Disappointing fit on Scubapro Jet Fins

[ferris213]

I can't help with the sizing, but I have a pair of OMS Slipstreams. From what I can tell they are very, very similar to jet fins, however they are much lighter. I'd say they are about neutral in the water.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

"Jet Fins, the fins I love to hate and hate to love."

That's the quote of the day.


I've tried to find something else besides Jet's for years myself.
I actually started with Mares Quattros. I thought they were great because I didn't know any different.
Then I got into freediving and got a pair of long freediving fins. All of a sudden the Quattros seemed a little weak (at least for abalone diving).
Then Jet's once again made a comeback. Funny because I saw those things hanging in the dive shop when I originally bought my gear. I thought thery looked cool, kind of old school, rugged and manly looking. The salesman told me that I didn't want those, nobody used those anymore. The only reason he said they carried them was for a few old school urchin divers that came in that refused to change. So I bought the load of crap and paid about double for the Mares of what the Jets costed then.

Finally later I decided to get a pair ($62.00 at Leisure Pro).
I hated them at first but when I would go back to the Mares they seemed to lack something. So I would try the Jets again and finally either I built up the muscles to use them or my feet got stronger and adapted (or both) but there was no going back.
I've tried for years to find something that would work better for all the different kicks and styles I use but there isn't anything.
My LDS curses them saying they need to go but people still buy them. SP was suppose to stop making them years ago, they tried to halt production but couldn't because demand was too high, plus the military uses them and wouldn't let them stop making them.
I've tried Hollis F1's, Turtles, Split fins of many different brands, sling shot style, even those new paddle looking things that SP makes, none of them can do what the Jets do.

I'm a size 13 too. I forced my feet to fit into an XL. I stuck them in boiling water and stuck them on my feet with booties on and watched TV until they cooled off. Seemed to work kind of. My buddy has a pair of XL's that stretched out perfect for his feet.
Instead of spring straps I use a thick rubber bungee cord, one of those heavy duty type that you can tie down lumber and steel with on a lumber rack. I use the 12" length and made two stainless loops that go throught the holes in the strap and through the holes in the fin. They work better than springs and will never break.
I have to use a pair of worn out booties to get my Jets to fit right. I have a new pair of HD booties and it's a clown show with me trying to get my fins on.

 

[MXGratefulDiver]

Sizing is the issue I've always had with Jet fins. XL is made for women ... XXL is made for NBA basketball players. Ain't anything in between for normal size guy feet ... at least not if you're wearing drysuit boots.

I ditched the Jets and got a pair of Hollis F1's ... they give you all the thrust of a Jet and they're a lot friendlier to your feet.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

---------- Post added March 25th, 2014 at 04:56 AM ----------

I can't help with the sizing, but I have a pair of OMS Slipstreams. From what I can tell they are very, very similar to jet fins, however they are much lighter. I'd say they are about neutral in the water.

Same foot pocket size as the Jets, but in a much lighter weight fin. I have a pair I use for travel and the pool ... when I'm in wetsuit booties.

... Bob (Grateful Diver)

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

*Supposedly* Scubapro has made a new size of Jets that is the "new" XXL which is in between the XL and the old XXL (park a Peterbilt inside). The old XXL is now the new XXXL.
From what I heard the old XXL was developed for the military as a combat fin. It was designed to accomodate a size 15 combat boot so Navy SEALs could storm beaches and when they made ground they would jetison the fin and be ready for ground combat.
I had a pair of XXL's. I used to wear a 5 mil sock with a size 15 bootie pulled over (biggest I could find) and I still had slop with the XXL.

 

[James R]

I can't help with the sizing, but I have a pair of OMS Slipstreams. From what I can tell they are very, very similar to jet fins, however they are much lighter. I'd say they are about neutral in the water.

I can tell you from experience if you let one slip out of your hand it will sink and sink quickly, even in salt water. Luckily it landed in the sand at 70fsw and I was able to collect it.

 

[Storker]

*Supposedly* Scubapro has made a new size of Jets that is the "new" XXL which is in between the XL and the old XXL (park a Peterbilt inside).

You may be right. I bought a pair of new Jets today, in XXL, and tried them on at home to check if the size was right. They seem to fit almost perfectly on my DS boots (the suit is a Waterproof D7 size M, with euro size 40-42 boots), and my feet are euro size 42 (US size 9).

 

[USFpsychDiver]

I have a size 11 - 12 foot and wear a size 13 wetsuit booty over my drysuit socks and use the 'new' XXL jet. This works great for backmount doubles in a drysuit -- good fit and horizontal trim -- but they are too negative for sidemount doubles (have to keep too big a 'bubble' in my feet to stay foot-up) or singles in a wetsuit.

You didn't mention what kind of kick you are using; these are for frog-kick; not good for flutter.

 

[Nemrod]

I can't help with the sizing, but I have a pair of OMS Slipstreams. From what I can tell they are very, very similar to jet fins, however they are much lighter. I'd say they are about neutral in the water.

The OMS were a really close and near copy of the Jet except lighter and unfortunately they have gone out of business it seems. And the Jet soldiers on and on.

N

 

[boat sju]

I can't help with the sizing, but I have a pair of OMS Slipstreams. From what I can tell they are very, very similar to jet fins, however they are much lighter. I'd say they are about neutral in the water.

The XL Slips seem to be just a little bit larger than the XL Jets. I ended up with the Slipstreams when my size 11 CT's didn't fit the Jets I was offered. I was kind of disappointed because I use a pair of Large Jets for warm water - I've had them since 1982.

Oh, the Slips seem a lot stiffer to me.

 

[Qasar]

The new scubapro seawing gorilla are a trade off between jet fins and "normal" ones. Give you thrust ability to frog kick, but also flutter with very good results. Of course it's not jet for thrust and frog kick, but a nice compromise.