Force Fins VS the world (advice for first pair of fins?)

[JohnnyC]

I love how easy it is on SB for someone to ask about a choice they are contemplating, and their question solicits NOTHING about the value or price of the choice (and offers no information about their financial situation - they could be a multi-billionaire for all anyone knows), and get a raft of responses that tell them their choice is bad because of value or price....

Knowing several multi-millionaires, most of them became multi-millionaires by intelligently spending their money based on value of product or service, not frivolously spending their money.

For snorkeling, buying Force Fins is not a valuable return on investment based on the situation he described. It would be frivolous to outfit even one person with a new OR used set of Force Fins, let alone an entire family, when his needs are more intelligently served by such an obvious alternative.

Funny that you lament people offering Shearwater as a solution for somebody who only needs a $200 computer, yet when the same thing occurs here, you get your underwear in a bunch.

 

[stuartv]

Funny that you lament people offering Shearwater as a solution for somebody who only needs a $200 computer, yet when the same thing occurs here, you get your underwear in a bunch.

No. Offering a Shearwater is offering something MORE expensive. What happened here is offering something LESS expensive. That makes this the opposite.

In both cases, I was really lamenting the way people put their own value judgments on other people, instead of actually answering the question they actually asked. FF are too expense TO YOU, IN YOUR OPINION. So, you put that value judgment on someone else and told him FF wouldn't be good for snorkeling - because they are, and I quote, "way too expensive". How much something costs has NOTHING to do with how well they work for snorkeling. Just an FYI there. He didn't ask if there was an option that would work just as well for less money. He also didn't say anything about buying them for anyone else in the family.

It's been the same in SO many AI discussions. People tell other people they shouldn't buy wireless AI. When you really drill down into why they said that, it turns out that many folks' reason really and only comes down to the cost and that they personally have decided it's not worth it, to them, and then they put that value judgment (a financial judgment) on other people. Often wrapped up in a bunch of other rationalizations like "it doesn't give you anything useful" and "it's too unreliable" and "it's an unnecessary failure point" and "it will make your mind weak and you'll never learn to check your SPG as often as you should." All rooted in one person putting their own financial judgment onto someone else.

 

[JohnnyC]

You know what, forget it. Dive more. Post less.

 

[WetCell]

I've been amused by this thread from the start. What diver's often miss is the concept of mission. I brought this up in my first post here a few weeks ago. Since some have more time for posting than for diving, the original premise of the thread got lost, which was: "advice for a first pair of fins?"

This degenerated into a ludicrous, downwardly spiraling dogfight over the value of Force Fins. The reality of Force Fins is that they are very good and very expensive. Sort of like a Porsche (car) or a Mooney (airplane). Like the latter two, they also have a mystique and reputation that allows the manufacturer to sell them at a premium.

Now if a 16 year old who just got his license asked advice for their first car or airplane, would you really suggest a Porsche or a Mooney? I think the operative word here is first. Is there a seasoned recreational diver here that doesn't have at least three sets of fins and has thrown a few pairs away?

As for the downward spiraling dogfight, just wander into an automobile or airplane forum and pose the question--stand back.

 

[cloudbuster]

Thank all for the concern on price but i seen the price and like some other have said i was asking if they would work just fine for not scuba diving.
I am not planing on fitting my whole family if anything my 5yr old but he would get some other small fins force fin might not be for him not sure plus not xs size on ebay.

Thank for pointing me into the rip force, i overlooked them, would they really be different from the original for snorkeling, and the surf/waves.
I never seen them on ebay.

 

[dmaziuk]

Thank all for the concern on price but i seen the price and like some other have said i was asking if they would work just fine for not scuba diving.

Sure. Any fin will do just fine for a wide range of water activities. As long as the user knows what they're doing.

 

[TN Traveler]

I prefer the Rip Forcie for snorkeling mostly because I use a long, straight leg kick and find Originals break the surface frequently which breaks my rhythm. When playing in the surf, the shorter, stiffer blade on the Rip Force gives the quick acceleration that I like for catching a wave (body surfing or boogie boarding).

I have only seen one pair of Rip Force on eBay in 10 years (and I grabbed them for my wife or son to use). They come with an adjustable foot pocket that fits my wife's size 7s or my son's size 13s.

 

[stuartv]

Now if a 16 year old who just got his license asked advice for their first car or airplane, would you really suggest a Porsche or a Mooney? I think the operative word here is first. Is there a seasoned recreational diver here that doesn't have at least three sets of fins and has thrown a few pairs away?

As for the downward spiraling dogfight, just wander into an automobile or airplane forum and pose the question--stand back.

Buying an expensive set of fins does not bring an analogous concern about wrapping oneself around a tree.

There is no reason not to buy your last set of fins first.

I don't know that I qualify as particularly seasoned, but I am recently certified as a tech diver. And I have exactly 3 sets of fins with none ever thrown away.

- a pair of negatively buoyant fins for use with my dry suit
- a pair of neutral fins for use with a wet suit
- a pair of free diving fins for use with a wet suit where I don't have to worry about how long they are (i.e. I know I'm not going into a wreck or something)

I think I have avoided buying fins that I threw away later by doing research here and other places to figure out what to buy before I bought my first pair. I don't see any reason to steer someone towards anything other than the best fins for their plans and budget - even if it is their first pair.

 

[guyharrisonphoto]

Here is a link to a real world comparison test I did between the extra- force fins and traditional paddle fins. Fins and manoeuvrability

 

[cloudbuster]

can someone snap a few pics of the force fin rip force next to the regular force fin or any other force fin for comparison purpose?
one on top of each other side to side etc.
Thanks.