Jet Fin vs Rocket Fin

[jbrians]

I spent a week diving on Bonaire and I usually use Jets. However, given that I most often frog kick and I was taking my first camera underwater and I was trying to stay under a weight penalty on my checked baggage, I decided to take my shorter Rockets.
I used them on 23 dives over the week and I have to say, for no thrust diving....moving back and forth with bizzare fin kicks to maintain position while taking pictures they were everything I could have wanted. Remember, I was having a nostalgic experience because I bought them new about 35 yrs ago.
My eyes were opened however towards the end of the trip. 3 of us did a windward side of the island dive and there was "a bit of current". I dive with these 2 guys all the time and with my jets we are equal in propulsion and SAC rate. Cressi something or others beat me into the weeds. I used 1000 psi compared to their 500 with the swim up current before we turned around. I was completely surprised by that as I didn't realise just how badly the Rockets performed when you needed thrust.
Never again.
Nem, I'm going to look at the Mares. On your say so!

 

[Nemrod]

Nem, I'm going to look at the Mares. On your say so!

Hey, I am not endorsing them , not yet anyhow.

I got my wife a set and she likes them and enjoys using them and they are cheap right now due to them being on closeout. They look to be made from the same materials as the Quattro and essentially the same design but with a smaller blade. We will have spring straps on them. They come in yellow, blue, black and black and white. I have the black ones. I will get them in the pool maybe this weekend. It is my plan to use them as a travel fin. I am trying to get her gear and my gear in one bag--could be a challenge.

The black ones are hard to find BTW. There is a new fin that replaces them, the Avanti Super Channel I think it is the X3s are discontinued but like I said, they are on closeout everywhere.

N

 

[impulse]

I have a pair of super rocket fins and I really never felt uncomfortable using them. But never tried jets. When those rockets wear out enough , I would replace them. But maybe they will never wear out, because they feel bullet proof. So far so good with my rockets. Love them

 

[Nemrod]

Anecdotal is when one says they like something because, it is not anecdotal when a swim test is performed and repeated results recorded and repeated over and over, averaged and verified, in such a case, Jets far outperform Rockets, it is not even close, we are not talking about seconds, but even minutes.

Jbrians, I got the Avanti X3 in the pool this evening after my mile lap swim. I like them I think. They are nearly as large as my Jet XL fins, but, they are two pounds lighter for a pair. That is significant for travel. I will have to do swim tests to actually prove how they perform and I am not up to that right now.
N

 

[Luis H]

They are nearly as large as my Jet XL fins, but, they are two pounds lighter for a pair. That is significant for travel. I will have to do swim tests to actually prove how they perform and I am not up to that right now.
N

I bought a pair of the OMS for travel purpose. I haven’t used them in the water yet, but they look just like the Jets and I think the flex is going to be fine. They weight over a pound less than my XL Jets.

Normally when I travel I take my Regular L Jets. They are smaller and lighter than the XL. The XL are mostly for my dry suit boots.

 

[jbrians]

I use my XL Jets for drysuit diving. The pocket is way too big to use with my 5mm boots and wetsuit so I am looking for something a bit smaller and lighter for travel and warmer water, hence the interest in Nem's post on the X3"s
A bit off topic here, but has anyone tried the Hollis fins?

 

[Texfrazer]

Anecdotal is when one says they like something because, it is not anecdotal when a swim test is performed and repeated results recorded and repeated over and over, averaged and verified, in such a case, Jets far outperform Rockets, it is not even close, we are not talking about seconds, but even minutes.

Jbrians, I got the Avanti X3 in the pool this evening after my mile lap swim. I like them I think. They are nearly as large as my Jet XL fins, but, they are two pounds lighter for a pair. That is significant for travel. I will have to do swim tests to actually prove how they perform and I am not up to that right now.
N

Nemrod, thanks for sharing all of your testing info! After reading about how you test (and how long you test), I am really appreciative!

Please keep us up to date on your testing as trying to pack my XL Jets and my wife's MED Jets in a suitcase, then throw in all of our other gear - even just snorkel gear - makes for quite a load! A slight reduction in efficiency for a noticeable reduction in weight might make for a better travel experience.

Thanks again!

 

[Frogman006]

A few years back I purchased XS SCUBA power fins FN202 4? that look like the jet fins knock offs. Anyone ever try them to see how they are compared to the original design?

 

[Nemrod]

Nemrod, thanks for sharing all of your testing info! After reading about how you test (and how long you test), I am really appreciative!

Please keep us up to date on your testing as trying to pack my XL Jets and my wife's MED Jets in a suitcase, then throw in all of our other gear - even just snorkel gear - makes for quite a load! A slight reduction in efficiency for a noticeable reduction in weight might make for a better travel experience.

Thanks again!

I kinda like to look for the sleeper product nobody pays any mind to. Like the Avanti X3. Which is by no means a super great fin but on closeout it is good deal. A little too stiff, a little to long but they knocked weight of my dive bag nonetheless. Still looking for the perfect travel fin. No, don't get me going on FF. I have had several pairs and I am sorry, not only do they not look vintage but they are simply not an all around fin. Good at somethings and total not at others.

Now that I am half way back into decent shape, I think the fin tests may resume come Summer or late Spring. It does no good to test when I am building up because my speeds would vary due to increased fitness. Hmmm, whatever shall I test? N

 

[oldmossback]

This string has been interesting reading.....brings back memorys of my jets I was given in Okinawa......for three years prior to joining the Marines, I dove with Voit Viking full foot fins........used them in Okinawa for many months until a buddy, rotating back to the states, gave me his jets.......medium size...just could fit my wetsuit bootie in it.......first time in the ocean I realized why they were called jets............dove with them for about 10 years and finally gave them to my oldest son when he moved to Calif to live with his mother......I could not find jets for sale locally and was told they were not made at that time.........this LDS tried to sell me something else.........but I declined and bought a pair of Mares Power Plana's for myself and my youngest son via a catalog ad in Skindiver Mag..........that was 1985.

I haven't used anything else since, except in Brazil two years ago, I had bought a pair of Quatros with the flex vents off ebay..........wore myself out trudging thru a 2 knot current........they went to a pawn shop..........I still use my Power Plana's as they are light and push well when I need the thrust...only problem is when under heavy thrusting, they tend to roll...I guess they need some vents like the Jets have.......

I'd like to get another set of Jets to finish my career of diving with but can not justify giving up the Plana's............these new OMS models Luis is talking about seem interesting also........