Durable travelers fin?

[Zef]

Hi Zef,

This is an interesting post as my wife came to similar conclusions. For the last 17 years of diving she was using Cressi reaction, as they are light (good for travelling) and stiff (providing propulsion, when required). Very good for diving, she liked them a lot...

=> These Cressi reaction are, on the other side, the reason why we are now looking for other fins: While the first pair lasted for many years, the blades of this fins broke, when jumping from the Safari boat into the water (happened now two times within the last two years). It seems that they take now another material for the blades that is good for swimming, but it is just mechanically not sturdy enough...
(What regards me, I have Scubapro Jetfin at home and use Aqualung slingshot for travelling (o.k. but not outstanding fins, they have now reached the end of lifespan after many years and several times exchanging the rubber spanners (I am not shure I could get spares any more))...

Wolfgang

I got my Reactions in 2013/2014 and while I haven't abused them, I don't baby them either. The only thing I would recommend is perhaps jump from the boat while holding the fins and put them on in the water, unless doing a dive that requires a negative entry.

It would not surprise me to learn that Cressi made a change to the material they make the Reactions from, but I have no knowledge of this.

One other recommendation is to perhaps try to figure out how your feet are hitting the water upon entry and perhaps adjusting your technique...for instance if your fins are entering the water tips first and the fins are breaking, then try to do your giant stride entry so that your heels hit the water first, or tips firts if you currently enter with heels first and the fins are breaking.

Good luck.

-Z

 

[RobPNW]

I ordered a pair of the Go Sport gorilla version from overseas. My next trip is around October. I'll post my thoughts if no one else does a review. If anyone finds a source for spare bungee straps for this version, please speak up.

 

[happy-diver]

Amazon.com

 

[John Bortle]

I'm waiting on some reports on the gorillas myself. I've been warm water diving the Go Sports since they were introduced and I enjoy them very much. I just wish I could squeeze a bit more horsepower out of them every now and then.

 

[Nemrod]

I just returned from the Red Sea. I think something around 50+ dives. In the groups and various guides every sort of fin was present. Lot's of Go-Sports seen everywhere but also RK3, Mares, Eddie, free dive fins, you name it. I had my Nauticam camera on every dive also. Not once did I find them lacking or unable to keep up, usually the other way around. And the other two divers in my group with Go Sports where not having problems either, diving is not a race and there is no fin that deals with current well, fish laugh at scuba divers and turn their tails .

My wife a few months back in Cozumel, I hear there is some current there, she has size small Go Sport fins:



I want a set of the new Gorilla, just because (because I have a fin fetish) but I also want the new DGX BCI regulator (because I have a regulator fetish) so my wife gave me a choice, I flipped a coin and the DGX won so it will be November before I get my Gorillas .

In this fish tornado, Red Sea, looking up and back, notice all the divers way up and far back. That would not be because Go Sports are slow:

 

[WS007]

My wife, Lisi, and had now the chance to test out several fin models: the target were lightweight fins for travelling with strong (occasionally required) propulsion, good for UW photographers (not necessarily fins for technical divers). We had the chance to test out several models. The praised Eddies are, unfortunately not available here in Europe, The Scubapro Gorilla were not available for testing and so were the Tecline lightjets.

Here is my, personal and subjective, report:
The "reference fins" are our old ones, which we have been diving for many years:

#1.: Scubapro Jetfin (me). Good but heavy, not allowed to come with me on air travel, they have to stay at home...
#2.: Aqualung Slingshot (me). Pretty worn out, finished, no more spare elastics and never really convinced me...
#3.: Cressi Reaction (Lisi). For the 2nd time within a year, the fin blade broke when jumping in, new fins are needed (in principle, she still has two fins, but the trust is gone, they don't come with her on vacation anymore)...

As I said, they should be light fins, but with "bite", i.e. propulsion when necessary. More for air travel. We tested the following, attached with a very subjective comment, not everyone moves through the water in the same way, the needs are different:

#4.: Hollis F2.
At first I was surprised at how small it is when I held it in my hand. Then, in the water, how much propulsion such a small fin can develop. Comparable to my Aqualung Slingshot in terms of propulsion. But the F2 is much more "stable", the Slingshot flutters sideways (I only noticed it in comparison). Very comfortable to dive. However, the small fin blade does not provide really strong propulsion, certainly good for tec-divers. That's why I didn't buy it...

#5.: Apek's RK3.
Ok, but inferior to the Scubapro Jetfin in all respects. It's a little lighter, but in absolute terms it's also a rather heavy fin.

#6.: Scubapro Go Sport.
Disappointing. Not much propulsion and "flutters". Rather a cheap fin for diving schools. I put them back right away...

#7.: Mares Quattro Avanti +.
That was the second positive surprise. Very pleasant to dive with relatively much propulsion (better than Hollis F2). Lisi says no comparison to the Cressi Reaction at all (she has been diving with them since 2006, about 1000 dives). She bought the Quattro. I would have bought that too, if it weren't for the #8...

#8.: Mares Excite Pro.
This is a fin for a long time that really deserves the name. Just as good as the Quattro, but significantly harder. Goes (a very little bit) almost in the direction of apnea fins. Not longer than the Quattro (I put them together, both in my size "R"; the Excite is at most a few mm longer, if at all). Rather lighter than the Quattro, but have not weighed it. I didn't give them away and took them with me right away. They are only available in gray, which is not a disadvantage for me (white balance!)...





Wolfgang

 

[Pressurehead]

#8.: Mares Excite Pro.

These are my "diving at home" fins, they are hard to beat for local conditions, I have Mares Quattro Avanti + as well [impulse buy], if you are prone to cramping [which I am not], buy these, the Excite pro are a little stiffer which may not suite everyone.
The 3 fins I see the most here are, RK3, Quattro Avanti and Go sport
I digress.

Travel fins for me are the SP Go Sport fins [which is the subject], great fit, light, easy on/off, just enough power for their size and weight, it's a trade off.
My 2 bubbles.

 

[WS007]

These are my "diving at home" fins, they are hard to beat for local conditions, I have Mares Quattro Avanti + as well [impulse buy], if you are prone to cramping [which I am not], buy these, the Excite pro are a little stiffer which may not suite everyone.
The 3 fins I see the most here are, RK3, Quattro Avanti and Go sport
I digress.

Travel fins for me are the SP Go Sport fins [which is the subject], great fit, light, easy on/off, just enough power for their size and weight, it's a trade off.
My 2 bubbles.

Hi Pressurehead,

Of course the swimming style of different people is different. But if you prefer the Excite or Quattros over the Scubapro Go Sport, you can take them with you on holidays with a clear conscience: the weight of a pair of Go Sport is 1,42 kg against the weight of 1,8kg for Excite or Quattro (declarations from manufacturer). Other fins, as RK3 or even the Jetfin are significantly heavier...
For me the difference is too small to make a tradeoff when I am on holiday and a fin, for me, has not to be commercialised explicitely as a "travelfin" to take it with me for holidays...

Wolfgang

 

[happy-diver]

Exactly so where's everyone going diving or travelling

 

[Pressurehead]

But if you prefer the Excite or Quattros over the Scubapro Go Sport, you can take them with you on holidays with a clear conscience: the weight of a pair of Go Sport is 1,42 kg against the weight of 1,8kg for Excite or Quattro (declarations from manufacturer).

True, Go Sport are shorter and pack well, last month I flew to a place to dive for a week [in a Cessna Caravan] and the weight allowance was 16kg for the flight, I could pay the $$$ money for every Kg over, but I did not, next year [already booked] I may take the longer fins, bugger the expense.
My scuba gear was 14.6 kg alone, I don't rent a thing, every g counted.