Disappointment w/ Mares Volo Quality

[deepseafalcon]

Wanted to share my experience with Mares Volo:
Bought a pair a while ago based on their raving reviews. Are indeed nice to dive. However, in my last vacation I found that they started to break, after only a little over a hundred dives.
BOTH fins break at BOTH channels in the rubber part above the hinge, see picture. Picture is of new fins, didn't have my camera handy.
Since 4 points started to break almost simultaneously, I am pretty sure it's a design flaw.
They also started to break where the stiff plastic part meets the boot area, on the underside. And one of the little rubber "hinges" has a crack as well.
Have to say I am a really dispappointed, especially at their price.

I tried to repair them with pieces of motorcycle inner tube glued on. Lasted exactly one dive. :11: I guess I could dive them a few more times since I stopped the crack with holes punched at the end, but I would really hate to have my fins completely fail on me in the middle of a long surface swim or so.

Decided to go another route this time:
Inexpensive full foot fins for tropical travel-diving (Oceanic Caribe, $30.- at LP). Haven't tried them yet, but seems plausible that they are more comfortable with thin neoprene socks, are very leight weight, and small investment if they break after another 100 dives.

For local and cold water diving, I'll give the highly appraised Turtle fins a try. I am sure they will last a lot longer, but I am not so sure yet how they'll fit/perform for me.
So you may soon see a pair of Turtles in the Classifieds section

Stay warm!
d-s-f

 

[gfisher4792]

As far as I know, they discontinued those type of Volos, and went to Volo Power Fins (I believe due to the cracking issue you described). Myself, I'm giving Mares Quattros a try.

 

[Hank49]

Decided to go another route this time:
Inexpensive full foot fins for tropical travel-diving (Oceanic Caribe, $30.- at LP). Haven't tried them yet, but seems plausible that they are more comfortable with thin neoprene socks, are very leight weight, and small investment if they break after another 100 dives.

I would try the cheapo fins before buying. I had a pair of Mares Planas for 12 years and liked them.....until I put on some Avanti Quattros among other fins. Now when I wear the Planas, it feels almost like I'm barefoot. Not bad for just hanging on a reef and looking around but if I do have to "churn" ....it's nice to have the extra thrust.

 

[DiveTub]

Yep they are the old Volo, and very pron to cracking, the new Volo Power and Full Foot Race have a longer blade than the origional Volo and are a much better fin, I have both the Power and Race with hundreds of Dives on each. Love them.

Return them to where you got them and Mares should help you out.

Cheers
Chris

 

[Ber Rabbit]

I second what Sydney Diver said, take them back to the dealer and ask for a replacement or at least credit toward one.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[deepseafalcon]

I second what Sydney Diver said, take them back to the dealer and ask for a replacement or at least credit toward one.
Ber :lilbunny:

yeah, good point, should have considered that before messing around with rubber cement and patches. Had no idea that this was a widely known flaw.

Speaking of the Mares Quattro:
They are not exactly cheap either. Does anyone have first hand experience with the half-as-expensice yet very similar looking Mares Plana Avanti X3?

Regarding the Oceanic Caribe:
I'll post as soon as I have first-hand experience.
I think they'll be fine though:
Although quite inexpensive, I don't think they are cheapos. They came out great in different tests, as one of the most efficient and comfy full footers.
http://www.scubal.com/content/index.php?proid=1006&catid=201&procatid=151
http://www.scubadiving.com/gear/fins/rumble_in_the_jungle:_scuba_fin_smackdown/14/
They also look well designed, and definitely fit comfortably.

Stay warm!
d-s-f

 

[rjm60]

I bought a pair of the Volo Power fins in May for OW class. About a month ago, I noticed the rubber is tearing from the tip of the plastic stiffeners (about 1/2 an inch from the fin tip) on both stiffeners and both fins (4 places). At the time, I had under 30 dives on them. They were replaced under warranty with no cost to me at all. After about 7-9 dives, the replacements are tearing in exactly the same place. Same thing happened to my wife's volo power fins. Her fins were also replaced but she's only used them once since then.

 

[DiveTub]

Yes another problem the Volo and Race have had, this is due to standing the fins blade down in tub and or storage and standing on the tips when diving.

I learnt of this early on and mine are fine, just got to treat them like a fin and not a shoe

Cheers
Chris

 

[Louie]

Wow,

During my time in Aus and Asia, I'd met many disgruntled Volo owners and it was always the same thing: the rubber bits.

Hope the manufacturers have taken notice.

I tried using volos a few times and was very fond of them so for my new fins, I got a pair of Sherwood Kinesis - a similar design and principle but a hundred dollars (Canadian) less than the Mares. Hope their rubber bits don't start falling off

 

[pescador775]

>>Speaking of the Mares Quattro:
They are not exactly cheap either. Does anyone have first hand experience with the half-as-expensice yet very similar looking Mares Plana Avanti X3?<<<

The X3 cannot perform as strongly as the Quattro. However, the $45 Avanti Tre can. This full foot fin is one of the fastest tested by Scubalab. There is no reason that a closed heel fin can't be used while Scuba diving, either. It is a heck of lot easier to kick than a Quattro.