HELP! wondering about type of fins..

[v4nity]

<S>this is going to sound so lame and generic, so i apologize now..

I rented "into the blue" the other night, and i really liked the fins they used..
they were very long, with clear rubber for the most part of the fin.. i will try to find a picture.. but does anyone know the make of these fins just by the sound of them??

i am a girl, and i admit i want pretty things.. and i think these fins are really cool..</S>

i apologize. i didnt even look.
sorry about this.

 

[PerroneFord]

While I would never discourage anyone from buying SCUBA gear they find attractive, I would strongly suggest you consider purchasing gear that is effective, and then see if you can find it in a color you like.

For many reasons, black is a good color.

 

[Damselfish]

If they're really very long, they might really be a fin intended for freediving, and not what most people want for scuba.

 

[Chad Carney]

v4nity alraedy found this thread.

http://www.scubaboard.com/showthread.php?t=125746

Long fins are very effective.

The early Ice fins had some cracking problems, but I hear they are better now.

I'll stick to black.

v4nity, take a look at Cressi-sub, Gara 3000 LD or Gara 2000 HF as well.

Chad

 

[v4nity]

spoke with a rep from the company that makes the mellenium ice fins, he said they used to have a lot of issues with breakage, but they were re released this year, and are much better..

 

[daniel f aleman]

Fin color is irellevant, except for personal choice. Long blades are effective for snorkeling, for many shallow scuba dives, and are THE ONLY CHOICE FOR ICE DIVING. Always, use the equipment most suited to the dive profile.

 

[JeffG]

Long blades are THE ONLY CHOICE FOR ICE DIVING

Whys that? and what do you consider Long Blades? (free diving fins?????)

 

[daniel f aleman]

I took the PADI Ice Diving course (the best advanced course that PADI offers, in my opinion) in Patagonia, and I have made six additional instructor lead dives since certification. I really like ice diving (damn scary at the beginning), a real difference to my normal tropic and cave diving. Can't get much thrust without long fins in sub-freezing water; my instructors, and we students, used Cressi-Sub Rondine Open Heel Fins, Cressi-Sub Reaction Open heel fins, and Mares Avanti Quattro Open Heel Fins.

Here are some photos from a Rodale's tester group

 

[JeffG]

Can't get much thrust without long fins in sub-freezing water

I haven't noticed any difference. Its not like you are swiming through slush.

 

[daniel f aleman]

Its not like you are swiming through slush.

Well, it may just be a difference without a distinction, every diving subset has it's ways... I do know that there is a freeze-up concern with equipment with a high rubber content, ice diving is silicone and teflon intensive.