Can you give me a reason to NOT buy APS Mantaray?

[jlovold]

Well, I recently tried them for a few dives, and must say that they do not compare well to jetfins, except the weight and bulk. The Footpockets are great though...

I do use a drysuit, and have lots of clothing underneath, and whatever swimstyle and effort I tried, I got only mediocre speed (I can just go as fast when swimming with my arms)...
They may be a lot better if you only use a wetsuit though, because I felt the most resistance I got was from my legs moving in the water...

Conclusion: Back to old, heavy Jetfins...

 

[Shaka Doug]

funny, you're the only person who's said that. Every other review I've read said that they were extremely maneuverable.

By now you probably know I'm a big fan of MorFins. That's the last fin I'll ever need.

Most people would have you believe that you need to push a lot of water to move effectively underwater. Maybe so but that's not the diving I do. I on the other hand have discovered that for me, it is more about moving effficiently 'through' the water with minimal resistance, especially in my fin area. Nine out of ten fins out there have ribs and fins and grooves and ridges and ports and flaps and springs.... I've tried dozens of different brands. Most of these design features help in propulsion in one way or another but unfortunately heavily contribute to drag as well. That's a huge contributing factor in leg fatigue.

Have you ever tried to go fast with paddle or split fins? Go ahead and try. See how long you last. I give most people about thirty seconds going full out and they'll be overbreathing their regulator and headed for disaster. Try to turn around fast with most fins and you'll feel the drag even more as you try to slip them sideways. Again, adding to leg fatigue.

So it really is all about going at a moderate, comfortable speed (most would call it 'SLOW!'). This is where the 'drag' in all these other fins gets you. I can dive circles around most people with my Morfins. Tight circles! They make me very light on my feet, that's all I can say. Come to Maui and you can use a pair of mine any day of the week!

 

[jridg]

I have a pair of APS Mantaray's in white - they are slightly positive - they hold up well so far - I absolutely love their finstraps - far simpler than springstraps.

I have found them to be just as fast as other fins and extremely manueverable - no worries here - I dive dry as well and find my swim speed the same with whatever fins I tend to use - I have used splits, quattros, jets, all the others - I am sold on these for being lightweight and simple to use as well as small enough to travel.

NO, I cannot give you a reason not to buy them - I say go for it.

 

[jlovold]

I have a pair of APS Mantaray's in white - they are slightly positive - they hold up well so far - I absolutely love their finstraps - far simpler than springstraps.

I have found them to be just as fast as other fins and extremely manueverable - no worries here - I dive dry as well and find my swim speed the same with whatever fins I tend to use - I have used splits, quattros, jets, all the others - I am sold on these for being lightweight and simple to use as well as small enough to travel.

NO, I cannot give you a reason not to buy them - I say go for it.

For the rest of you out there:

Try before you buy!

Thats´s a WIN-WIN procedure for you, especially with this fin!

But: I am really puzzled that people are able to get the same swim speed out of these fins as Jets, splits or forcefins... I tried my best, but was unable to get any decent speed out of them, unless doing dolphin-kicks, but even then, I would have gone much faster in Jets doing dolphin-kicks...

 

[ZzzKing]

The main reason not to get them is because all the cool kids will make fun of you.

Try them out and if you like them, buy them, especially if you can get the highly similar fin Six Gill fin for $50. Not too much risk there.

 

[Shaka Doug]

I met a guy last week when I was finishing a dive at Five Caves who had a pair of these mantaray fins so I asked him if he would let me try them for a couple kicks. He said he had them for about 5 months. Well I took the first one and went to put it on and noticed it was broken. All three of the ribs where the foot pocket meets the blade were cracked, the middle rib being cracked the worst. Then I took his other fin and it was cracked also in the same area. I would not think they should be broken already in just five months. This guy doesn't even dive very often!

I have over 500 dives on my MorFins and they look practically brand new. They don't even hardly show scratches from the lava rocks and coral. When I did my side to side test with the Manta Rays they were sluggish and draggy. I hate that in a fin. Next time you dive, try moving your feet side to side. Pay attention to how much you actually do that when you're manuevering and you'll quickly learn the advantage of a smooth fin like the MorFin.

The Manta Ray fin material seemed very unsuitable for use in the ocean. Not durable enough for the punishment most divers put them through. I would not spend my money on a pair of them when there are so many better options out there. Show me one fish that has fins like those and I may be persuaded to change my mind.

If the main reason people like the Mant Ray fin is because the foot pocket is big, again, I suggest the Mor-Fin. They have more than ample room for your boot and they are very comfortable.