Eric Sedletzky
Contributor
I’m romancing the idea to look into getting new fins.
I started with Mares Quattros many years ago when I started diving. I thought they were good because I had no experience with anything else. But then I grew weary of the “dead spot” that they have when the loose flap of rubber flips flops on the end if the fin as you change direction. I gifted them away to a friend who is getting into diving.
Since then I’ve adopted Jet fins, Turtle fins, and Picasso Freediving fins.
I’m not really a fin junky, I’ve managed to keep the fin collecting under control.
However, a few recent threads have sparked my interest in re-exploring fins to see what is out there.
I saw comments about how Jet fins are poor copies of some historic beauchat fins that were much better. Jets are currently my go to fin, but as mentioned they suck for long surface swims but seem to be good for frog kicking and some other techniques that I’ve played with. I just want to see if there is anything out there recently developed that might be better. I’m not into splits, in fact they are quite minimized at dive shops and seem to have run their course. I’ve tested them and they don’t cut it in my world. I’ve also tried Sea Wing Nova’s and they are strange to me. I dodn’t care for them. I tried Hollis F1’s and they sucked worse than almost anything I’ve ever used.
I have used freediving fins for scuba which give oodles of power if you need to get from point A to point B quickly. The problem is mine are full foot and trying to shore dive with them in neoprene socks is not realistic.
I guess I’m looking for a solid fin that is fairly long but not as long as freediving fins, that has an open heel, nice foot pocket for a mens size 13 (46 Eu),
Something produced now, not a vintage fin that is no longer made. Non vented perhaps. Lighter weight might be a good option, and something that channels water well.
Price I don’t care about as long as they work, but obviously not crazy expensive.
I thought of even buying a pair of open heel freediving fins and trimming them back, has anyone ever done this?
Some of the basic historical designs seemed perfect but nobody makes anything like that anymore.
I don’t want anything gimmicky either with weird hinges, bands, etc. just solid basic well designed fins that work well for flutter kicks and long surface swims.
I started with Mares Quattros many years ago when I started diving. I thought they were good because I had no experience with anything else. But then I grew weary of the “dead spot” that they have when the loose flap of rubber flips flops on the end if the fin as you change direction. I gifted them away to a friend who is getting into diving.
Since then I’ve adopted Jet fins, Turtle fins, and Picasso Freediving fins.
I’m not really a fin junky, I’ve managed to keep the fin collecting under control.
However, a few recent threads have sparked my interest in re-exploring fins to see what is out there.
I saw comments about how Jet fins are poor copies of some historic beauchat fins that were much better. Jets are currently my go to fin, but as mentioned they suck for long surface swims but seem to be good for frog kicking and some other techniques that I’ve played with. I just want to see if there is anything out there recently developed that might be better. I’m not into splits, in fact they are quite minimized at dive shops and seem to have run their course. I’ve tested them and they don’t cut it in my world. I’ve also tried Sea Wing Nova’s and they are strange to me. I dodn’t care for them. I tried Hollis F1’s and they sucked worse than almost anything I’ve ever used.
I have used freediving fins for scuba which give oodles of power if you need to get from point A to point B quickly. The problem is mine are full foot and trying to shore dive with them in neoprene socks is not realistic.
I guess I’m looking for a solid fin that is fairly long but not as long as freediving fins, that has an open heel, nice foot pocket for a mens size 13 (46 Eu),
Something produced now, not a vintage fin that is no longer made. Non vented perhaps. Lighter weight might be a good option, and something that channels water well.
Price I don’t care about as long as they work, but obviously not crazy expensive.
I thought of even buying a pair of open heel freediving fins and trimming them back, has anyone ever done this?
Some of the basic historical designs seemed perfect but nobody makes anything like that anymore.
I don’t want anything gimmicky either with weird hinges, bands, etc. just solid basic well designed fins that work well for flutter kicks and long surface swims.
