Basic gear from mid-twentieth-century Italy: Other manufacturers

[David Wilson]

In the West, the informality of club-based underwater hockey proved more popular than the formality of national and international finswimming races favoured by Soviet bloc countries. Underwater hockey was invented in a local British Sub-Aqua Club in southern England during the early 1950s. At some stage the Technisub Ala was assigned the uncrowned status of the world's favourite underwater hockey fin, a rank it still enjoys nowadays in some quarters despite the efforts of certain specialist dealers to replace the Ala with plastic bladed composite fins.

Sadly, Technisub has latterly discontinued the production of Ala fins, not because composite fins have proved either more popular or more efficient, but because of a perceived environmental issue: "(November 2002) I talked with Technisub president. (He) told me they are not going to produce more Ala fins, because of dioxine emissions. So, if you can buy Ala fins in UK or in Slovenia or in Germany in the past years, in the next years it will be IMPOSSIBLE. I don't know if we could buy the mould, but I know that making them is impossible because of Italian law about dioxine emissions". This from The Underwater Hockey Directory. Please don't ask me to explain; I'm not a chemist and I don't know what dioxins, if anything, have to do with diving fin manufacturing.

We shall finish today with some images of actual Technisub Ala fins:

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We shall leave matters there for now. Back midweek with the remainder of the Technisub fin range, especially the Wind model. Keep safe and stay well.

 

[Popgun Pete]

As rubber is used for seals, weather-strips and vehicle tires I would have thought swim fins would be a relative drop in the bucket in terms of emissions during their manufacture. Moulded rubber products involve a degree of trimming, something only confined to sprues on plastic fins as distinct from flash that occurs when a product is squeezed into shape rather than being squirted into a die. It is this labour cost and a somewhat grubbier manufacturing environment that has offset the desirable features of rubber fins which are much less susceptible to surface damage. Many rubber products went to Malaysia, including moulds in recent times, where rubber fins have been produced for decades. The Ala fin may find a new home there.

 

[WeRtheOcean]

In the West, the informality of club-based underwater hockey proved more popular than the formality of national and international finswimming races favoured by Soviet bloc countries.

Underwater hockey was what got me into snorkeling. Before that chapter of my life, I had always been stuck on the surface, never knowing how to submerge.

 

[David Wilson]

As rubber is used for seals, weather-strips and vehicle tires I would have thought swim fins would be a relative drop in the bucket in terms of emissions during their manufacture. Moulded rubber products involve a degree of trimming, something only confined to sprues on plastic fins as distinct from flash that occurs when a product is squeezed into shape rather than being squirted into a die. It is this labour cost and a somewhat grubbier manufacturing environment that has offset the desirable features of rubber fins which are much less susceptible to surface damage. Many rubber products went to Malaysia, including moulds in recent times, where rubber fins have been produced for decades. The Ala fin may find a new home there.

Completely agree. When western diving equipment manufacturers began outsourcing rubber fin production to Malaysia several decades ago, some of these companies did indeed send their moulds along to continue making the same fins at reduced labour costs. Two examples are the Barakuda Bonito in Germany:

and the Hanimex Continental in Australia:

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As for rubber versus plastic fins, I recall the early advertising hype here in the West accompanying the changeover and all the talk about the superiority of "space-age materials" and the imminent demise of natural rubber as a fin material. In the event, Japan and Russia ignored the materials shift and continued making traditional rubber fins for the diving market while Taiwan and Malaysia supplied rubber fins for the swim training market.

All-rubber fin production is certainly a more labour-intensive and grubbier business than the injection moulding of composite fins with thermoplastic elastomer foot pockets and plastic blades. The manufacturing process is also faster, and hence cheaper, than traditional fin-press technology. In my book, that makes composite fins different from, not better than, all-rubber fins and I have personally found the latter a much more comfortable fit when I snorkelled with them. All that is necessary is for underwater equipment distributors to offer their customers a degree of choice when it comes to swim fin materials.

A couple of video demonstrations of fins still being made the way they used to be made in the good old days, the first from the USA and the second from Russia:

California, USA


Moscow, Russia, relevant segment between 4.44 minutes and 7.42 minutes​

 

[Angelo Farina]

I did own the Ala Pro.
They replaced my trusted Scubapro Jetfins, providing more thrust and more efficiency, around 1980.
Unfortunately they self-destroyed in less than 5 years, in summer 1985, while my Jetfins are still usable (they are just more stiff)...
The Ala Pro was a very hydrodynamic design, but they did employ a low-quality rubber, which suffer sun, salt water and heavy usage.

 

[David Wilson]

Thanks for the likes, Angelo and Iowwall, and for the contributions from Pete, Angelo and WeRtheOcean.

Today we move on to the remainder of the Technisub fin range, which will bring us ro the end of our review of this company. We shall start with the "Pro", short presumably for "professional". Here it is in the 1973 Technisub catalogue:

The product description emphasises the strength of the Pros, their suitability for use over diving boots and the adjustability of their heel straps to accommodate a wide range of shoe sizes.

The 1981 Technisub catalogue featured the Spirofin and the Spirofin Pro:

As you can see, this was the response of Technisub and La Spirotechnique to the popularity of the Beuchat Jetfin. The Spirofin was full-foot, the Spirofin Pro open-heel. The "Pro" tag consistently appears to indicate open-heel fins, presumably because the wearer might be carrying out underwater work wearing a diving suit with boots.

Here are the Pro, Spirofin and Spirofin Pro models in a 1976 La Spirotechnique catalogue:

Their English captions read: "Professional Fins. Adjustable fins, made of specially formulated rubber, rigid blade, for maximum propulsion efficiency. Worn with bootees. Approved bt the French Army and Navy. Spiro Fin adjustable. The two superposed blades create ducts in their resistant part, which eliminate turbulence and give extra strength for better efficiency. Adjustable, with special shoe for wearing bootees. Spiro Fin with foot pocket. Same principle as the adjustable Spiro Fin. May be worn without bootees. The strap is designed for wearing fin with bootees.

So a bit more information provided by the French manufacturer, suggesting that Technisub simply "carried" these fins in its range.

Finally, we come to Technisub Wind fins, whose review I shall delay until this afternoon or tomorrow as I have other commitments this morning.

 

[David Wilson]

On to Technisub Wind fins, which were introduced at the outset of the 1980s. Here is the model in a 1980 issue of Mondo Sommerso:

Italian: "WIND — La nuova pinna della Technisub è di forma compatta, comoda e funzionale, viene fabbricata in due versioni: azzurra, galleggiante, adatta quindi per il nuotatore “non impegnato”; e nera, professional, per il subacqueo che voglia una pinna meno ingombrante e faticosa di quelle lunghe. La ditta genovese ha utilizzato per la prima volta una particolare “fascia di trasmissione potenza” per raccordare dinamicamente la scarpetta, che è molto morbida, alla pala che è larga e irrobustita da longheroni: le prove eseguite nella vasca di simulazione della Technisub hanno dimostrato che l'impulso viene immediatamente trasmesso dal piede alla pala, con un rendimento molto elevato. Prezzi indicativi: 38/40, lire 15.000; 40/42 lire 17.000; 42/44, lire 19.000".
Rough translation: "WIND. The new Technisub fin is compact, comfortable and functional. It is manufactured in two versions. A light blue floating model, which will therefore suit the 'casual' swimmer; and a black professional model for the diver wanting something less cumbersome and laborious in the way of a long-bladed fin. For the first time, the Genoese company has deployed a particular 'power drive band' for the purpose of connecting the very soft foot pocket dynamically to the blade, which is broad and reinforced by side members. Tests conducted in the Technisub simulation tank have demonstrated that thrust is immediately transmitted from the foot to the blade with very high efficiency. Guide prices: 38/40, 15,000 lire; 40/42 lire 17,000; 42/44, 19,000 lire".

This from the 1981 Technisub catalogue:

The low-resolution scan I have access to makes the quadrilingual description hard to read, so here is the English version I have managed to decypher: "Medium sized fin with a "power drive band" in way of the back of the foot, where the kinetic energy is transmitted from the leg to the blade. Tests carried out in the Technisub test tank have shown that the leg-to-blade impulse transmission is immediate and highly efficient, allowing increased propulsion performance. Comfortable soft anatomic full-foot pocket and rigid blade".

So the Wind was available in two versions, a light blue floating model and a black non-floating model and in nine fittings from child's size EU29 to adult size EU46, which is equivalent to size 11½. The floating and non-floating versions were designed respectively for the recreational swimmer and the professional diver. Kick-to-thrust efficiency was enhanced by an integrated feature between the foot pocket and the blade called a "power drive band".

 

[David Wilson]

I have a pair of size 45-46 light-blue floating Technisub Wind in my collection, purchased as "old-new" stock on eBay a while ago. I am looking forward to getting them wet at some stage, whuch will enable me to judge how efficient their "power drive bands" are. In the meantime, I can say that they are among the most comfortable fins I have ever tried on, not least because their fit is a little wider than Italian fins tend to be. Another plus is their relative lightness, confirming the general trend towards lighter-weight all-rubber full-foot fins during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Having lived through that period and snorkelled in continental Europe shod with the latest all-rubber full-foots, I was aware of this development and assumed it represented the future for such fins. From a personal perspective, the eventual replacement of light, comfortable, efficient all-rubber closed-heel fins with thermoplastic-elastomer-footed, plastic-bladed composite full-foot fins remained a step too far.

The Ferraro-designed Wind was probably Technisub's answer to La Spirotechnique's Otarie, which was reportedly conceived by Cousteau himself. Both models had certain common features, e.g. lightness in weight, an extended blade and a long foot pocket ending in a small toe opening to accommodate the entire foot. The colour options were also identical (light blue/black), as were the heel pattern and the words "SIZE" and "TAILLE" under the instep.

We shall finish today with some images of actual Technisub fins:

So much for the Technisub Wind, the Technisub fin range and the entire Technisub underwater product line for that matter. Next time, at the weekend, we shall embark on a new Italian diving equipment manufacturer, probably the similar-sounding Tecnisport. Stay safe and keep well.

 

[David Wilson]

Thank you, Angelo, Iowwall and JMBL for the likes.

Now for Tecnisport. I have not managed to dig up a lot of information about this company, although the firm seems in the late 1960s to have offered a full range of underwater products, from diving masks to breathing apparatus. What I have gleaned about Tecnisport and its output is mainly down to one piece in a 1968 issue of Mondo Sommerso. Relevant paragraph reproduced and translated below:

Italian: "I dirigenti della Tecnisport sono stati lieti di annunciare la prossima apertura del nuovo stabilimento in Via Cervino 62, a Torino. «Possiamo dichiararci soddisfatti della nostra attività», ci hanno fatto notare, «anche se la nostra comparsa sul mercato è stata osteggiata, il che riteniamo stia a dimostrare la giustezza della linea seguita nella preparazione dei nostri prodotti»".
Rough translation: "Tecnisport executives were pleased to announce the forthcoming opening of the new plant in Via Cervino 62, in Turin. 'We can declare ourselves satisfied with our business”, they pointed out, “despite our market emergence encountering opposition, which we believe demonstrates how right our approach was during our product preparation'".

So Tecnisport's home town is Turin (named "Torino" in Italian and pictured above), which is an important business and cultural centre in northern Italy. It is the capital city of Piedmont and was the first Italian capital from 1861 to 1865. The city is mainly on the western bank of the Po River and surrounded by the western Alpine arch and Superga Hill. The population of the city proper is 848,885.

 

[David Wilson]

Here is Tecnisport's most comprehensive advertisement of diving masks from 1968. Note the Olympic rings style logo and the hitherto address of the Tecnisport company. The captions containing information about the Tecnisport diving masks is reproduced and translated below. Incidentally, "DUTRAL®" is an ethylene-polypropylene synthetic elastomer developed in Italy during the early 1960s:

ItalIan: "Caratteristiche generali di tutte lo maschere: Mescola in gomma DUTRAL appositamente realizzata per resistere all'azione dei salino e dei raggi ultravioletti, disponibile nei colori nero ed azzurro. Bordino interno di tenuta particolarmente morbido per favorire una perfetta aderenza senza dar luogo a sensazioni costrittive. Regolazione della tensione del cinturino con fermo brevettato. Vetro temperato ad alta resistenza. Fascetta ferma-vetro in acciaio inossidabile con chiusura brevettata. Disegno moderno per soddisfare requisiti di estetica e d'indubbia funzionalità. Otto modelli per adattarsi ai più differenti profili facciali. Naso sagomato per facilitare la compensazione. Massimo campo visivo e volume interno ulteriormente ridotto. LA TECNICA AL SERVIZIO DELLO SPORT SUBACQUEO".
Rough translation: "General characteristics of all masks: DUTRAL rubber compound specially designed to resist the action of saline and ultraviolet rays, available in black and light blue. Particularly soft internal sealing edge to favour a perfect fit without causing constricting sensations. Strap tension adjustment with patented lock. High resistance tempered glass. Stainless-steel lens clamp with patented closure. Modern design to satisfy aesthetic requirements and undoubted functionality. Eight models to adapt to the most different facial profiles. Nose shaped to facilitate clearing. Maximum field of vision and ultra-low internal volume. TECHNOLOGY AT THE SERVICE OF UNDERWATER SPORTS".

Returning to the 1968 Mondo Sommerso piece, there is a further paragraph, reproduced and translated below, about the Tecnisport diving mask range:

Italian: "Passando alle maschere, ha continuato Scialla, la Tecnisport ha una gamma di otto maschere professionali, in grado di soddisfare le esigenze di qualsiasi subacqueo. Vengono stampate dalla Hutchinson, una casa la cui esperienza nel campo della gomma è ben nota: la loro mescola, in gomma dutral, è stata appositamente studiata per resistere all’azione dei raggi ultravioletti e della salsedine. Tra i modelli che hanno avuto più successo: la «XZ 1» con vetro sagomato intorno al naso (L. 4.500) e la « XZ 2» con vetro quadrangolare (L. 3.600). Per l’osservazione, la Tecnisport dispone di altre sei maschere, per adulti o per bambini, con tubo respiratore o senza (da L. 1.850 a L. 2.600)".
Rough translation: "Moving on to masks, Scialla (Tecnisub spokesperson) continued, Tecnisport has a range of eight professional masks, able to meet the needs of any diver. They are moulded by Hutchinson, a company whose experience in the field of rubber is well known: their compound, in dutral rubber, has been specially designed to resist the action of ultraviolet rays and salt. Among the most successful models: the “XZ 1” with glass shaped around the nose (L. 4.500) and the “XZ 2” with quadrangular glass (L. 3.600). For observation, Tecnisport has six other masks, for adults or children, with or without breathing tube (from L. 1,850 to L. 2,600)".

Next time, one day midweek, we shall begin reviewing the range of Tecnisport masks one by one. Until then, stay safe and keep well.