How long should a good pair of fins last? Mares problem with fins

[Cerveza]

Well the question is in the title, i have a pair of Mares Avanti Quatro Excel and they were not cheap (roughly around $190.00's of the top of my head) anyways im thinking of giving Mares a piece of my mind regarding the lifetime of these fins, they have roughly done a 100 dives (not many in my opinion for a pair of expensive fins) the problem is now they are starting to fall apart, not through miss-use, abuse or neglect as i look after my dive gear impecably, (i work in the dive industry so its important to me that my gear is in good order) whats happening is the opaque plastic insert on the fin part itself (see pic) Scubastore - Diving Gear and Dive Equipment, Diveinn is coming away from the fin, (not just one fin but both) the damage is identical on both fins so my conclusion is that is a factory fault and not down to use, whats your take on this guys and gals? and again the question is how long should a pair of fins last?

 

[pir8]

See if they will handle it with warrenty from the shop you got it at.

 

[Web Monkey]

A good pair of fins will last longer than you will.

We have SCUBAPro Jets in our rental stock that have been in service since the 60's, with nothing more than a strap replacement now and then.

Terry

 

[BEM]

I still have my first pair of fins that I bought in 1975 – US Divers Rocket Fins. I rarely use them but are still in good shape. My second pair – Genesis paddles, 2001, are a bit scuffed and scratched, but are as solid as ever. The fins I use now – Apollo, bio-fins, 2002 still look like new and are great. I put Apollo spring straps on them a few years ago – makes it much easier for Bonaire shore diving and dry suit diving in cold water.

I would expect an expensive (quality) pair of fins to last AT LEAST 10 years or 400 dives before they start to wear out. By that time, you’ve got your money’s worth. And that includes proper care (put in shade, clean after dives, store properly, transport correctly.) Straps and plastic buckles may wear out sooner – depends on many factors I guess (salt/fresh, boat shore, rocky/sandy….)

As for giving the Mares rep a piece of your mind… I had a Mares BC where a non-critical grommet in the back didn’t hold the webbing properly. It did not affect the functioning of the BC – and was not a major issue. I talked to the LDS I bought it from. They talked to the Canadian rep and were told – “Tell him to call me.” I called the rep and explained the minor issue and said that I really liked the BC and wondered what could be done – I wasn’t sure if the webbing would tear – making it look beat up or become a safety issue. He told me to return the BC to the LDS and he’ll have a brand new one in exchange. Things might have been different if I demanded satisfaction. I treated him in a manner I would like to be treated if I was in his position. Worked for me and many times I’ve repeated this excellent service story to other divers and now here.

 

[vixtor]

Even if abused, I guess they should last a very long time. Just because you made me curious, I looked at some old logs to get more details about my first fins.

They were some very basic fins (Marlin Sub), purchased back then for snorkeling. I was surprised to discover that I have them since 1995, and also to see that the vendor still exists, and even more, the fins are still manufactured. They look great, with only some polish-scratches (no deep cuts).

Also, my current twin jet max fins are in great shape (but they are less than two years old).

The only damaged pair of fins I saw at a LDS where a fried of mine went for OW. They were some Coltri fins, and the plastic parts were detached one from another. A good lesson to not buy fins made from too many different pieces of material.

 

[cmburch]

I have Mares Plana Avanti about 15 years old, all scratched up, gouged and worn, left out in the sun, but in perfect operating order. I just have change the straps a few times. The bonding must be a factory defect. I hope they warrantee them for you. Please post your outcome. I have seen the excel for under $100 online recently.

 

[Phil Mintz]

Well the question is in the title, i have a pair of Mares Avanti Quatro Excel and they were not cheap (roughly around $190.00's of the top of my head) anyways im thinking of giving Mares a piece of my mind regarding the lifetime of these fins, they have roughly done a 100 dives (not many in my opinion for a pair of expensive fins) the problem is now they are starting to fall apart, not through miss-use, abuse or neglect as i look after my dive gear impecably, (i work in the dive industry so its important to me that my gear is in good order) whats happening is the opaque plastic insert on the fin part itself (see pic) Scubastore - Diving Gear and Dive Equipment, Diveinn is coming away from the fin, (not just one fin but both) the damage is identical on both fins so my conclusion is that is a factory fault and not down to use, whats your take on this guys and gals? and again the question is how long should a pair of fins last?

Hi,

In the MARES forum you asked about this and your main question was "What should your first course of action be". My reply was to contact the place of purchase and have your dated proof of purchase availible.

If the retailer will not assist you then you should contact the MARES office in Spain.

You state the condition of these fins are very good, and we have not had any defects on this model, so it will be important for someone to take a look at them.

Regards,

Phil

 

[drbill]

I've still got my Rockets from the 70's or 80's. My Apollo Bio Fins have gone through some 1,500 or more dives and are still in great shape. My AquaLung Blades are fine although they probably only have 500 dives on them.

 

[judestudio]

I'd also like to add my 0.2c here. I have a pair of Mares Volo Power, they're just over a year old but only have 15 dives on them. The design which has bits of rubber molded into the plastic parts of the fins are coming apart!! I look after them well like I do with all my gear, wash them thoroughly with fresh water and store them flat indoors. I can only think that it's a design fault. They're still usable, but annoys me when I think about it.

I bought them in a package with the Mares X-Vision....which developed a crack on the frame after a few uses, I was told this is a common problem for many X-Vision frames.

Not trying to bash or something, but quality means a lot. I used to be a fan of Mares (made in Italy and everything), but both incidences to the fins and mask disappointed me

I now own the Atomic Subframe which has a lifetime warranty on the frame...

 

[fisherdvm]

You know, they are suppose to have mechanical testing machines, and know the exact number of fin cycles before they come apart right?

I wonder if this is the same as American automotive engineering? They might think that the brand loyalty is so high, that you will continue to buy American even if your Ford/Chevy/Chrysler will conk out at less than 100K miles? When they consistently engineer parts to wear out between 80 and 100K miles, eventually, people will switch to other brands.

Mares is hoping that once your fins break, you'll go back and buy another pair from them?