Fins

[bwerb]

My wife was certified with Force Fins...great for flutter, not so good for precision finning. She's switched to Jets for all of her diving and loves them.

 

[Bob_B]

I'd have to say Jets as well. Some of the cave spots that we have been in, are barely big enough to fit through, and the jets work just fine... I'm sure other fins will work too, It's all in the technique I guess

 

[halcyon]

Force fins are really for flutter kicking. Scubapro Jets or Turtles are the standard. You don't sound like you're cave certified??

dmass.

 

[JessH]

Force Fins are actually rather manuverable but they aren't the greatest for frog kicks. They work well with a modified flutter kick, but the frog kick is better for not kicking up silt when close to the bottom. If you are wanting short fins keep in mind that Medium and Large Jet Fins have a shorter blade than the X-Large ones.

~Jess

 

[karstdvr]

but the frog kick is better for not kicking up silt when close to the bottom.

If proper form is done with the modified flutter,the knees are bent which keeps the legs up high in the profile away from the floor. In a frog kick the legs are parallel to the floor and some thrust can be directed to the floor,especially if using heavy fins like a Jet fin that can make you slightly feet down. The frog kick is a good kick for delivering thrust,but probably the best antisilting kick is the modified flutter or shuffle.

 

[JessH]

I stand corrected.

All I really know is that the force fins rock for doing video work in small pools. Everywhere else I prefer my jets, although if I actually owned a pair of force fins I could see them growing on me for some other applications.

~Jess

 

[karstdvr]

I stand corrected.

All I really know is that the force fins rock for doing video work in small pools. Everywhere else I prefer my jets, although if I actually owned a pair of force fins I could see them growing on me for some other applications.

~Jess

Your observations are very good. The frog kick is by far the most popular kick because there is the kick phase,followed by a short rest glide period,then another kick phase. Many cave divers don't use the modified flutter for a very long period since there is no rest phase,but it is an ideal kick for two reasons 1) The legs are high directing thrust away from the floor 2) The kick tends to trim you slightly nose down which is an ideal position for a cave diver. In small cave where you are near the floor or in narrow cave where seperating the legs ie frog kick may disturb silt on side walls the modified flutter/shuffle kick is ideal.