How to tell if I'm using the wrong fins for me

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Biscuit..fins preferences are personal...but here's mine.

No one has mentioned my favorites. When I contemplated learning to dive fins were a big concern. I have had surgery on both knees and everytime I snorkled I would throw the rental fins on the beach and snorkle barefooted because the rental fins hurt my knees, tired out my legs and gave me calf cramps.

People recommended force fins, they told me to get the Quattros...they swore that split fins would be easier on my knees...then someone mentioned the Mares Volos. I went to my not very L...DS and looked at fins. They had several brands of lovely split fins that loked sexy. The Mares Volos only came in grey and black and were UGLY. I talked the dive shop into letting me try about 10 different fins in the water at a discover scuba class. I eagerly started with the sexiest fins and went towards the uglier. Some of them were real "purty" but none of them felt any better on my poor knees than the variety of rentals I had already experienced. Last of all I tried on the ugly Mares Volos.

After swimming a few meters I looked back to see if I was really wearing fins, or if they had fallen off...it felt barefoot. I assumed I couldn't develop any power with them if they felt so easy to move through the water. Wrong..I instigated a few pool races and discovered they had LOTS of power. Many dives later...I have yet to get a leg cramp...I LOVE these fins. I told a friend who is an ortho surgeon with a specialty in knees about them and he tried them...now he's recommending them to all his diving buddies with knee problems. I got mine from sport extreme for $96 bucks plus $11 postage and they arrived in 3 days (My non-local LDS wanted $236 back then.) I note the price has really come down on the web...so hey are probably less now.:doctor: :doctor:
 
I also have had a knee injury and found that I have great difficulty with regular fins causing excess strain on my knee (not to mention HORRIBLE foot cramps, which I am prone to anyhow, due to high-arches). I bought a pair of SCUBAPro Twin-Jet fins, and could not be happier. Now the only time I have trouble with my knee is when I'm walking out of the water on a shore dive with 80-100 lbs of gear on. The difference in resistance between "conventional" fins and the split design is amazing.
 
Hi
Try and mke very slow kicks with the power coming from you thighs in almost a stiff leg possition. If you have acces to a pool wher you can wear your Kit drop down the deep end and Push the wall for 15 minutes using your new fin action, if this does not work try a set of fins that are perhaps not so stiff or overly long.

If you want real soft fins try Scubapro twin jets but they are useless if you have to swim on the surface for any length or into a current

Kevin
 

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