I need long fins!

[WreckWriter]

For many I've used Beauchat GoldFins, long freediving style fins for all my diving. I use full foot for free diving, open heel for scuba. Recently I broke one of my open heels and found that Beauchat had stopped making open heel long fins.

I figured "no biggie, I'll just get Cressis or something else". I was wrong. The ONLY open heel full foots I can find are Billers which don't come in XL. Their largest fin won't fit my wetsuit boots so has no prayer with my drysuit boots.

Does anyone know of anyone that makes a decent long fin in XL open heel?

I tried Jetfins on the recommendation of DIR folks but they kick like sneakers ;-0

Any advice greatly appreciated!

Tom

 

[Ari]

I use Cressi's Space Frog 1. Size XL. These are quite long fins.

I am waring the fins over a size 11, 5 mm boots with thick soles.

What seems to be the problem?

Ari

 

[WreckWriter]

Originally posted by Ari
I use Cressi's Space Frog 1. Size XL. These are quite long fins.

I am waring the fins over a size 11, 5 mm boots with thick soles.

What seems to be the problem?

Ari

Those are not what I call long fins. Cressi's only real long fin is the Gara and also does not come in open heel although I think it once did.

Tom

 

[Ari]

OK, got the point. I will have to think harder.

Ari

 

[divrnr]

Try the Zeagle Raptors, they are almost as long as my Rondine Garas and you can add weights in the tips to vary bouyancy...I found mine on ebay for $30 and made spring straps myself.

 

[WreckWriter]

Originally posted by divrnr
Try the Zeagle Raptors, they are almost as long as my Rondine Garas and you can add weights in the tips to vary bouyancy...I found mine on ebay for $30 and made spring straps myself.

Do they no longer make these? The only fins on their site are some goofy farce-fin looking things called "Teleoz". Do the Raptors have this same sort of attachment style? If so, I'll skip.

Tom

 

[rcohn]

I'm not a huge fan of the Billers fin (I love my closed heel goldfins). But I wanted a long blade to fit over my size 11 Rock Boots so I split the tops of the foot pockets, burned a series of holes on each side using a hot nail,and installed laces like a shoe. By the way this idea for widening fins came from Terry Maas. It worked well, this produced a tight but sucessful fit on my Rock Boots and I used them for two seasons.

I decided the fins were just too stiff for use with a drysuit, the legs already add a lot of drag to the kicking. I shaved down the side rails which helped. Finally I switched to Atomic Aquatics split fins. They're as fast as the Billers but not as fast as my goldfins.

Ralph

 

[kitbuga]

cressi master frog. i think they're the longest open heels in the market. they're made of the same (very) stiff and snappy material
as the gara.

you want really loooong (full foot) look at cressi gara, omersub and sporasub. they're used mainly by bluewater spearfishers and apnea (breath hold divers)

kitbuga
manila, philippines
me? why cressi master frog, of course!

 

[Iguana Don]

Just came out with one that is opened heal. It even comes apart so you can travel with them. I don't recall the name but I think I saw them in this month's Sport Diver magazine.

ID

 

[rcohn]

I think you might mean the new Sporosub fin (same parent company as Mares and Dacor). It has an easily removeable blade and a hinged connection to allow a better blade angle on the down kick. They tested it during the latest Rodale's fins tests but selected the wrong (stiffest) blade so the results were poor. One of the testers was so impressed he bought a pair. Seach on D2D for more info.

I've seen the fins at the scuba shows but the Rodale's report is the only one I've heard so far.

Ralph