Jet Fin vs Rocket Fin

[DoNotDstrb]

I bought my first set of JetFins in 1976 when I first got certified. Shortly after, I bought a pair of US Divers Rocket Fins (direct competitor, similar design) ---

I am 5'10", 195-ish lbs, in good shape, fairly strong legs.... Pretty much the same physique I've always had -- although it takes a bit more work to keep it now!! LOL! I wear these fins with 7mm Scubapro full zipper boots (full rubber foot top and sole -- pretty thick) regardless of other exposure protection -- even in Florida summer wearing nothing but a rashguard, I will use these boots.

34 years and thousands of dives later, I have probably tried every new fin introduced since including splits, composites, scoop, and even those mile-long fiberglass free-diving fins (yuck!)...... and guess what? I still use that original set of Lightning Jets.... Nothing else compares.... Straps have been replaced like a dozen times (springs now), but the fins still function as new.....

As for the Rockets.... I like them too, but I give the edge to the Jets..... Another poster stated that he grabbed one rocket and one jet by accident once and didn't notice.... I did the same thing, but I noticed.... not much difference, though.....

Some designs are timeless and almost impossible to improve upon..... has anyone come up with a better mousetrap design than the current century+ old one? Scubapro JetFins are in the same category.

 

[Nemrod]

I bought my first set of JetFins in 1976 when I first got certified. Shortly after, I bought a pair of US Divers Rocket Fins (direct competitor, similar design) ---

I am 5'10", 195-ish lbs, in good shape, fairly strong legs.... Pretty much the same physique I've always had -- although it takes a bit more work to keep it now!! LOL! I wear these fins with 7mm Scubapro full zipper boots (full rubber foot top and sole -- pretty thick) regardless of other exposure protection -- even in Florida summer wearing nothing but a rashguard, I will use these boots.

34 years and thousands of dives later, I have probably tried every new fin introduced since including splits, composites, scoop, and even those mile-long fiberglass free-diving fins (yuck!)...... and guess what? I still use that original set of Lightning Jets.... Nothing else compares.... Straps have been replaced like a dozen times (springs now), but the fins still function as new.....

As for the Rockets.... I like them too, but I give the edge to the Jets..... Another poster stated that he grabbed one rocket and one jet by accident once and didn't notice.... I did the same thing, but I noticed.... not much difference, though.....

Some designs are timeless and almost impossible to improve upon..... has anyone come up with a better mousetrap design than the current century+ old one? Scubapro JetFins are in the same category.

Curious, do you have Jet XL or L? vs Rocket what?

N

 

[Alex Solich]

First of all I am fairly new to scuba, but I was a competitive finswimmer for some time, and now doing mostly freediving and some scuba.
So I just had the JetFins after reading this thread.
I just wanted to add my experiences, i tried them swimming 10x100 yards against long carbon fins used for hunting, carbon competition fins, and lastly my custom made carbon monofin just for reference. (used different kick styles, flutter, dolphin and frog kick). Swam at about 65-70% of my max HR.
And it turned out that jets are fairly good all rounder fins. Surely not as good as fins designed for competitions, but hey these all are custom made 400USD+ carbon speed monsters, which could break easily even during a comp.m unreliable... mostly. (except the reinforced monofin)
So jets are good, on 100 yard distance they were only 'bout 7-8 secs slower (albeit needed more power).
Mean results 100y (65-70% max HR 10x100y mean results, swam on different training days)
Carbon long fins flutter: 1:10m
Carbon short flutter: 1:06sec
Monofin carbon, dolphin: 56 sec
Jetfin flutter: 1:15sec
Jetfin dolphin: 1:07 sec

Jets are also good at swimming frogkicks, seems efficient. Moreover they are highly maneuverable.
So I am very excited to use them for some scuba

Cheers

 

[David Wilson]

Alex:

I see you're a finswimmer from Hungary. Although there are many sources of information about fin development in the USA, it can be quite difficult to find out about the history of fins in Europe. During my online research I came across the Hungarian-made "Najade Standard" fin, which is retailed by Debrecen Diving Club:

I am curious to know whether these fins are exact replicas of the Naiade fins (below) that were manufactured and widely used in the German Democratic Republic?

Do you know whether the Hungarian Najade Standards are now being produced using the same moulds as the East German Naiades?

 

[oldmossback]

Some where in all these comments were posts about Hollis F1's...........I looked up the website and found a complete store!........then it hit me......did the immortal Bob Hollis start this store and is he still around?

 

[Alex Solich]

David,

I do not know much about the history of naiades, but for our club we order the fins you mentioned from Debrecen. They mold them in their factory, and retail them for about 60USD. Very good fins indeed. Although we use them after some minor adjustments to have a better stiffness for the downstrokes, we work out with fins turned upside down, for this purpose we cut the plantar part out at the heel of the standard fins, to be able to take on the fin when it's turned over. (It looks like an open heel fin then, with a permanently attached strap, one can use them in normal way and turned over if some wants more stiffness), actually it looks like the najade sprints at the club's website. (http://www.ddweb.hu/buvarklub/english/index.php?action=termek&id=28)
If I remember well they come in 3 different stiffness' (color coded). If you want specific infos on them I can contact the factory in Debrecen.

Cheers

 

[David Wilson]

Thanks, Alex, for your speedy reply and for that information about how you cut out the heels of the fins to match your training needs. I didn't know about that procedure other than when it's done in Russia and Ukraine to create monofin foot pockets.

 

[USdiver1]

I've used USD Super Rocket Fins (an XL version of the Rocket Fin) for more than 30 years now. I have yet to encounter a better fin, though I consider the SP Jet Fin to be an equal. The newer plastic/rubber fins just have never done it for me, when I kick I want to MOVE.

-Rocket Man

 

[stevestevekp]

hi, is there any difference between jet fins, and xs power scuba? from what i know, xs is abit longer than jets? other than that, what are the differences? in terms of structure, ease of wearing and using, pros and cons? i cant find any direct comparison online, hence i hope someone here is able to help me.. thanks alot

 

[John C. Ratliff]

Alex,

It is good to see your posts. For a few years in the 1980s, I was the Finswimming Director for the Underwater Society of America, and tried (somewhat successfully) to get the sport started again in the USA. I'm glad to hear that a finswimmer is interested here.

SeaRat