Fin Buoyancy

[jtpwils]

I'm looking for a little help, or confirmation that my thinking is correct in selecting my first set of fins before starting my OW class.

I'm trying to decide between Jet Fins or SlipSteam Fins. My understanding is that the SlipStreams are neutral and the Jets are negative.

I'm planning on doing 90% of my diving in warm water so I'll have only a skin or 3mm suit and 3mm boots. I'm figuring that my legs are pretty much neutral or slightly negative since I have to put some effort into lifting my legs to get my toes out of water in a FW pool.

So with the additional buoyancy of the boots and wetsuit I'm figuring that the SlipSteams would be better for me.

Does this make sense to you folks also? Is there really much of a difference or am I overthinking this? Is there a better way to check my natural buoyancy first?

Thanks - sorry if I'm being a

 

[meesier42]

buoyancy is a joke with either fin. sure people claim that Jets are negative, but anyone who has a brain between their ears knows that rubber is only about 10% denser than sea water. That means that a 6-8# pair of fins weigh well less than a pound when submerged in sea water. So basically they have very little effect on trim, sure people will claim they will, but submerge them in water hanging from a fish scale sometime, a pair weights in at a whole 0.7 pounds, yes that was measured! They just slow your feet down as you try to move your feet about due to all the mass.

Warm water fins, there are much better options than either of those.

as for the buoyancy of booties, well sure, booties are buoyant for about 30 feet or so, then the nitrogen bubbles in the neoprene are compressed to the point that it is irrelevant. Try freediving with a wetsuit sometime, properly weighted you are buoyant on the surface and you have to work your way down to about 20-30 feet then gravity does its thing you sink very nicely.

I realize that you are not yet certified, so you probably don't have all the background and I probably sound like an @$$, but it sounds like you have been feed a line by an LDS trying to sell you something instead of teaching you the facts and letting you make your own decisions

 

[300bar]

buoyancy is a joke with either fin. a pair weights in at a whole 0.7 pounds! [

You're talking natural rubber I guess.
http://home.earthlink.net/~jcmannone1/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderfiles/RUBBBERDENSITY.DOC

http://www.simetric.co.uk/si_materials.htm

Rubber, manufactured 1522 kg/cu M.

thus negative

Warm water fins, there are much better options than either of those.

as for the buoyancy of booties, well sure, booties are buoyant for about 30 feet or so, then the nitrogen bubbles in the neoprene are compressed to the point that it is irrelevant.

IMO the neopreen it self will still floot.

just my 0.02psi

 

[mdb]

You are asking a good question. I'm sure you will have replies from the usual "experts"
and pundits. Facts are that some fins are very buoyant, they want to float, and are not very good for surface swimming/snorkeling, other fins, natural rubber fins, and some others, are negative in salt water and stay submerged when surface swimming as well as helping keep you in proper trim U/W.

Hope you have the opportunity to try both models before you spend you money.

I'm looking for a little help, or confirmation that my thinking is correct in selecting my first set of fins before starting my OW class.

I'm trying to decide between Jet Fins or SlipSteam Fins. My understanding is that the SlipStreams are neutral and the Jets are negative.

I'm planning on doing 90% of my diving in warm water so I'll have only a skin or 3mm suit and 3mm boots. I'm figuring that my legs are pretty much neutral or slightly negative since I have to put some effort into lifting my legs to get my toes out of water in a FW pool.

So with the additional buoyancy of the boots and wetsuit I'm figuring that the SlipSteams would be better for me.

Does this make sense to you folks also? Is there really much of a difference or am I overthinking this? Is there a better way to check my natural buoyancy first?

Thanks - sorry if I'm being a

 

[dkktsunami]

Yes, the Slipstreams are much lighter (but approximately the same shape). Jetfins are very heavy but Slips are nearly neutral with rubber straps. My wife and I both use the Slipstreams and are very satisfied.

 

[Web Monkey]

Is there really much of a difference or am I overthinking this?

Although you'll get all sorts of answers, mine is the best.

You can't tell which fin to buy without trying it while wearing whatever you'll be wearing while diving (wetsuit, weights, BC, etc.).

It's like me asking people which shoes I like. Nobody knows but me, and only after I've tried them.

Find a friendly LDS, pick a couple of fins that look promising, try them in the pool and buy the one you like.

Terry

 

[jtpwils]

Messier42: You don't sound like an @$$ at all. (BTW - with that name...are you an astonomer?) You're comments are very much appreciated - as are those from the other posters.

This wasn't from an LDS - I thought of this all on my own!! This question is just one that came to my mind while doing my purchasing research. My thoughts were more concerned with extra effort/back strain of having to hold my feet/fins from sinking or floating than overall proper trim.

WebMonkey/mdb: Great advice on trying before buying but I don't think I'll have the opportunity completely as you described. At least I plan on buying the fins before the suit but you never know.

Warm water fins, there are much better options than either of those.

Such as? My thoughts were that those types would be good all around performers for a variety of kicks I'd like to learn (back,frog, etc.) and aren't too expensive.

 

[AggieDad]

I have a pair of Twin Jets (Black) and now a pair of Twin Jets (Yellow)
My legs tend to be negative so I switched to the yellow fins and 7 MM booties and have pretty much eliminated my sinking legs. I can take one of each fin and place it in the water and the black ones sink (they are heavier and denser) and the yellow ones very slowly sink, so slow that it looks like they float. Despite what some think, some of us have heavier legs.
I have not had a chance to try Slipstreams.

 

[Kupu]

Having tried both Jets and Slipstreams, I find it easier to achieve good trim using the Slipstreams. I found that my feet seemed to have a tendency to sink with the Jets, although I only used them for about 10 dives. Out of curiosity, I took a borrowed jet fin and my slipstream and dropped them both in the (shallow) water. The jet certainly sank quicker.

I have used several types of fins for at least 100 dives over the years, such as Mares quattros, forcefins, Cressi Pro-light, and the slipstreams, and tried several others. All for warm water use. For now, I am happiest with the Slipstreams. They give me the best combination of good trim, control for different types of kicks, and good power and response.

Fins tend to be a very personal piece of gear. What makes one person very happy just does not work well for another. Try as many as you can and keep an open mind until you find the fins that make you happy.

 

[awdemeo]

if you have proper trim in your bcd you wont notice the fin bouyance i use fins that are not nutral or negative in my drysuit and wetsuit and have no issues what so ever
what it comes down to is you getting a good handle on dive trim and bouyance not what your fins are made out of