Light Fins for Travel

[espantoon]

I'm in the process of trying to lighten my load out for travel, and am curious what people think are the "lightest" paddle fins out there. Thanks

 

[buddhasummer]

Small and light, open, would have to be the the Aeris Accels, a close second would be the F2s. The Accels are unbelievably light, I ordered mine from the U.S. and when the parcel arrived it was so light I was convinced there was nothing in it.

 

[CptTightPants21]

Splitting things up between carry on and checked baggage will make more of a difference than selecting a different fin. We are only talking about 1 or 2 lb difference--skip breakfast and that is essentially the amount of weight we are talking about.

If you are looking for a non-black tech fin, Mares Avanti Quatros are, in my opinion, the best "recreational" fin ever. I have had mine for 15 years and still bring them to the Caribbean. There is a reason that warm water CCR divers use them.

Another option might be the Dive Rite EXTs, but that is more from seeing endless cave divers use them rather than personal experience.

 

[Scubatude]

I'm a huge fan of the "tech" fin. I love the power and control of a blade fin like the Scubapro Jet or the HOG Tech. They are just HEAVY. For travel I just LOVE LOVE LOVE the OMS Slipstream. They are a blade fin with all the advantages of the Jets with less then half the weight. Aewsome!

Disclaimer......yep, I sell them....now

 

[Damselfish]

Splitting things up between carry on and checked baggage will make more of a difference than selecting a different fin. We are only talking about 1 or 2 lb difference--skip breakfast and that is essentially the amount of weight we are talking about.

Some people care - weight is weight, and there are many places that have weight restrictions on carry on as well as checked so that's not necessarily a solution. And fins are only one thing - if you can cut a pound or 2 off a number of things, it begins to add up. As it does if you ignore weight of everything.

 

[buddhasummer]

Some people care - weight is weight, and there are many places that have weight restrictions on carry on as well as checked so that's not necessarily a solution. And fins are only one thing - if you can cut a pound or 2 off a number of things, it begins to add up. As it does if you ignore weight of everything.

Totally agree, I often move around using public transport etc when travel diving and being small and having no Sherpa every lb I can save is rewarded by the end of the day. I take as little as possible and what I do take is as light I'm able/own. Pretty much just dive gear.

 

[muzikbiz22]

Just spent a week in Grand Cayman with Aeris Accels. There is no better fin for travel.

 

[CptTightPants21]

Totally agree, I often move around using public transport etc when travel diving and being small and having no Sherpa every lb I can save is rewarded by the end of the day. I take as little as possible and what I do take is as light I'm able/own. Pretty much just dive gear.

I understand what you guys are saying, I guess I just focus on saving and redistributing weight in other ways. When I pack, most of my stuff is dive gear with very little clothes. Wear the SS backplate, bring 1 primary reel not 2 or just being some spools, put things into different nick knacks, etc. I have never had an issue with weight when I pack although I confess I don't travel with DPV or bring doubles of everything-extra reg, mask that's pretty much it.

I could see something like neoprene drysuit vs trilam being something that you might take into consideration. In my mind the variance in regulator and fin weight isn't a chief buying decision--effectiveness, price, suitability all mean more to me than "1lb lighter"

 

[espantoon]

This info has been great. since I'm looking to lighten my feet in water also, I'm considering the Mares.

 

[buddhasummer]

I understand what you guys are saying, I guess I just focus on saving and redistributing weight in other ways. When I pack, most of my stuff is dive gear with very little clothes. Wear the SS backplate, bring 1 primary reel not 2 or just being some spools, put things into different nick knacks, etc. I have never had an issue with weight when I pack although I confess I don't travel with DPV or bring doubles of everything-extra reg, mask that's pretty much it.

I could see something like neoprene drysuit vs trilam being something that you might take into consideration. In my mind the variance in regulator and fin weight isn't a chief buying decision--effectiveness, price, suitability all mean more to me than "1lb lighter"

I hear ya, I wouldn't buy gear that I didn't like or didn't perform as I'd like just to save some weight. My concern has never been the weight restrictions imposed by airlines as I'm always under, my concern is that I must carry it from a-b and often in places I'm not familiar with so can end up covering some distance and often in the baking sun. Age is catching up with me.