Best Fins

[Zung]

Mares Volo

I loved them until last month when both straps broke in a 2 days interval while diving in Egypt. Never happened to my previous Mares, the Quatro and the Avanti.

 

[dhuskins]

For cold water, shore dives in Monterey assisting with classes: ScubaPro Twin Jets with spring straps. It's also my fin of choice for strong drift dives. I have not liked anything else for it.

For boat diving, photo dives, and all other dives, ForceFin's SD-1.

 

[Jim Lapenta]

Dear All!

I'm about to buy new fins. My current choice is a Hollis F1 which would be my first tech fin.
Some tech diving friends says that those tech fins wich aren't made of 100% rubber are likely to crackle in 1-2 years. So I'm afraid of buying Hollis F1 as long as it is mostly (seem to be) made of plastic. How does the Holis F1 fin cope with the drying out and cranckling?

Thank you,
Sandor

The F1's are not plastic. While I don't know the exact compound they are RUBBER! I have a set of the prototypes and been diving them for nearly 2 years now. Got em in Jan of 08. Been in Bonaire, lake Erie, under the ice, lots of local stuff and no signs of any kind of breakdown in materials, construction, or performance. Go for it and have no fear.

 

[romaf]

Thank you very much!

 

[uncleavi]

I like my Excelerating Force Fins in Tan Delta.
We have great diving here in Palm Beach County

 

[MSilvia]

Some tech diving friends says that those tech fins wich aren't made of 100% rubber are likely to crackle in 1-2 years. So I'm afraid of buying Hollis F1 as long as it is mostly (seem to be) made of plastic.

First, F1s are made of a very similar material to JetFins and Turtles. I don't believe cracking will be a problem. That said, I also have several "plastic fins" with 100s of dives on them, and they show no signs of cracking either. I think your tech diving friends might be leading you astray... material breakdown within a few years of normal use simply isn't a problem I've seen with any reputable fins. Don't worry about it.

 

[ScubaTerp]

I have a pair of Dive Rite fins that have served me incredibly well, although I'm surprised that nobody else seems to recommend them. Why is that?

 

[rongoodman]

I used a pair of Dive Rites until the Slipstreams came out in my size. The Dive Rites were OK, but the Slipstreams are more compact. Unfortunately, the Dive Rites are hard to find right now--they've been having a problem with their manufacturer. They seem to be popular in cave country, though, from what I've read.

 

[Hintermann]

I own a pair of Deep Outdoors Sixgills fins that cost me £95 (then about $160) 2 years ago and after nearly 100 dives with them, I consider them as the best purchase of anything that I ever made. After managing with a pair of overlong Cressi Rondines through training and first few recreational dives, I decided I wanted something with better propulsion and looked at the several models of split fins on the market. I tried several, including Scubapro & Atomic makes but they simply did not suit my diving style. They were good going forward but hopeless with quick turns that I often like to do underwater. After suffering from pains in the hips, I gave up the idea of split fins altogether and almost went back to the Cressis when I saw an advertisement for Deep Outdoors Sixgills fins in the local dive magazine. They were (and still are) quite rare in the UK but on a whim I phoned around and found a pair in a dive shop in another city. By the time I went and bought them, I had 3 days to go for my Red Sea liveaboard trip and had no time even to unwrap the new fins. I took them with me nevertheless and boy, were they wonderful! Not only are they are great with any type of kick underwater, one can walk slowly on the dive platform with them on and climb open-runged ladders while getting back onto the deck after the dive.

My wife, who occasionally buddies with me, jokingly complains that I take better care of my fins than I do of her. She's exaggerating....at least I think that she is.

 

[ScubaTerp]

Yeah when I first got started it was with a focus on tech-oriented gear. I'm very happy with them, but the fact of the matter is that they're pretty much inflexible slabs of plastic strapped to your feet. I'm contemplating whether or not to get a pair that's more friendly for OW stuff. Maybe the force fins?