Look for Candidates for New Fins

[iim7v7im7]

Hi,

I have been diving for 17-years (only ~300+ dives). I have have used Scubapro Twin Jetfins (black, stiff version) the whole time aside from my initial training with Scubapro Jet fins. All of my diving is tropical (mostly Caribbean), involving packing my gear, air travel to get there. I typically wear a 3 mm suit and either 3 mm or 5 mm booties. The Twin Jets are neutral to negative when I wear them which I like.

Waters that I dive in are typically calm but there is the occasional intentional drift dive (e.g. Cozumel, Klein Bonaire), diving into a mild (< 1 knot) current for the first half of the dive or encountering the unintended 2-3 knot current heading around a corner. 90% of the time it is a relaxed flutter kick or frog kicking along the bottom trying not to kick up sand and maintaining position for photography. All dives are single tank (either steel 72, aluminum 80). I consider myself reasonably strong swimmer, but am now in my mid-fifties and am not as strong as I was in my youth. I am also thinking about the next 15-years.... I am seeking minimal energy expenditure but power for those rare times when I need it.

I am considering replacing the Twin Jets and have read a bunch of threads here already. I see there are common disagreements between split fins vs. blade fins and a number of common favorites among blade fins (e.g Diverite XT, Hollis F1, OMS Jetfins and Scubapro Jetfins); Travel Fins (e.g. Hollis F2, Oceanic Accels) and Split or Arcticulated/Split Fins (e.g. Atomic Split Fins, Scubapro Seawing Gorilla). I read pros and cons for all, but I realize that the type of diving they do may differ greatly from mine.

- Open back design with a steel spring type strap (tired of tightening & loosening rubber straps)
- Comfortable in 3 mm or 5 mm booties
- Neutral to Negative Underwater
- Reduced Weight for Travel is a plus
- Warm water diving; calm, mild current with occasional drift or unintended current
- Lastly, I am 6' 3", 200 lb. and wear size 11 shoes. I mention this for sizing if we identify some candidates.

Thanks!

 

[lexvil]

Sherwood triton should be considered, for your kick type they are pretty good. I use them in cold water in a drysuit and just dove them on a warm water trip where they were perfect.

 

[Frod]

Try Deep6 Eddy fins. I put my SlipStreams in the closet after I tried Deep6 ones.

 

[Steelyeyes]

Try Deep6 Eddy fins. I put my SlipStreams in the closet after I tried Deep6 ones.

What did you like better about the Deep 6 Eddys?

 

[iim7v7im7]

Sherwood triton should be considered, for your kick type they are pretty good. I use them in cold water in a drysuit and just dove them on a warm water trip where they were perfect.

Thanks, I had not seen much discussion about them. I willcheck them out.

Triton Fin - FN4

 

[iim7v7im7]

Try Deep6 Eddy fins. I put my SlipStreams in the closet after I tried Deep6 ones.

Thanks, I had not seen much discussion about them. They look like Scubapro Jet Fins but are made from a lighter, less stiff elastomer correct? Are they neutral or negative?

Deep 6 Eddy Fin - Fins

 

[tbone1004]

so you have a conflicting problem wanting minimal energy expenditure but still have the ability to power through current if you need it. If the fins are sufficient to move fairly easily through current, they aren't going to be anything near minimal energy expenditure for normal use. If they are minimal energy fins, then you're going to have to kick like a banshee to make any headware in a stiff current and that is much more energy than the stiff fins.

If you find your twin jets too stiff, the write off all of the blade fins as they are going to require more effort to move through the water. Their advantage, is that you have to kick less for the same forward motion which is why basically all technical divers use them. Takes a lot of thrust to move that much gear through the water and we are lazy so want to do it with the least amount of kicking possible, but it does require strong calves since frog kicking is done from the calves and ankles unlike flutter kicking which is done from the butt and thighs. Flutter kicking requires a LOT more energy since you're using the two largest muscle groups in your body. Great for trying to move quickly if you have the leg power, but very very inefficient for just hanging out and cruising, especially if trying to do photography.

You will get better precision in your kicking with big blade fins because you have full control over their surface at all times as opposed to split fins which can have a mind of their own, so for photography, much better off with blade fins.

Now, for blade fin comparison. I own Mares Avanti Quattros, Scubapro Jet Fins, Dive Rite XT's, Deep6 Eddy's, Rocket Fins, and Hog Tech 2's, I gave my OMS Slipstreams to a student but have quite a few dives on them. The Dive Rite's I much prefer to the Mares, but may be too long to travel, they are in XL which is the size I have, but if you check a bag instead of a rollaboard, then they're fine.

The Deep6 fins are much better than any other jet fin style fin I have used. More comfortable foot pocket, better kick response, lighter weight, better spring strap design, better price, etc etc. They are neutral fins, which saves you weight for travel and helps keep your feet up for trim. Rumours are of a negative design coming out next year for backmount doubles guys, but nothing confirmed yet. These will not be your minimal energy expenditure fin per kick cycle if you're flutter kicking though, and will take considerably more energy than your twin jets. You'll be able to kick at a slower pace for the same speed, so total energy out will be less, but your muscles have to be strong enough to move them. For frog kicking you'll probably not notice much of a difference in energy expenditure, but you'll move a lot better and have much better control

 

[iim7v7im7]

Thank you for your detailed response. 90% of the time the waters are still to maybe <1 knot current that we swim into for the first half of out dive. I swim along SLOWLY with slow flutter or frog kicks and quietly close to the bottom or wall because I shoot macro most of the time. I have had no problems with my Twin Jets, but honestly I have no basis of comparison as many of you do. They were the first fins I purchased back in 2000 and I have dove much of the Carribbean (Bonaire, Cozumel, Curacao, Cayman Brac, Grand Cayman, Little Cayman, Saba, and St. Vincent) and Great Barrier Reef with them. I have only encountered two times in over 300+ dives when the current was overwhelming and I aborted the dive.

The Twin Jets (Size L, ~4-1/2 lb.) have fit in my 26" gear duffle. Whatever I select needs to fit in that case. Will the Diverites fit in a case that size? How long are they? I need to measure my Twin Jets but I suspect that they are about 24".

so you have a conflicting problem wanting minimal energy expenditure but still have the ability to power through current if you need it. If the fins are sufficient to move fairly easily through current, they aren't going to be anything near minimal energy expenditure for normal use. If they are minimal energy fins, then you're going to have to kick like a banshee to make any headware in a stiff current and that is much more energy than the stiff fins.

If you find your twin jets too stiff, the write off all of the blade fins as they are going to require more effort to move through the water. Their advantage, is that you have to kick less for the same forward motion which is why basically all technical divers use them. Takes a lot of thrust to move that much gear through the water and we are lazy so want to do it with the least amount of kicking possible, but it does require strong calves since frog kicking is done from the calves and ankles unlike flutter kicking which is done from the butt and thighs. Flutter kicking requires a LOT more energy since you're using the two largest muscle groups in your body. Great for trying to move quickly if you have the leg power, but very very inefficient for just hanging out and cruising, especially if trying to do photography.

You will get better precision in your kicking with big blade fins because you have full control over their surface at all times as opposed to split fins which can have a mind of their own, so for photography, much better off with blade fins.

Now, for blade fin comparison. I own Mares Avanti Quattros, Scubapro Jet Fins, Dive Rite XT's, Deep6 Eddy's, Rocket Fins, and Hog Tech 2's, I gave my OMS Slipstreams to a student but have quite a few dives on them. The Dive Rite's I much prefer to the Mares, but may be too long to travel, they are in XL which is the size I have, but if you check a bag instead of a rollaboard, then they're fine.

The Deep6 fins are much better than any other jet fin style fin I have used. More comfortable foot pocket, better kick response, lighter weight, better spring strap design, better price, etc etc. They are neutral fins, which saves you weight for travel and helps keep your feet up for trim. Rumours are of a negative design coming out next year for backmount doubles guys, but nothing confirmed yet. These will not be your minimal energy expenditure fin per kick cycle if you're flutter kicking though, and will take considerably more energy than your twin jets. You'll be able to kick at a slower pace for the same speed, so total energy out will be less, but your muscles have to be strong enough to move them. For frog kicking you'll probably not notice much of a difference in energy expenditure, but you'll move a lot better and have much better control

 

[rongoodman]

The Deep Six or Slipstreams should work well for your photography, since they will help you with the precise positioning kicks you can use to stay in place, back away from a subject, or slightly alter your framing.

 

[Frod]

What did you like better about the Deep 6 Eddys?

They are light. REALLY comfortable foot pocket. In Jet and Slips i had problems with foot: in some sports are too tight, in some spots too free.... Did not feel comfortable.
Deep6 has really good foot pocket. I dont feel them at all, they like natural extension to my legs.