Exploring the idea of new fins?
- Thread starter Eric Sedletzky
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Eric Sedletzky
Contributor
It’s not that simple, if you want to try some fins and have a few pair of boots I have a lot of fins. Planing to be in Monterey next Saturday, early.
Imersion is a French company, here these fins on their web site (black version, "long" blades, 78 cm):
PALMES IMERSION E:BLACK REGLABLES - Imersion
Fabriqué dans nos ateliers. La palme IMERSION E:BLACK, Aluminite noir, réglable, assurera votre performance en apnée profonde ! Sa voilure chargée en résine et fibres synthétiques assure une rigidité accrue. La flexibilité est progressive mais "l'effet ressort" est augmenté. Le prolongement de...
www.imersion.net
For Scuba Diving one should opt for "short" blades of medium stiffness. So possibly this "grey" version is better (68 cm):
PALMES E : GREY REGLABLES - Imersion
Fabriqué dans nos ateliers. La palme IMERSION E:GREY réglable, hérite de la voilure à flexibilité progressive. Sa polyvalence conviendra aux apnéistes, aux pêcheurs sous- marins comme aux plongeurs. Voilure 68 cm. Couleur : Grise chamarée. Chausson réglable.
www.imersion.net
The Rondine ARA is still being manufactured by Cressi:
Fins-Ara EBS
The main feature of this fin is its polypropylene blade that provides an excellent response. And weight is no longer a problem. These fins provide more thrust power to a diver’s kicking, which...
www.cressi.com
A curiosity: ARA is not GARA (race) without the initial "G". ARA is the Italian acronym for Auto Respiratore ad Aria (Air Rebreather): which is NOT a "rebreather"; its just an normal tank filled with compressed air.
When I started diving there was the option between ARA and ARO. The latter is indeed a "true" rebreather, closed circuit, using pure oxygen, which is still widely employed for military applications.
My first diving certification lists both ARO down to 10m and ARA down to 15m maximum.
So this fin is specifically designed for being used by scuba divers employing air tanks, differentiating it from other Cressi fins more suited for free diving or for snorkeling.
The Rondine ARA is still being manufactured by Cressi:
It is what they released as a direct replacement on my beloved Rondine Gara, but they are a bit too short for my taste (and kicking style)Fins-Ara EBS
The main feature of this fin is its polypropylene blade that provides an excellent response. And weight is no longer a problem. These fins provide more thrust power to a diver’s kicking, which...
Interesting... 3 years ago LeisurePro sold me a pair as "discontinued"... whatever: at 2/3rds of the regular price, I'm not complaining.
I travel so that blade is about as long as I can fit in my luggage. For longer fins I went looking for detachable blade (and open heel pocket for places like Bonaire) and found Imersions. They also have/used to have a E:GREEN blade the same length as black but "soft".
I got them in the UK about a month and a half ago. They are definitely an upgrade from the Novas. Much better with frog kicks. Performance wise they feel like a cross between Nova Gorillas and the Go Sports that I replaced them with. The ability to break them down is awesome. I avoid having to check luggage like the plague and my only option before was to lash fins to the outside of my carry-on. Construction wise the rails are very sturdy and I don’t think they will end up being a weak point based on how they attach.
Another interesting thing is that there is going to be an alternate blade for them. The included pamphlet had a section outlining a “s-tek” blade angled at 30 degrees without a pivot point and no gap. I will post a picture of it later.
I've had my Picasso America freediving fins for about 18 years now, I guess. They made the best foot pockets in the industry in my experience with a perfect fit and the right stiffness. Other freediving fins couldn't compare. If yours are made like mine, you'll probably find it hard to beat. Maybe run barefoot and toughen up those feet? LOL!
Just spent 2 weeks diving with them in Fiji. They are beasts in current, frog kicks are much improved over the novas, back kicks are still meh. The one weird thing is periodically I kept feeling like I kicked something when I knew I was nowhere near the reef or another diver.
I thought it was the pivot point at first but I actually think it’s the blade due to the different densities in the monprene.
Minor complaint, overall I am satisfied, highly packable.
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