not consider because that takes away from other areas.
I am also one of the slowest swimmers there is. That is by choice. I couldn't care less if a fin allows me to go 1.5 or 1.8 mph. That is not why I dive. I also will not dive with someone who thinks jetting around underwater is how it's done. You miss too much stuff that way. What I care about is durability and comfort on my feet. Anything else really has no place in my consideration of what fin to use.

Normally I find myself in agreement with you on most topics here....the swim speed "potential" is one where I am well aware I am in a much smaller minority of people that think this is important....
I think there are many places to dive in the world where you really have no advantage in going fast...but much of this stems from these areas NOT having the big marine life or places where big marine life will accumulate.

At least in my experience, the big life and huge schools will concentrate ( which is cool to see) when and where the ocean current picks up, and various structures form huge eddies ...I have seen this function on dives i have done in Palm Beach, Tobago, Fiji and several others...

....I don't have to just tell people why I think they need to have the ability to go fast, or to go slow, as needed... I can shoot videos that show why you need both fast, and slow in your arsenal...

In this video from an early morning dive off of Jupiter, we had a marine biologist with us who was hoping to record some never before seen spawning behavior by goliath groupers...we also had David Doubilet of National Geographic fame, and several other notables....Unfortunately for most of them, the big life likes to move around where the current makes it hard for split fin wearing divers to move around effectively...you can easily see the split fin wearing divers having to work their butts off to stay with the shots they were going for...and the shots the scientists wanted--these shots were only possible for Jimmy with his scooter, or me, because we could go "with" the fish, and go where they were going.. I would have wanted to be doing the same thing even without a camera....
Go where the BIG Fish Go.... - YouTube


DiveR freedive fins are the best for an exciting dive site like this...slow where you need slow and technical, fast without effort where you need to keep pace, or swim upcurrent because of what is going on upcurrent--what you want to be in the middle of

 

[joel smith]

I was using quattro switched to appolo a couple months ago and my air consumption got about 30% better instantly, plus no more cramps. I really like the appollo fins.

 

[danvolker]

I was using quattro switched to appolo a couple months ago and my air consumption got about 30% better instantly, plus no more cramps. I really like the appollo fins.

I believe this is a technique issue....one of the traits many 'New" divers like about split fins like the apollos, is that the split blades are so floppy, that any kind of kicking will push you forward....

With the quattro, and much more with a jet fin, there is a certain precise series of muscle contractions and coordinations that will make an efficient propulsive reaction for the diver who is putting out work effort- muscle work. Kicking incorrectly with these fins will cause massive inefficiency, and your muscles will tire when they should not have, if your muscles were "firing in the right order", and the shape of your kick stroke was correct for the fin.

You can make terrible mistakes with the split fins, and still move through the water without much percieved effort. [ see Diver with skills that split fins were created for...If you swim like this, GET HELP! - YouTube ] ..this can be horifying for divers like myself to watch , which is why many of us are inclined to offer asistance in correcting the issue.

With the right technique, and with a little weekly fitness for dive muscles maintained, the splits should be a very POOR performing fin, compared to the ones designed to be used correctly. The DiveR freediving fins would be another example of a fin that "could not" be used by a diver with bad kicking technique. When used correctly, it is so effortless to kick with them you feel more like a big sailfish gliding along with zero effort, next to a split fin diver that appears to move through the water more like and inflated puffer fish

 

[Shftrdog]

I have found that people in SCUBA fall in love with a brand and to they nothing else compaires. I have dove with the Bio Fin and I do like it, that being said I dive with the TUSA Z3 split fins and I like them too. I think you just need to find a fin that is confortable and you enjoy. I do think you will like the Bio Fins but I don't belive the whole best fin in the world even though they are very good fins.