Avanti Quattro Plus vs. Seawing Nova for current

[msinc]

Since this thread got started I have tried and fell in love with Atomic Blades. Both my son and I have and still like the Seawing Novas, but we both also have Blades and we tend to use them more. I did get the springs for the Blades.

 

[Dogbowl]

I am really surprised the small is loose for you. I have the Mares Trilastic 5 mm thick soled booties (size 5 or 6, they are so old the size has worn off) that fits well in the pocket. My new Seasofts size 7 really fit too snugly. And I bought the 7’s by mistake. I wish you were closer. I’d let you try them out. They are really a bit to big for me.

Thanks, @uncfnp , I see LeisurePro has them on sale. If I cannot find them locally, I will buy them from LeisurePro and give them a try. I'd really prefer to find something locally so I can actually try them on. It seems like on the Mares website, they no longer carry this one...it seems like the Flexa DS is its replacement? According to Leisurepro's size chart, a size woman's 7 is equal to size 5 men's.

 

[Dogbowl]

sanded reliefs into the stiffening ribs
View attachment 440487
View attachment 440488 View attachment 440489
This makes them perform, for me, as good as Jets who have a bit of tip flex action in the rubber that i found lacking in this material. I also have the 2x soft and these perform better, for me.

Wow! That's innovative!

 

[uncfnp]

Thanks, @uncfnp , I see LeisurePro has them on sale. If I cannot find them locally, I will buy them from LeisurePro and give them a try. I'd really prefer to find something locally so I can actually try them on. It seems like on the Mares website, they no longer carry this one...it seems like the Flexa DS is its replacement? According to Leisurepro's size chart, a size woman's 7 is equal to size 5 men's.

Just looking at the pics I would definitely go with the Trilastic between the two Mares.

 

[buddhasummer]

Hi @Dogbowl

I have been diving XTs for many years now, switched from Quattros. They are quite powerful, good for all kicks. The small size is said to be good for up to women's size 7. I might get some red ones if I ever need a new pair

Good luck in your fin purchase

After owning countless fins the XTs are what I finally settled on for diving wet. They are a robust and powerful fin. A small will fit her. I'm just under 7 men's and in thinner boots they fitted fine but when I moved to some more sturdy 6.5mm boots they were a tad tight so moved to mediums. I really like these fins. Just wish they'd make white, viz at my local is appalling at the best of times, I did ask but they declined my request saying red was a more popular color, I have my doubts.

 

[EireDiver606]

I wandered from Mares Volo, which I found too flimsy to Hollis F1, which I liked, yet found them a bit too heavy and cumbersome, and finally settled with Apeks RK3. Neutrally buoyant, suitable both for wet and dry diving, good balance between thrust and manoeuvrability. I chose the white ones. Good to be seen.

Are the Apeks RK3 fins suitable for diving dry? I used mine on a Drysuit course a few weeks ago and found them, horrible letting air migrate to my legs dry easily, but I’m not sure if that was because it was in only 4-5 m of water?

 

[buddhasummer]

Are the Apeks RK3 fins suitable for diving dry? I used mine on a Drysuit course a few weeks ago and found them, horrible letting air migrate to my legs dry easily, but I’m not sure if that was because it was in only 4-5 m of water?

Depends if you need weight or not, if you need weight I'd pass as they are positive in salt. Also depends on what size you wear, the regulars have a tiny blade. On a positive note, they are very robust, very comfortable and have a nice angled spring.

 

[uncfnp]

Just shows the variability between divers. I tried and did not like the XT’s. Really do not need new fins but not needing something has never yet stopped me from buying and trying something new.

Those Apeks RK3 sound interesting. @buddhasummer what made you prefer the XT over the Apeks fin and what size Apeks did you use? Did you find any advantage of the Apeks over the Quattros?

(Apologies if you have posted this elsewhere)

 

[buddhasummer]

Just shows the variability between divers. I tried and did not like the XT’s. Really do not need new fins but not needing something has never yet stopped me from buying and trying something new.

Those Apeks RK3 sound interesting. @buddhasummer what made you prefer the XT over the Apeks fin and what size Apeks did you use? Did you find any advantage of the Apeks over the Quattros?

(Apologies if you have posted this elsewhere)

I really liked the RK3s, in regular; I'm just shy of size 7, and had the blade been longer they would likely have become my wet suit fin of choice, however, with the shorter blade (same as an L Jet, I found they weren't as good in current as the XTs, or Quattros for that matter.

They are very robust, comfortable and I was able to perform all kicks in them, the word "precision" springs to mind. I didn't like the pull tabs as they were just tabs and not loops but replaced them with the much better Hollis ones. They are surprisingly light and neutral-positive in SW.

The Quattros, in a small, I found to be more powerful due to the significantly longer blade but that is the only point I'd give them over the RK3s.

In the end once I moved to the XTs from small to a medium the blade size increased significantly and I found them much more powerful than the RK3s. I found the Quattros a little too twisty and being softer less powerful that the XTs.

Initially I found the XTs a little uncomfortable but after some boot swapping and a few dives I got used to them and now they feel fine.

I'm trying to stay away from fin shopping so as it stands the XTs will remain my go to wet suit fin.

I do really like the Mares Power Planas which lucky for me come in small but they are heavy, they are my drysuit fin. Even in small the blade is much larger than a L Jet. I found no love for Jets at all.

I've owned most of the more popular fins on the market but finally after spending in excess, I'm sure of $2000, on fins I've settled, XTs for wet, Power Planas for dry. If I ended up with larger drysuit boots I'd likely return to the F1s, currently they don't fit me properly.

Hope this was of some help.

Happy New Year Lisa.

 

[Dogbowl]

I really liked the RK3s, in regular; I'm just shy of size 7, and had the blade been longer they would likely have become my wet suit fin of choice, however, with the shorter blade (same as an L Jet, I found they weren't as good in current as the XTs, or Quattros for that matter.

They are very robust, comfortable and I was able to perform all kicks in them, the word "precision" springs to mind. I didn't like the pull tabs as they were just tabs and not loops but replaced them with the much better Hollis ones. They are surprisingly light and neutral-positive in SW.

The Quattros, in a small, I found to be more powerful due to the significantly longer blade but that is the only point I'd give them over the RK3s.

In the end once I moved to the XTs from small to a medium the blade size increased significantly and I found them much more powerful than the RK3s. I found the Quattros a little too twisty and being softer less powerful that the XTs.

Initially I found the XTs a little uncomfortable but after some boot swapping and a few dives I got used to them and now they feel fine.

I'm trying to stay away from fin shopping so as it stands the XTs will remain my go to wet suit fin.

I do really like the Mares Power Planas which lucky for me come in small but they are heavy, they are my drysuit fin. Even in small the blade is much larger than a L Jet. I found no love for Jets at all.

I've owned most of the more popular fins on the market but finally after spending in excess, I'm sure of $2000, on fins I've settled, XTs for wet, Power Planas for dry. If I ended up with larger drysuit boots I'd likely return to the F1s, currently they don't fit me properly.

Hope this was of some help.

Happy New Year Lisa.

How did you move from a small to medium XT? With which particular boot? According to Leisurepro’s size chart, the XT mediums fit from sizes 8-10 women’s? Thanks.