Full foot vs open heel for current

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jormax

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Messages
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Location
Yakima, WA
# of dives
500 - 999
I am going on the Nautilus Explorer to the Soccoro Islands and am considering a pair of full foot fins to save weight on the plane. I live in the PNW and normally dive Turtles, (dry suit, etc). I swim about 3000 yards daily, and cycle about 50 miles a week, so my legs are in ok shape. The question is: Will full foot fins give me enough thrust in current? I went to the Galapagos and took force fins and got my butt kicked in the current.

I hate the 50 pound limit!
 
Full foot fins will give you all the power the fin has to offer...freediving fins are great if you have the legs to power them....you must have not know how to use the FF's as they work very well in current..at least for me they do...
Yarg
 
Current is not a separate issue with fins and no brand or model of fin is better in current than any other. Speed over the bottom which is simply forward speed minus rearward speed (current) is important, crucial even. Any fin which has tested high speeds in controlled trials over still water will provide the same relative performance in a current. Among FF fins there is a wide selection and three basic categories, long fins, scoop fins and splits. I like the scoops better than either of the others. These advanced kickers would include the Mares Super Channel and a couple others of similar type. They are easy to kick, fast, and pack well. With your fitness level, it would probably be better to stay away from the Oceanic Caribe due to the impression they give of being too soft and subject to "over kicking". However, they are the lightest of the type and have good speed. Size the fins of choice slightly large to accomodate a free divers bootie. The bootie should be tight fitting and made of thin material, say 1/8 inch.

Force Fins are controversial. I have only seen one model of this expensive line give good speed results. There are hundreds of these fins on the bottom of the ocean.
 
Force Fins are controversial. I have only seen one model of this expensive line give good speed results. There are hundreds of these fins on the bottom of the ocean.

Controversial sure, but the "test" that you saw in undercurrent, didn't say they have "good" speed, it said the ForceFin Extra Force was the fastest (and ranked them most efficient) in the test. and he didn't include the Original or the Pros fins in that test, which have more times than I can count proven themselves faster than the Atomics "smoke on the water" all of which are similar in price $150-220.

I do agree with John Batin on another point though, weather or not you "think" they work, you'll either you love them or you hate them.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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