Do split fins have less umph than blades?

[RonFrank]

I've been on a quest for the *best* fin fthat works with the types of diving I enjoy. To date I've owned (open heel) Bio-Fins, Mares Avanti Quattro's, Force Fins, and APS Manta Rays. I have also tried Mares Volo fins, and Jets.

When I am diving dry I generally am not doing a lot of swimming, and I like paddle fins. When I am diving in the ocean on wrecks and reefs I do more swimming, and generally like the BioFins.

Jets don't fit my foot, and I have fairly normal feet. I've decided that comfort is key, so Jets for me are out. I've also been with at LEAST four divers who have cramped up wearing Jets, and all were in good shape.

I've decided I'm going to keep one pair of BioFins, and the APS MantaRays. The BioFins are great. I can do any kick style, but they do not do the reverse frog kick well especially in fresh water. They are also *floppy* compared to most paddle fins. n high silt area's a floppy fin takes effort to avoid kicking up the bottom, or where ever. I've only dove the APS MantaRays once, but I think they are my answer in a non-split fin. They are comfortable, light weight, and I can use one sized fin for both dry diving, and wet.

If you want pure test results on fins, see the Scuba Diving website under the gear area. They do reviews at LEAST once a year, and while the testing is somewhat limited in that they mainly use the flutter kick, the results are accurate for the tests done.

I've been in a LOT of current with my BioFins, and they work fine. I had no issues in keeping up with my paddle fin diving buddies, and in many cases I could out swim them into the current. So do not believe the myth that splits do not work in current they do.

More evidence? Well the entire team that filmed the IMAX Coral Reef Adventure film used SP fins, but they were not Jets, but rather Twin Jets.

For me comfort is a huge key. If a fin is not comfortable, than how well can one use it? I've discovered that I tend to like fins that are made of ONE materal with softish foot pockets. Both the BioFins, and the Rays fit that bill. The force fins are nice, but the material is much harder, and the foot pockets are not as comfortable as either my Bio's or the Rays.

 

[jbb]

I've been on a quest for the *best* fin fthat works with the types of diving I enjoy. To date I've owned (open heel) Bio-Fins, Mares Avanti Quattro's, Force Fins, and APS Manta Rays. I have also tried Mares Volo fins, and Jets. QUOTE]


Thanks Frank. I wish some dive shops would do a fin swim fair or something like DUI does with drysuits so we could try on a bunch of different fins to see not so much IF they work but if we LIKE how they work. I ordered a pair of the Mares paddle fins thinking they would be lighter than my Jets and still kick the same. I was wrong. They are nearly the same weight and since they are fairly long and stiff I found I needed to use the rapid small kick of the split fin style otherwise the fin had a tendency to "flutter" through the water because it couldn't push the water to the end fast enough whereas my jets being more flexible at the tip will just bend over when you try to kick faster. I figure if the fin bends or flutters you are getting to the point where you are losing efficiency of the mechanics of the fin.

 

[Splitlip]

Doing more kicks per minute to get the same amount of thrust is a decrease in efficiency, not an increase.

I don't know about that.
I am thinking a boat propeller vs the old paddle wheels.

Propeller fins..... paddle fins....hmmm

 

[Splitlip]

The way I look at split fins is that they are most appropriate for people with injuries or who are new to the sport and lack leg strength at the moment. If I were assisting a student who knew he was just going to boat dive in mellow, tropical waters, and he had had knee surgery (like me), I would say, "get split fins" to get him going in the sport. I don't see the advantage for a person who has the capacity to get his leg strength up enough to use real fins, though. I only dive with Jets.

Since splits require less strength, an advantage may be improved gas consumption?

 

[Dentonmc]

I absolutely DARE someone try and take my Oceanic V-12 splits from me. They are much better than the old Seaquest fins I had - can't remember the model.

My dive partner finally switched to splits. He used to some model from U.S. divers that he had for years. He would suck twice as much air as I did and currents would kick the wind out of him. Being he is in much better shape than I am, likes to do ignorant things like hike Appalachian Trail for fun, it made no sense that I would smoke him so badly. It had to be the fins. So, he went and picked up the Oceanic V-16 fins. We are much more evenly matched, now. Now that he, my son and I have split fins we are all within 50 pounds of air usage of one another and nobody is falling behind.

 

[MasterGoa]

My opinion on this subject, owning both Tusa Tri-Ex and Expert-Zoom,
both Silver so the color has no bearing, is that Spit fins will give you
good velocity is very little effort. Paddle fins will give you more
power overall but at the cost of more exertion.

If you really paddle hard, split fins will be too complaicent and
will show stall before paddle fins.

I user my splits in calm and my paddles in current...

So I agree with the starting statement...