Negative fins - opinions/do'

[Joris Vd]

Dear people of scubaboard.

Since I've started diving doubles I feel like I want to buy my first proper negative fin.
I have really floaty feet. Up to now I've fixed it with ankle weights and it really did wonders for my trim. But I feel like I'd rather have a negative fin than have to wear ankle weights diving wet.

I was wondering if anyone has experience with the poseidon trident fins? (I can get them at a steal of 50 euros new because a friend of mine doesn't like them)
Other possibilities are

Mares power plana
I was thinking about avanti quattro's, but I'm not sure if they are positive or negative.
DiveSystem jets (seem to be very popular where I'm from)
Tecline powerjets
SP Jet-fin / Beuchat etc.
So basically I just want to ask, what is your favorite negative fin? Downsides/upsides?
Anyone dove specifically with any on my list? Opinions etc.

I feel like there's only really alot of information on the classical SP jet-fin, and I'm sure that's for a good reason, but are all the alternatives on the market really inferior, or just underexposed?

 

[stuartv]

I use Hollis F1s for drysuit and doubles. My size XL are 2.0# negative in fresh water. They are the most negative fin I've weighed. But, I have not weighed ScubaPro Jet fins.

 

[runsongas]

hollis f1s, scubapro/beuchat jetfins, and xs scuba turtles are the most common negative fins for drysuit diving. the dive system and tecline fins look like a copy of the scubapro/beuchat jetfins so should be similar.

 

[scubafanatic]

Apollo Bio fins are also negative, being 100% pure rubber.

 

[leadduck]

Since I've started diving doubles I feel like I want to buy my first proper negative fin.
I have really floaty feet. Up to now I've fixed it with ankle weights and it really did wonders for my trim. But I feel like I'd rather have a negative fin than have to wear ankle weights diving wet.

Having really floaty feet started when diving doubles? Sounds like a trim problem. Where's your lead weight?
Adding weight to the feet will cause fatigue because you have to move it around with every fin stroke. Although many people advise against ankle weights and favor heavy fins, both have this same problem. You'll be happier if you can solve the trim problem by a better position of lead weights.

 

[taimen]

If Tecline is one of your options, you probably have also xdeep fins available. Available in soft, medium and hard stiffness and negative.
Medium stiffness is close to SP Jetfin. Hard is significantly stiffer.

 

[JMBL]

I use both Mares Avanti Quattro (when diving wet) and Power Plana (when diving dry). Both are negative.

But bear in mind that Power Plana (Power Plana) are very stiff, and very heavy (or negative if you prefer) : 2.9 lb / 1.3 kg each... I find them perfect, but I don't mind stiff fins and I don't need to take a plane to go diving... I'd advise you consider that.

 

[rongoodman]

Hollis F1s. Much more comfortable foot pocket than the Jets.

 

[EireDiver606]

You’ve said you wanted negative fins but you didn’t mention how negative.

SP Jets are very good due to their weight and durability. That said they don’t have a great foot pocket -it’s very square and their spring straps don’t have good pull tabs which makes it a pain to pull them on if you’re balancing on one leg getting knocked around by waves....

Hollis F1s are even heavier and a lot longer than SP Jets and I’ve seen them used by a number of experienced divers but I’ve never used them so I wouldn’t know myself.

If you’re looking for a more comfortable ergonomic foot pocket, better SS spring straps, and only slightly negative, get the Apeks RK3 HD fins, they’re heavier than RK3.

If you can, get your lds to let you test them in a pool or something before you buy.

 

[gert7to3]

leadduck mentioned your weight distribution maybe contributing to your light feet? What sort of weight system are you using? Suspender based weigh systems let you carry your weights lower on your body. This became an issue for me as I aged and all of a sudden my gluteus maximus became proportionately less maximus. Not in a slimming sort of manner I may add.