drrich2
Contributor
Seems to me the OMS Slipstream often comes up as a competitor to the Deep 6 Eddy fin, as a roughly 'jet fin style' yet lighter weight paddle fin. Thought a hand-on comparison might be of interest to somebody. There are other threads I could've posted in, but then it might be lost in the shuffle.
I wear a size 15 (15 EE in New Balance shoes). My Atomic Aquatics Smoke-on-the-Water split fins did okay with 3 mm SeaSoft Sunray tropical boots, but were too tight with 6 mm SeaSoft Stealth boots (note: SeaSofts have an athletic sole, nice for shore diving rough areas). Started a big, long thread on Big Foot Fin Options, corresponded with a LDS (Waterdogs Scuba in Clarksville, TN; helpful folks!).
Settled on a pair of 2XL OMS Slipstreams (tried XL; obviously too small). They fit, but I got some foot cramping testing them out in the quarry, to I picked up a pair of Neosport 7 mm boots instead of the Stealths. Did 24 dives by the Channel Islands of California last August; seemed to do fine.
Recent trip to Jupiter, Florida, not wearing Lycra socks this time, I noticed the Slipstreams were pressing the sides of my big toes. Not painful, but with multiple days of repetitive diving could be an issue. I kept hearing about the wonderful foot pocket of the Eddy fin, Deep 6 had a sweet price, and they still had some of the softer material 2XL version in stock. Bought a pair. Hit the quarry yesterday and tried them out (with the 7 mm Neosports).
They did okay. I'm chubby and not particularly fit, mostly flutter kick (or some permutation thereof), and even the soft version are thought to be rather stiff, so getting a cramp in both calves near the end of a roughly 1:15 dive (shallow; couldn't find my full wetsuit) wasn't too disappointing. People ask about buoyancy, so I let each Eddy fin go; in fresh water, they floated tip up barely enough to keep those 'tip holes' out of the water.
I think I feel the tip of my big toe reaching the end of the Eddy foot pocket, but I don't feel uncomfortable pressure, and it's not pressing the side of the big toe as much. The foot pocket is obviously roomier than the Slipstream. Too soon to tell, but tentatively I like the Eddy better. Let's look at some measurements side-by-side. Eddy on top, Slipstream on the bottom.
I measure the 2XL Slipstream at 22 5/8" long, the Eddy at 24 1/2". Width is a wash. For packing in a suitcase without bending your fins, the Slipstream is a little more compact. On the other hand, I like those pull tabs on the back of the Eddy's spring straps better than the OMS approach. Also notice the Eddy has 2 slots for the spring straps to attach (so you can tighten it); OMS only has one (maybe there's another way to tighten OMS springs I don't know?). On the Eddy, the top of the fin pocket doesn't come nearly as far back as the bottom; on the OMS, it does. I'm not sure how significant that difference is.
When you look at the fin pockets head on, you see the big difference. OMS is a little wider at the bottom, but the Eddy is roomier overall. And from the overhead photo, notice how the OMS foot pocket looks to 'turn in' more narrowly? Might explain why it presses the sides of my big toes.
Measuring interior dimensions (trying to exclude fin thickness), I get some rough measurements:
Slipstream foot pocket entrance: ~ 4 7/8" wide at bottom x ~ 3 1/2" tall. I didn't measure width higher because it doesn't look like it changes quickly.
Eddy foot pocket entrance: ~ 4" wide at bottom, but ~ 4 3/4" wide maybe 1/2 way up where it's widest, x ~ 4 3/4" tall.
So what's it look like on the foot?
Eddy.
Slipstream.
In a nutshell, I like the Eddys a bit better so far (don't know why I don't recall the Slipstreams pressing my toes in California, though). The Eddy's pocket seems big enough for me; actually a bit loose, except at the toes, where it seems adequate. Might have to try it with my 3 mm Sunrays someday and see how it works out.
Richard.
I wear a size 15 (15 EE in New Balance shoes). My Atomic Aquatics Smoke-on-the-Water split fins did okay with 3 mm SeaSoft Sunray tropical boots, but were too tight with 6 mm SeaSoft Stealth boots (note: SeaSofts have an athletic sole, nice for shore diving rough areas). Started a big, long thread on Big Foot Fin Options, corresponded with a LDS (Waterdogs Scuba in Clarksville, TN; helpful folks!).
Settled on a pair of 2XL OMS Slipstreams (tried XL; obviously too small). They fit, but I got some foot cramping testing them out in the quarry, to I picked up a pair of Neosport 7 mm boots instead of the Stealths. Did 24 dives by the Channel Islands of California last August; seemed to do fine.
Recent trip to Jupiter, Florida, not wearing Lycra socks this time, I noticed the Slipstreams were pressing the sides of my big toes. Not painful, but with multiple days of repetitive diving could be an issue. I kept hearing about the wonderful foot pocket of the Eddy fin, Deep 6 had a sweet price, and they still had some of the softer material 2XL version in stock. Bought a pair. Hit the quarry yesterday and tried them out (with the 7 mm Neosports).
They did okay. I'm chubby and not particularly fit, mostly flutter kick (or some permutation thereof), and even the soft version are thought to be rather stiff, so getting a cramp in both calves near the end of a roughly 1:15 dive (shallow; couldn't find my full wetsuit) wasn't too disappointing. People ask about buoyancy, so I let each Eddy fin go; in fresh water, they floated tip up barely enough to keep those 'tip holes' out of the water.
I think I feel the tip of my big toe reaching the end of the Eddy foot pocket, but I don't feel uncomfortable pressure, and it's not pressing the side of the big toe as much. The foot pocket is obviously roomier than the Slipstream. Too soon to tell, but tentatively I like the Eddy better. Let's look at some measurements side-by-side. Eddy on top, Slipstream on the bottom.
I measure the 2XL Slipstream at 22 5/8" long, the Eddy at 24 1/2". Width is a wash. For packing in a suitcase without bending your fins, the Slipstream is a little more compact. On the other hand, I like those pull tabs on the back of the Eddy's spring straps better than the OMS approach. Also notice the Eddy has 2 slots for the spring straps to attach (so you can tighten it); OMS only has one (maybe there's another way to tighten OMS springs I don't know?). On the Eddy, the top of the fin pocket doesn't come nearly as far back as the bottom; on the OMS, it does. I'm not sure how significant that difference is.
When you look at the fin pockets head on, you see the big difference. OMS is a little wider at the bottom, but the Eddy is roomier overall. And from the overhead photo, notice how the OMS foot pocket looks to 'turn in' more narrowly? Might explain why it presses the sides of my big toes.
Measuring interior dimensions (trying to exclude fin thickness), I get some rough measurements:
Slipstream foot pocket entrance: ~ 4 7/8" wide at bottom x ~ 3 1/2" tall. I didn't measure width higher because it doesn't look like it changes quickly.
Eddy foot pocket entrance: ~ 4" wide at bottom, but ~ 4 3/4" wide maybe 1/2 way up where it's widest, x ~ 4 3/4" tall.
So what's it look like on the foot?
Eddy.
Slipstream.
In a nutshell, I like the Eddys a bit better so far (don't know why I don't recall the Slipstreams pressing my toes in California, though). The Eddy's pocket seems big enough for me; actually a bit loose, except at the toes, where it seems adequate. Might have to try it with my 3 mm Sunrays someday and see how it works out.
Richard.
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