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I haven't yet tried a fin I can honestly say that I hate ... perhaps that's because once I'm in the water, I find "hate" a difficult concept.
Of the fins I've used and owned, I'd have to say my favorites in terms of performance and comfort are the Hollis F1's. But several have advantages and disadvantages. Since I tend to use the heavier blade fins, I'll just provide some reviews on those. Keep in mind that these reviews are from the perspective of someone who dives cold water and a drysuit ... which usually means larger boots than those with comparable sized feet wearing wetsuit booties.
ScubaPro Jets - a great all-around fin, which probably explains why the design hasn't changed in decades. The biggest problem I have with them is the foot pocket. Basically it's not designed for human feet ... unless your foot is shaped like a 2x6. And for people using drysuit boots, the foot pocket sizes are a little strange ... you have sizes for women, dwarves, and NBA basketball players. For those normal guys with size 9 - 12 feet, you're pretty much down to using Turbosoles and choosing size XL, or slopping around in an XXL that can more appropriately accommodate Sasquatch.
OMS Slipstreams - a lighter weight version of the Jets ... with an almost identically sized foot pocket. Slightly stiffer than the Jet, and slightly more uncomfortable. But at about half the weight, they're great for travel.
XS Scuba Turtles - the usual fallback fin for folks who are too big to wear a Jet XL and too small for the cavernous SPJ XXL's ... ironically, the "tweener" size in Turtles amounts to an XXXL. A few years back they came out with an XXL size that's virtually identical to the Jet XL (confused yet?). The Turtles are somewhat softer than Jets, with a corresponding loss in performance. For people who swim slowly and demand a fin that can give you finesse control, they're great. But in a strong current they won't perform as well as either the Jets or Slipstreams.
Hollis F1 - Ah ... I can best describe this fin as "love at first dive". I tried a pair shortly after purchasing my Slipstreams and had an instant case of buyer's remorse. Not that there was anything wrong with the latter ... but I just liked the overall comfort and performance of the F1's better. I had initially shied away from them because they're a relatively soft fin, and I figured they'd be a bit "mushy" on the glide. But perhaps because of fin shape or length, they delivered surprisingly well on the kick, with plenty of power and glide. I'd say comparable in performance to the much stiffer Slipstreams ... but with a foot pocket that is, at last, designed to accomodate the human foot. And unlike the other fins listed above, these come with spring straps already installed, so there's no need to purchase a set and install them after you buy. If there's a downside (for me) to this fin, it's that the foot pocket is so enveloping that there's not room for me to slip the spring straps over my dryglove rings ... I still haven't figured out how to carry the darn things to the water when my hands are full with camera, deco bottle, and/or scooter. But it's a small price to pay for a fin that delivers a huge grin factor in the performance and comfort departments.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Of the fins I've used and owned, I'd have to say my favorites in terms of performance and comfort are the Hollis F1's. But several have advantages and disadvantages. Since I tend to use the heavier blade fins, I'll just provide some reviews on those. Keep in mind that these reviews are from the perspective of someone who dives cold water and a drysuit ... which usually means larger boots than those with comparable sized feet wearing wetsuit booties.
ScubaPro Jets - a great all-around fin, which probably explains why the design hasn't changed in decades. The biggest problem I have with them is the foot pocket. Basically it's not designed for human feet ... unless your foot is shaped like a 2x6. And for people using drysuit boots, the foot pocket sizes are a little strange ... you have sizes for women, dwarves, and NBA basketball players. For those normal guys with size 9 - 12 feet, you're pretty much down to using Turbosoles and choosing size XL, or slopping around in an XXL that can more appropriately accommodate Sasquatch.
OMS Slipstreams - a lighter weight version of the Jets ... with an almost identically sized foot pocket. Slightly stiffer than the Jet, and slightly more uncomfortable. But at about half the weight, they're great for travel.
XS Scuba Turtles - the usual fallback fin for folks who are too big to wear a Jet XL and too small for the cavernous SPJ XXL's ... ironically, the "tweener" size in Turtles amounts to an XXXL. A few years back they came out with an XXL size that's virtually identical to the Jet XL (confused yet?). The Turtles are somewhat softer than Jets, with a corresponding loss in performance. For people who swim slowly and demand a fin that can give you finesse control, they're great. But in a strong current they won't perform as well as either the Jets or Slipstreams.
Hollis F1 - Ah ... I can best describe this fin as "love at first dive". I tried a pair shortly after purchasing my Slipstreams and had an instant case of buyer's remorse. Not that there was anything wrong with the latter ... but I just liked the overall comfort and performance of the F1's better. I had initially shied away from them because they're a relatively soft fin, and I figured they'd be a bit "mushy" on the glide. But perhaps because of fin shape or length, they delivered surprisingly well on the kick, with plenty of power and glide. I'd say comparable in performance to the much stiffer Slipstreams ... but with a foot pocket that is, at last, designed to accomodate the human foot. And unlike the other fins listed above, these come with spring straps already installed, so there's no need to purchase a set and install them after you buy. If there's a downside (for me) to this fin, it's that the foot pocket is so enveloping that there's not room for me to slip the spring straps over my dryglove rings ... I still haven't figured out how to carry the darn things to the water when my hands are full with camera, deco bottle, and/or scooter. But it's a small price to pay for a fin that delivers a huge grin factor in the performance and comfort departments.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
