"hinged" or OBP fins or Splits...what do you think?

[Scubatooth]

unmike

my opinon is based on a testing i did in a local quarry and in cozumel using std fins and FF and others. and if you want the computer data i would be glad to down load it and send it to you


also have you ever noticed when there is a scubapro, uwatec , or split fin review it is followed by a ad by one of those companies, its a little to ironic.

as for rodales if you give them enough money they will write you one heck of a review. as for the first fin test they did and published the reason that split fins won is because of the kick back of 50k was paid to rodales for that one good review and winning that test. Scuba lab is a joke, how can you scientificly do a test of various equipment without blindfolding the testers, no you cant so it becomes biased and this is were money talks and everything else walks.

 

[ElectricZombie]

Split fins only work for a flutter kick (makes them useless to me) and don't help you much in a current. I had a pair and did not like them very much.

Get a set of Jet Fins!!

 

[leadweight]

for info from someone that has tried them all.

http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/instruct/grier/fins.html

Some of the split fins did quite well, the hinged fins did poorly.

 

[Devils_advocate]

Not that it makes a diff on the rankings, but be carefull when you judge the fins you can't just do an overall average. Certain characteristics are more valuable than others. For instance top speed, how many divers try to swim as fast as possible when viewing a reef? I'm not an advocate for any specific style or brand I'm just saying don't rely on ratings and reviews without studying what they did. Decide for youself don't let anyone make the decision for you.

 

[Cave Diver]

I started out using Volo's. I thought they were great at first. Seemed to produce good speed, with minimal effort.

Until the first time I found myself in a stiff current. I worked my @$$ off to get practicall no where. Felt like I was over breathing my reg; just couldnt catch my breath. Managed to stay close to the bottom and use larger pieces of coral to shield me from the current til I hit the anchor line, then I called the dive.

I have made it a point never to dive anywhere there is a possibility of current with these fins since. I also noticed that after about 150 dives, there are several cracks running the length of the fin, starting around the OBP pivot and running up to the foot pocket. I have heard that a lot of people have also had problems with the OPB pivot itself breaking.

I was seriously considering replacing them with the Quattro's cuz I've heard a lot of good things about them. I ultimately decided on Jetfins tho, and I havent regretted that decision yet. Well okay, maybe the first day when I got a cramp cuz I wasnt used to such a stiff fin after using the Volo's, but that's about it.

Thus far, they have done everything I have asked of them, and I have been very pleased to find that just about any kind of movement of the fin produces forward motion.

If I ever need another pair of fins, it will be jets.

 

[leadweight]

I would certainly agree that taken by itself top speed is not real valuable. Although it is nice to be able to follow that occasional turtle or eagle ray. The characteristics of top speed, static thrust and efficiency (air consumption at medium speed) all have a high positive correlation.

The Apollo Bio fin does well at all three. Furthemore the users of this fin report that they can even use it to swim backwards.

It appears that the Jet Fin is a favorite of technical divers because it works well with the frog kick. While not the most efficient kick, it is one that does not stir up the bottom making it essential in caves and wrecks. Note that none of the people doing objective fin testing have been doing timed tests of the frog kick.

Photographers tend to not like many of the split fins because these fins do not provide a solid grab against the water when holding still. However, any really soft conventional fin will act the same way.

IMO, and based on objective testing, the hinged fins and some of the softer splits (Twin Jets other than black ones) are dogs because they provide neither the speed/efficiency of the better splits nor the control of stiffer conventional fins like Jets. Divers, especially the out of shape ones, like hinged fins and softer splits because of the easy kick.

Finally, Grier has determined that the way fins feel and the way they measure in timed tests are completely different. Some fins feel fast, but are not.

 

[Cherry]

Lead a great report you posted. Now do you think we can get him to test regs too or how about BP vs back inflate hehe

I really like my IST split fins. way cheaper than the SP's and based on some testing I have seen better. However, they suck when you are trying to do UW Photography. Time to get another standard pair for that not sure which I will have to spend some time looking over that report.

Cherry

 

[leadweight]

JIm is up to his eyeballs testing fins. He was on the Honduras crew last year and just went to Coz with Rodales to test some more fins. I don't think he is into regulators.

 

[pufferfish]

Leadweight, thanks for posting that awesome fin report link. If that guy Jim Grier is now helping out Rodale's with fin testing then I take my hat off to Rodale's for bringing along a guy who is the expert in fin testing! Should be an interesting issue to read.

 

[Scubatooth]

pufferfish

unfortuantely even if they brought this guy with them it wouldnt matter, because the only thing that wins gear reviews is how much money rodales gets kicked backed to them to give them that high rating, and the winner or tester choice. This was the case with the review rodales did with force fins a couple of yers ago (also included splits in the review) and the splits one but when the owner of Force Fins found out the the split fin maker who won gave a large kick back to rodales to get the win, as a result he filed a court case againist rodales for false advertising, nad several other charges (i have read the court papers and this case looks very bad for rodales, so i wouldnt buy a subscription from them)


for example there is a review for a scuba pro product nad right after they make a claim like hte best reg ever there is ad from scuba pro ironic isnt it, no its not, money talks and BS walks