Fins split or paddles??

[Halthron]

I have both splits (Tusa X-pert Zoom) and paddle (IST version of Jets) and here's where I prefer each:

Splits: Almost everywhere pure OW. Having been in washing machine currents, I don't buy the claim that splits are useless in a current. When using any sort of flutter kick, the splits will kick up debris from further away than paddles but are easier on the legs and seem faster than the paddle fins (better efficiency for same amount of power used) which means I can go slower. While I can do a (poor) frog kick in splits, it doesn't seem as effective as when using a paddle.

Paddle: The best thing about the paddle fins is their versatility. I can switch from a flutter to a (poor) frog kick for those times I'm near silt and don't want to kick it up. The paddle fins are also easier for me to turn in, resulting in less effort expended and requiring less room to make a turn.

I haven't found a single thing that either fin can't do (I can't do an effective helicopter or backward kick though). In short, if I'm going to be in open water, I'll bring the splits. If I plan on being close to the reef or bottom or penetrating, I'll bring the paddles.

 

[rottielover]

well this thread hit 3 pages already, but as a fairly noob diver I thought I would chime in with my experiance....

Before my wife and I did our OW cert last year, we took Aqualung paddles and Atomic splits to the LDS pool to see what we liked better.

The first impression I had was that I was moving much faster in the paddles because it took more effort to kick. With the splits it felt like I wasn't working hard at all. Then the instructor who happened to be at the pool asked me to swim a lap with each fin and he would time me with a stop watch... Well don't remember the time's but with the atomic splits I had a faster time, and used less effort...

So my wife and I both liked and purchased the Atomic splits, and have been using them ever since (ya, all 13 logged dives worth LOL)... I've tried the frog kick a couple times and it seems too work, though I don't know if I'm really doing it right or not.

Anyway, as a couple people said, it's the FIT, and what YOU LIKE. I hope my 2 bubble's worth helps!

 

[Tatakai]

Mares Quattros is what I have been using so far in classes and doing my skills in the pool. I haven't used the splits yet but it looks like I am headed towards them for a try at least. For now most of my diving will be quarry and larger OW. Thanks for the links and reading that I have spent alot of time on tonight. The scientific studies seem to be leading my understanding that it is more on the diver than the fin.
Was suppose to do my OW 1 and 2 dives tomorrow but we are having some serious rain and TStorms right now so that is out. The viz would be less than a few inches I would say in the quarry.

Thanks again for letting a nubie start up this highly debated topic again.

tatakai

 

[rawls]

Faster yes...But on wrecks with currents to deal with...Splits are probably not the best choice to go with.

 

[Quarrior]

Sometimes there are subjects I just can't resist and this is one of them.

Splits are great, and there is nothing you cannot do with them, kick wise; period. Only kick I have had trouble doing with them is kicking backwards and that just takes a little extra work to figure out. As for currents, it's not so much a matter of the fin as it is skill. You need to know how to swim in a current.

Paddle fins only advantage I am aware of is the ability to not disturb the bottom or create a silt storm if you're in an overhead or wreck.

Now as to which splits I recommend? I have used several different ones. The Scuba-pro Twin Jets were to flimsy and bent to easily. However the best I used and still use is the Scuba-pro Twin Speeds. These are usually special order though. They are heavier, curved, stiffer, and bigger than the Twin Jets.

 

[bradshsi]

Faster yes...But on wrecks with currents to deal with...Splits are probably not the best choice to go with.

http://www.scubaboard.com/showpost.php?p=1657147&postcount=29

The bet still stands

 

[ThatsSomeBadHatHarry]

Sometimes there are subjects I just can't resist and this is one of them.

Splits are great, and there is nothing you cannot do with them, kick wise; period. Only kick I have had trouble doing with them is kicking backwards and that just takes a little extra work to figure out. As for currents, it's not so much a matter of the fin as it is skill. You need to know how to swim in a current.

Paddle fins only advantage I am aware of is the ability to not disturb the bottom or create a silt storm if you're in an overhead or wreck.

Now as to which splits I recommend? I have used several different ones. The Scuba-pro Twin Jets were to flimsy and bent to easily. However the best I used and still use is the Scuba-pro Twin Speeds. These are usually special order though. They are heavier, curved, stiffer, and bigger than the Twin Jets.

Chalk up another for the Twin Speeds!

 

[rawls]

http://www.scubaboard.com/showpost.php?p=1657147&postcount=29

The bet still stands

You can keep your bet and computer mumbojumbo...You can know how to use them or not. They are not the best choice of fin to use in currents. Alot of things have worked per computer generated programs that don't work in real life...In the end though...The for will remain the for and the against will remain the against. The debate goes on and on and on.............I think we should start a new topic of debate...The best BCD's

 

[bradshsi]

They are not the best choice of fin to use in currents. Alot of things have worked per computer generated programs that don't work in real life.

So what you are saying is that in your experience split fins are not as fast as paddle fins for the gear configuration you dive ?

See how easy that was with no computers required. Then again I didn't see Jim Grier using any either

 

[Dive-aholic]

For those people who have posted that split fins don't work in a current, pehaps you can explain to everyone else the engineering & fluid theories why this would be the case ?

I'm willing to bet my CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) parallel computer cluster that you can't....

Simple fact is that if you are in the water a current has no practical significance to how the fins perform. If a fin has a top speed of 2.5 mph then you can hold stationary (relative to the bottom) in a current going that quickly. Alternatively in a 1 mph current you could move forward at 1.5 mph.

It all comes down to what the top speed of a particular fin is. In that respect, the only scientific testing I've seen, confirms that split fins are generally the best performers in terms of top speed and reducing your air consumption.

The link to the testing is below:
http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/instruct/grier/fins.html


If you are still mired in the illogical argument about split fins and current, this link might help you:
http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/instruct/grier/fins-myths.html


The final link is a discussion on finning backwards with split fins which apparently is possible (although I am still learning this skill):
http://dive.scubadiving.com/members/gearreviews.php?s=503

As others have said, try before you buy. Fins are a very personal choice and you need to pick the fin that best suits your requirements.

I'm not an engineer. I'm speaking from personal experience. I've been in current in split fins and in paddle fins. The paddle fins win. Maybe it's the way I kick. Maybe it's something else. All I know is I move better in current and no current in paddle fins. I've even had divers who swear by splits state they're not great in current.