New Diver...but ready for a new fin...

[JButla]

I have only 40 dives underway, however, I'm noticing something lacking in the fin area. I'm thinking of upgrading my fins to something different than the Akona Marathons my LDS set me up with. I see repeated reports on the split-fin thing, and other reports on the.... whatever the full fin types are like I have now. These are, I believe, strap on fins as opposed to full foot. I would like to stick w. strap on type. I figure this is an overused question, esp. from newbies...but any help is greatly appreciated.

-John

 

[herman]

Whew, fins are kind of like cars, everyone has their favorites. I don't like split fins myself. I don't find they give me the control I want, they did not appear to give me any more speed and it did not seem to me that I had as much brute power when I need it with them. I use a varity of kicks, some of which seem to be impossible with split fins, others are not as easy to do. Now sure as I write this, someone is going to say just the opposite. There are a lot of people who love the splits. Personal preference really comes into play here.
I use a pair of Mares Quatro's for most of my diving. I also own a pair of old Jet fins, for control these are the best but overall I like the the Mares better. If you want to be able to back up, then the jets are hard to beat, but for general diving I prefer the Mares.

Like almost every other piece of dive gear, the only real way to see which suits you best is to rent/beg/borrow a bunch of different types/brands to see what YOU like. I am always willing to swap fins as long as I am not doing a something special on a dive which is not that often.

 

[Walter]

Go to the fins forum, there are other active threads on this topic.

 

[JButla]

Herman,
Thanks for your input. I appreciate your time.

Walter,
I'll check the fins forum - I thought I was already in it.
I'm as new to this forum as I am to diving. Bear w. us newbies.

-John

 

[Walter]

You are in the fins forum, but there are lots of active threads you can read and get lots of opinions about different fins. If you stay in this thread only, you'll have less information with which to make your decisions.

In what way is telling you where to find information not bearing with newbies?

 

[srkdvr]

Well my fins are SCUBAPRO, I started with the Jet Fin and just about a year ago I went to the split fin(Jet Fin).... I like them very much.... but again if you have a Divie shop they will let you try them in the pool before you buy and you can pick the one's you like the best.


Rich:mean:

 

[JButla]

I've checked out threads upon threads.... I need some correction if I'm wrong, but this is sort of what I am getting in aggregate:

SPLIT FINS: have some good speed, but need more shorter kicks; loss of control in slower manouvers, and poor at backing up.

STRAIGHT FINS (don't know how else to classify/call them): More immediate thrust and control; good at slower speeds; downfall would be greater fatigue at distance compared to split.

????????

I don't know. Does this sound in the right ball park?

 

[leadweight]

Check out this link, it is a gear report on Rodale's posted by Jim Grier who is doing a lot of independent fin testing. He tends to like split fins, especially Apollo's. However, he is very positive about the SP Jetfin:

http://www.scubadiving.com/members/gearreviews.php?s=534

Disclaimer: I dive with full foot fins. However the fins that I use are on the short and stiff side. I have found that short stiff fins give greater control. The Jetfin is short and stiff compared to most other open heel fins.