Jet Fins

[boulderjohn]

Like Andy, I am a Jet XL/XXL "tweener."

Maybe.

When I as first making the purchase, I found that with any kind of common boot for a dry suit, I could not get into an XL, and the XXL was too big. I thus went with Turtles. I guess they are OK--I really don't have all that much experience with other fins to compare.

Since then, some of my friends have taken to wearing old fashioned (Converse Chuck Taylor All Star) athletic shoes (we used to call them "sneakers") instead of conventional dive boots. I believe that if I were to switch to that mode of dress, I could wear the Jets. (And they come in basic black!)

Of course, that means I would have to purchase a new pair of fins and spring straps (In addition to the Cons), and put away a perfectly good pair of Turtles. Right now I am pouring so much money into gear that I really need that I don't feel a compelling urge to drop the Turtles.

 

[lowviz]

The OMS Slipstreams are monprene instead of rubber, and quite a bit lighter in the water than the Jets. They're finally available in L, as well as XL and XXL, and work very well for me in a light wet suit. I'll be trying them with my dry suit this weekend.

Slipstreams work really well for me. Stiffer than Jets and lighter. I still prefer Jets but the marketing wizards left a huge gap in sizes between XL and XXL. -won't fit my DUI turbosoles.

You can get some of the flex back into Slipstreams with a rotary sander, but there isn't much you can do about the weight. Just evenly reduce the outer stiffening ridges (all four) on each fin starting from the tip. Looks to me like OMS just used a Jetfin mold without taking the stiffer monoprene into consideration. But at least they fit!

 

[boulderjohn]

I seem to remember reading somewhere that someone heated up a steel toed shoe or something, jammed it into a Jet, and reshaped it permanently.

 

[Meng_Tze]

Tried a number of fins, settled on Jet fins. Bought two pairs. I am set for life.