Light Fins for Travel

[gkrane]

I love the F2 for travel to tropical and sub-tropical destinations where there's little current or where it's all drift diving. The compact size makes precision kicking a snap when I want to position myself by some tiny creature for a close look. The F2 got me through GUE Fundies class in a wetsuit and single-tank configuration like a champ--a large, heavy fin would have only added to the learning curve. My only complaint is the disproportionately large foot pocket, which doesn't fit snugly with tropical booties.

I am soon to acquire my first drysuit, and I am resigned to the fact that I will need heavier fins such as the F1 or Jet.

When I finally get signed up for a fundies class I will use the F2. I would never be disappointed to being resigned to using a jet or F1. They are my fins of choice. I do have plans to try out some other for different occasions.

 

[jlovold]

Well, I haven´t taken a fundies class, but doesn´t it mainly consist of hovering a foot above the bottom, while doing different drills? I think I could do that without fins. I can certainly swim backwards without fins! In a drysuit!

Swimming with a pair of underperforming fins is probably good fun and all, until you are in a situation where you need the speed and efficiency of a proper fin, like in a strong current, an out of gas situation...

But, yes, it is your choice to make. IMO the Mantaray/F2 design is flawed, and need quite a bit of rework.

 

[Lorenzoid]

When I finally get signed up for a fundies class I will use the F2. I would never be disappointed to being resigned to using a jet or F1. They are my fins of choice. I do have plans to try out some other for different occasions.

Oh, I'm sure the venerable Jet or the F1 are great. But for planting yourself on the bottom at 30 feet and trying to do various kicks and maneuvers with precision, a short and light fin is all you need. I'd call them very "responsive." I suspect that when I switch to a larger, heavier fin, my kicks will at first be sloppier, and it will require practice. I suspect my kicks may never be quite as precise with the bigger fins as they are with the small F2. It takes a little muscle to move the bigger fins. Given a choice, I like to make it as easy on myself as possible.

 

[buddhasummer]

I don't like Jets, the L size blade is very short, same length as the smallest F2 althoug the jet does have a slightly larger blade area. The F1s are a great fin assuming you can deal with or the weight suits. They are much more powerful but as has been stated require more muscle to move. The DR XT fins are a good compromise very slightly negative but still quite powerful. The foot pocket is not very tall so if you have high arches you might have a fitting problem, my feet go numb after about 40 minutes. Shame as I do like them.

 

[Fin Finder]

Great thread and good to hear the different opinions about travel gear, and the range of value we place on weight reduction.

Over the last six months I have been on a quest to find the best lightweight and efficient gear for overseas warm water dive travel. It has actually become something of an obsession. In my college years I was an avid backpacker, and fully bought into the sport’s minimalist ultra-light philosophy (we even cut the handles of our toothbrushes in half). This ethos has transcended into many aspects of my life even twenty years later, including my current passion for diving and dive travel. I truly believe that ounces add up to pounds, and it really does make a difference. I’m now looking at every piece of gear I take with the same backpacker’s eye, and I’m making some effective weight reduction changes to what I carry whenever I can without compromising reliability or safety.

Our LDS recently made a big price reduction on the Aeris Accel fins. Having heard so many positive reviews about them I bought a set and promptly tried them out in our local waters. I found them to be very compact and light which fit my ideal for a travel fin, but I still have concerns about their power.

Local dive conditions provide only opportunities to test fins in very mild currents. With a trip to Micronesia coming up I’m wondering how these fins might perform when fighting a strong current. Has anyone out there used the Aeris Accel fins in challenging conditions? And what about their durability and ruggedness? Do they stand up to hard use and the perils of travel?

Thanks,
Nays

 

[lexvil]

I normally use use seawing nova gorillas and have taken them on tropical warm water trips, they are great in the local cold water with dry suit and all of the bulk and weight and lack nothing in the warm water but I also have a pair of oceanic accel that pack into the jet pack and truly I see very little loss of power with these over the gorillas. I've use the accels in the cold water too and they perform very well even with the dry suit. I took the gorillas along with me on the last warm water trip but only used them once as I found I really gave up nothing using them and the size makes them perfect for light weight travel.

Great thread and good to hear the different opinions about travel gear, and the range of value we place on weight reduction.

Over the last six months I have been on a quest to find the best lightweight and efficient gear for overseas warm water dive travel. It has actually become something of an obsession. In my college years I was an avid backpacker, and fully bought into the sport’s minimalist ultra-light philosophy (we even cut the handles of our toothbrushes in half). This ethos has transcended into many aspects of my life even twenty years later, including my current passion for diving and dive travel. I truly believe that ounces add up to pounds, and it really does make a difference. I’m now looking at every piece of gear I take with the same backpacker’s eye, and I’m making some effective weight reduction changes to what I carry whenever I can without compromising reliability or safety.

Our LDS recently made a big price reduction on the Aeris Accel fins. Having heard so many positive reviews about them I bought a set and promptly tried them out in our local waters. I found them to be very compact and light which fit my ideal for a travel fin, but I still have concerns about their power.

Local dive conditions provide only opportunities to test fins in very mild currents. With a trip to Micronesia coming up I’m wondering how these fins might perform when fighting a strong current. Has anyone out there used the Aeris Accel fins in challenging conditions? And what about their durability and ruggedness? Do they stand up to hard use and the perils of travel?

Thanks,
Nays

 

[dmaziuk]

Local dive conditions provide only opportunities to test fins in very mild currents. With a trip to Micronesia coming up I’m wondering how these fins might perform when fighting a strong current. Has anyone out there used the Aeris Accel fins in challenging conditions? And what about their durability and ruggedness? Do they stand up to hard use and the perils of travel?

If I were to go against a strong current, I'd pack a pair of cressi aras. They aren't heavy but they are long -- -ish, not freediving length of course. Meaning: the size of the blade places a hard limit on how much water it can push and so how much propulsion you could get out of it..

I got my accels on the closeout too so they aren't yet old enough to comment on their durability...

 

[buddhasummer]

If traveling with Accels I'd keep the fin inserts in them. The material is rather thin. I had a pair in storage that must have had something pressing against them and it created a crease in the foot pocket that could only be removed by applying heat. I think the F2s are a more robust travel fin being made from much thicker monoprene. YMMV.

 

[Fin Finder]

If traveling with Accels I'd keep the fin inserts in them. The material is rather thin. I had a pair in storage that must have had something pressing against them and it created a crease in the foot pocket that could only be removed by applying heat. I think the F2s are a more robust travel fin being made from much thicker monoprene. YMMV.

Wow! That's a great tip. Something I never would have thought of on my own.
Thank You!

Nays

 

[kaerius]

I'm a recent convert to the Apex RK3, which is a lot like a jetfin/slipstream, but made of a slightly softer material, it's got metal spring heelstraps like the Hollis F1s I was using before, but I love the softer pockets.

They're also lightweight, like slipstreams(ever so slightly more, about +150 grams, or just under 5 ounces).

They lose a little power compared to traditional jetfins or slipstreams, but are much more comfortable than slipstreams or aforementioned Hollis F1s, they're also better for flutterkicks than the super-stiff fins, and not quite as tiring. They're a bit of a compromise between a jetfin and something like an avanti quattro.

All in all, they're a dream to dive with, and the slight max power loss vs jetfins shouldn't matter much except maybe in the most current/surge heavy areas.