I Like My OMS Slipstreams

[Wayward Son]

I bought a pair of lightly used ones from John_B. Made a pair of spring straps for them, finally got them in the water this week. Seeing as how I Stu'd the weather by having not 1, 2, or even 3 but FOUR friggin' named storms in play the week I took my vacation to south FL, I didn't get as many dives as I'd planned on. But I did manage to get 6 in.

5 with the slipstreams, 1 with my jets for comparison. Other than the weight I can't say I would really tell any difference. Seemed to perform pretty much the same. 4 dives were shallow at Blue Heron Bridge, around the slack of high tide. Which meant starting with some inbound current, no current & outbound as the tide changed. the other 2 were a drift on Conch Wall, and a shallow dive on Little Conch with lots of surge.

They weigh almost 1 lb less per fin (XL Slip Stream with my springs vs XL Jets with my springs).

The foot pocket is slightly bigger. I bought new boots & the OMS seem to fit these better, BUT they also seem to slop around just a bit with these boots. Not much, different boot different fit. But it goes to show that nothing tells you the truth about fit like getting the gear in the water for many consecutive days. I generally like these boots but it may be that different ones would fit better for these fins.

 

[Wayward Son]

Oh, with springs on them they're slightly negative in salt water. I don't think they'd float even without the springs, but they're not negative by a lot.

 

[Nemrod]

Here is a question, I need lighter fins for travel but I love to hate or hate to love my Jet Fin XL. These have the longer blade. It appears to me that all of the OMS and Slip Stream copies have the little short blade. That is a non starter for me, I require the long blades of the XL Super Jet. Does anybody make a long blade light weight Jet Fin copy? Does the Slipstream XL have a huge pocket and a short blade? Sure looks like it does?

N

 

[Scott M]

Nemrod, I have all the fins you listed and then some,

In comparison, the XLJet has a slightly larger blade then the slips, the XL slip has a slightly larger foot pocket the the Jets but I mean really slightly. With my size ten rock boots, neither fit.

If you want the larger blade with the bigger foot pocket and lighter than an XL Jet then try the Hollis Tech fins. Practically the same size blade, bigger foot pocket and lighter weight.

Regards

 

[Wayward Son]

I put my Jets & OMS side by side. They're identical in shape & measurements, except the foot pocket on the OMS is slightly larger. Not much. just a little bit.

Both are size XL

 

[Nemrod]

I am glad that you guys like them and that they seem to be lighter by a pound each, the larger foot pocket and what appears to be a smaller blade is a worry. Oh well, I guess next time I am near a shop that has actual pro level gear in it I will drop by and take a look.

N

 

[Wayward Son]

there isn't enough difference in blade length to even notice. The foot pocket might be the deal breaker, depending on how your boots fit or if you'd be willing to try different boots to match the fins. It's a small but usable difference. I bought some new boots that are a tight fit in my jets but OK in the OMS. But I couldn't get anything much bigger in them without going to an XXL, which is reported as being in between a Jet XL and XXL.

 

[Wayward Son]

Jet on bottom, OMS on top:

 

[Wayward Son]

Well, I *think* that was both fins. I just took 2 new pics, hang on

 

[Scott M]

Jet on bottom, OMS on top:

Aren't those both slips?

Edit; you beat me to it. lol