Help me find a fin ...

[SubMariner]

:evilbunny

Hi ... I am new to scuba diving and I need some help in selecting scuba gear. I am presently training with borrowed fins but would like to buy my own.

I don't know what the deal is with Dacor Black Tigers, but I have had the regular Dacor Tigers for the past 4 years. They work well in a variety of conditions & temps plus you can use any finning technique with them you like. Pearce is still a big fan of the Quattros. And if I were taller, I'd probably still have a pair.

As for the Jets.... didn't Fred Flintstone used to wear those? :jestera:

 

[SeaHound]

Well unfortunately the choice of "trying out" a few fins is not available where I live because sport diving is very uncommon and besides a handful of diving enthusiasts, the only people who dive are military personel.

Since diving is not an industry here, that means there are no dive shops or people from whom you can buy stuff! I will have to send money to my freinds in USA or Canada and specify the model which they will buy and send me here. It will have to be the right thing because I wont be able to return it from here and wont be able to sell it. So that is why I wanted to know what the advantages and disadvantages of different kinds of fins are.

The other question is what exactly do you guys look for when you buy a fin? Is it speed/thrust? stability? control? Thanks to the internet :embarass: you are all the help I have here

 

[SeaHound]

:evilbunny

I don't know what the deal is with Dacor Black Tigers, but I have had the regular Dacor Tigers for the past 4 years. They work well in a variety of conditions & temps plus you can use any finning technique with them you like. Pearce is still a big fan of the Quattros. And if I were taller, I'd probably still have a pair.

As for the Jets.... didn't Fred Flintstone used to wear those? :jestera:

How much did you pay for your tigers Submariner?

 

[SubMariner]

How much did you pay for your tigers Submariner?

Since I'm an Instructor affiliated with a dive store, I get "key man" pricing. So what I paid & what the general public pays are two different animals.

However, I see that one online outlet is selling them for $109.95.

Bonne chance,

 

[SeaHound]

Since I'm an Instructor affiliated with a dive store, I get "key man" pricing. So what I paid & what the general public pays are two different animals.

However, I see that one online outlet is selling them for $109.95.

Bonne chance,

so if you had the same money you would go for the same fin or would you wanna try something diff?

 

[SubMariner]

so if you had the same money you would go for the same fin or would you wanna try something diff?

Over the years I guess I've had about 4 different pairs of fins and tried several more (including split fins). Right now the Tigers fufill all my needs:

- lightweight
- current dive technology/materials.
- good thrust for minimum effort: consistently do well in independent testing.
- perform well no matter what fin kick you use (froggie, backwards, etc.)
- easy to put on/take off thanks to their patented ABS buckle system.
- good range of foot pocket sizing & strap adjustibility (important because I wanted a pair I could use with both my wet suit booties AND my DUI drysuit Rockboots).
- hold up well.
- colour: as an Instructor I favour yellow fins so students can find me easily even in less-than-perfect viz.

I'll admit the last point is personal preference, but I thought I'd throw it in nonetheless.

 

[SeaHound]

All the above points make sense. The only thing I wanna clearify is that what difference does it make if the fin is light in weight? Isnt neutral buoyancy a zero gravity environment?

 

[Walter]

Most fins are either positive or negative. Most tupperware fins are positive, most rubber fins are negative. Jets are slightly negative.

 

[SubMariner]

All the above points make sense. The only thing I wanna clearify is that what difference does it make if the fin is light in weight? Isnt neutral buoyancy a zero gravity environment?

Because the heavier the fin the harder it is to work and the more tired you can become powering it.

However, that being said, if I drop on of my Tigers it WILL sink, but not as quickly as Jetrocks... er.. fins.

 

[PolsVoice]

Ditto - Jets.

I agree. I love jet fins.

However, I am very partial to my Beuchat X-Jets. However, nobody other than me seems to own a pair or has even heard of them. You can get them from LeisurePro, and I love them. I am a fairly large man (6'5" 255 lbs) and they push me through the water at a really sweepin' pace. The only downside is that they are pretty long. I don't know how they compare to the Dacors size wize but I've seen much shorter fins in other designs.

Of course the length might have something to do with my size 14 shoe. Dunno...

Anyway, I bought these fins used and they are FANTASTIC.

hope this is some help...

- PolsVoice