I need to know your advice/comments on force fins

[dandan]

Anyone has use force fins before? how do you find it?
Is it too serious for recreational divers?

Thanks

 

[Walter]

Most either love them or hate them.

They are useful for those who have poor kicking technique as they are very forgiving of a bicycle kick. IMHO, you'll do better by staying with a conventional fin and working on technique.

"Is it too serious for recreational divers?"

IMHO, they aren't serious enough for recreational divers. There are others who will disagree.

 

[Zept]

Click the Search button at the top of the page and search for 'force fins'. There have been several discussions about them. As Walter says, there seems to be a love/hate thing going on.

Hope that helps,

Zept

 

[WreckWriter]

Originally posted by Walter
IMHO, they aren't serious enough for recreational divers.

This is my opinion also.

Tom

 

[donacheson]

Originally posted by dandan
Anyone has use force fins before? how do you find it?
Is it too serious for recreational divers?

Thanks

I've used both, but Force Fins exclusively for the past 5 or 6 years. Thrust from the Force Fins comes on the downstroke from the quadricepts, while conventional fins require much more effort from the hips on both the up and dowstrokes. As an incidental benefit, the short Force Fins pack easily.

As other ohave noted, it's a love/hate thing: Force Fins or Farce Fins. <G>

 

[Tibbs]

From my experience of swimming behind people who wear them - don't bother if you dive in silty areas. Most of my diving is done on the South Coast of the UK and the wrecks I dive on are often very silty. It is very impressive how large an area an FF clad diver can silt out - even if they swim a goodly distance above the bottom. I have no idea why, it must be the way the fins push the water away or something. Even when I flutter kick (which isn't very often) I don't generate half the silt with my trusty Jetfin-alikes.

Chris

 

[Jonathan]

Try them, go on have a go - then you'll find out.

I did and I'm in the hate them camp - but at least I had a try of them before dismissing them......

Jonathan

 

[O-ring]

That way you will look even more like Donald...I didn't have to try them to know that they are a real rule 6 violation...

 

[WreckWriter]

Originally posted by Tibbs
From my experience of swimming behind people who wear them

Never was able to swim slow enough to be behind anyone who wore them............



Tom

 

[raviepoo]

Originally posted by WreckWriter


Never was able to swim slow enough to be behind anyone who wore them............



Tom

Bah! Call me a wussie, but I'm a MUCH stronger, faster swimmer in my bright, yellow, duck foot, force fins. I'm also very easy for my buddy to find and I'm good on air consumption.

Every time I've tried out different fins, from conventional fins to spilt fins, I've felt like a cripple. I dove with a pair of split fins last weekend and ended up sucking air like a hoover. It might have had something to do with the fact that I dove a rented drysuit and a new, unfamiliar regulator, but I can't help thinking that at least 50% of it was the fact that I had to work much harder to move through the water without my force fins. It only enforced my resolve to buy a pair of new, larger force fins when the new drysuit I ordered finally comes in.

I see that you're in Malasia, dandan. If you were anywhere near New York I'd be happy to let you borrow my fins for a dive to see if you like them.