Buying my first set of fins. Which one?

[PR_SMITH]

Ultimate Pro Guide To Buying Scuba Diving Fins

Looking for the best scuba diving fins? My expert guide provides valuable insights and tips to help you make the right fin buying decision!

scubatechphilippines.com

 

[Tycksel]

I bought scubapro go sports and I've done 30 dives with these. They are super comfortable, but little too floppy and too light.

I'm having trouble with frog kick with these but they are great for flutter. Although my frog kick could need some more practice because these fins bend so much during kick. Next fins could be little stiffer and maybe neutrally buoyant.

Oms slipstream is favourite fin at my dive shop, but they just don't feel good in my feet

 

[Bob Evans]

I love Finland; they helped us get the US Navy on board with Force Fins after our distributor sold to the Russian Navy.(1983). Long story, but I have many fans in Finland, so please check out Force Fin Pro – Sea Safety Scandinavia Thank you, Bob Evans

 

[Tycksel]

What about those deep6 eddy fins? I could get them for about 200€ shipped here in Thailand

 

[grantmac]

Go Sport Gorilla might be a good option if the only thing you dislike with the regular Go Sport is the stiffness.

 

[Tycksel]

Go Sport Gorilla might be a good option if the only thing you dislike with the regular Go Sport is the stiffness.

Regular go sports are also too light for me (my feet floats with these). Tried oms slipstreams today for 4 dives and they felt quite nice. Much better trim and kick effiency Vs go sports. I might buy slipstreams also for myself, if I can't find any better options. Only think I don't like in slipstreams was uncomfortable foot pocket

 

[Bob Evans]

I am aware of uncomfortable foot pockets. Foot Castings for Force Fin Foot Pockets - Force Fins | Worlds Finest Fins for Swimming, Diving, Bellyboating

 

[scubadojo]

Trying to decide which fins I'm gonna buy. I'm heavy legged, so fins should be positive or neutral in water. I'm backpacker so fins should fit to my 65L checked in backpack (maximum height 68cm). Light weight is also huge plus. Also looking little bit stiffer and more powefull fins in current than those usual floppy dive shop rental ones.

Most of my time I use frog kick. And I'll be using these fins to snorkeling too. Diving only in warm waters using 3mm wetsuit.

Searched all the online shops from Finland and these fins are only one they sell with my size(XL). And I wanna buy from local stores because I can try and return those.

- Apeks RK3 (120€)
- Apeks RK3 HD (120€)
- Scubapro go sport (114€)
- Scubapro go travel (78€)
- Mares Avanti quattro+ (104€)
- Tecline lightjet (115€)
- Dive rite XT (140€)

My personal favourite is tecline, even though I haven't tried them yet. I just like to style of jet fins and these have steel springs too. But can't find much of reviews from these (only few in here).

I tried Apeks RK3 at shop, and their foot pocket was super comfortable. But they seem little floppy.

Also Scubapro go sport/travel seems very interesting

If you want a more rigid fins than RK3, tecline will be slightly stiffer; both foot pocket and blade.

Mares is a softer fins, but given its length they will push you through water without much effort. You will need to replace bungee strap after 2 years, those things disintegrate.

Dive Rite XT is the most stiff fins out of your list. Make sure you work those calf muscles before putting them on. Or the fins will work your calf muscles for you.

You won't go wrong with any of these three. note that mares is the longest fins, while xt is the stiffest fins in your list.

RK3 HD is negatively buoyant, so it won't meet your requirement.

And I would stay away from the Scubapro GO fins

 

[stuartv]

What about those deep6 eddy fins? I could get them for about 200€ shipped here in Thailand

The Eddy fins are FANTASTIC.

The foot pocket is super comfortable. They are neutrally buoyant. They are stiff. Not quite as stiff as the Dive Rite XT (I have both), but WAY stiffer than, for example, the SP Go Sport.

The Eddy fins are also rubber, so they are virtually indestructible. And they are light and not overly long. I.e. they are not as long as the Dive Rite XT. To me, the Eddy fins are great for travel because of their size and lightness.

The Eddy fins are also very good for all types of technical kicks (frog, helicopter, and back finning).

I got a pair of Eddy fins years ago when I was teaching at my old shop. Once I had them, I let at least 4 other instructors (one of whom was the shop owner) try them. They ALL bought their own. The shop owner could use basically any fin on the market and get them at dealer cost. He paid full retail for a set of Eddy fins for himself.

At my current shop, literally every single instructor uses Eddy fins. And we don't get any kind of deal on them. Deep6Gear doesn't really do "dealerships". So, all of us using them pretty much paid full price for them.

I do like the Dive Rite XTs, too. They are longer and a bit stiffer. I think they give a little more power when I'm really kicking hard. They also have a very comfy foot pocket. But, I generally stick with the Eddy fins for 2 reasons: The foot pocket on the Eddy is just a tiny bit better fit on MY foot/bootie. It is snug and I get no side to side wiggle from the Eddy fin. The XT fins are just a tiny bit wider, I guess. I get just a tiny bit of side to side wiggle from the fins on some kicks. It is very minor and I would have no problem just using the XT fins. But, I CAN use the Eddy fins, so I do.

The other thing is the Eddy fins are pretty much indestructible, where the XT fins are basically plastic. You don't have to search too hard to find reports from people of their XT fins eventually cracking. They are not fragile, by any means. But, they are not going to hold up and last as long as the Eddy fins.

At this point, I keep the XT fins mainly so that I can use them when I let someone else demo my Eddy fins and so I can also let them demo the XT fins back to back.

 

[sparragus]

I have and enjoy my Mares Avanti Quattro+ very much, but I don't think I would travel with them. I'd say they are long compared to other great fins. For that reason, I think they wouldn't be a good fit for a backpacker.