New fin recommendations?

[-JD-]

You might want to consider the OMS Slipstreams.

They are slightly negative. For the pair, my size large with spring straps weigh 4.6lbs, are about 0.4 lbs negative(fw), and when reverse nested are just under 20" OAL (not including the straps) and 3.5" tall.

By comparison my XL Eddys weigh 4.9lbs, are about neutral(fw), and when reverse nested are just under 22" OAL (not including the straps) and 4.5" tall.

The Eddys are stiffer, the Slipstreams, more compliant without being floppy.


FWIW, I borrowed a pair of Dive Rite XTs. They have a relatively steep bend with the blade angling down. My impression is that they seem to work well for frog and ok for bent-knee modified flutter but were horrible (for me) with a standard flutter. YMMV ...

 

[Kimela]

Hi @Kimela

Why would you be able to hold horizontal on a stop but not be able to swim horizonal on swim throughs...? Maybe you are anxious about the dives that give you trouble and you are taking on more gas than is usual. That might make you floaty, feet or not.

View attachment 686637

Malpelo, July 2021

I guess I'm not doing a good job of explaining my issue. I am staying horizontal, but my fins float a bit higher than my body and if I try to compensate and bring them down, my body shifts and my head comes up. If all I needed to do was stay horizontal I'd be fine. I'd like to be able to be horizontal, extend my fins and have them point more directly behind me rather than be up like they are in the picture - but when I do that I pivot and my head comes up - then I pivot to keep my horizontal and the fin tips go up again. I hope that makes sense.

 

[Kimela]

When you’re horizontal on your stop are your knees bent? Bringing your floaty feet in closer to your body and center of gravity/buoyancy reduces the lever arm and force imparted without changing the weighting.

Yes, my knees are bent. If I tuck myself into a ball I end up upside down! (I've been experimenting with this for a while.)

 

[BoundForElsewhere]

Maybe you have a heavy head.

 

[Kimela]

Maybe you have a heavy head.

And there is that, too!!

 

[SpeedyJ]

And there is that, too!!

Which is the next two things to look at: position of your head and position of your tank.

The average human head weighs somewhere around 10-11lbs, bringing your chin up and head back moves that negative weight.

Your tank valve and regulators are also quite heavy chunks of brass. As the diver uses up the gas in the cylinder the relative weight of the valve and reg increases. Shifting your tank down will move this weight closer to the center of gravity and also enable you to get your head back further if you currently hit your head on your reg.

I wouldn’t put much stock in what happens when you go into a ball as that’s not a stable position, instead try to get your body into a horizontal trim position with the knees bent and fin blades parallel to the surface of the water. This will provide much more stability. Andy Davis has a nice little post with a graphic. Once in a horizontal trim position you can do a bit of a see-saw test. You’ll be able to feel the impact of adjustments such as moving your head or extending your legs.

 

[Kimela]

Your tank valve and regulators are also quite heavy chunks of brass. As the diver uses up the gas in the cylinder the relative weight of the valve and reg increases. Shifting your tank down will move this weight closer to the center of gravity and also enable you to get your head back further if you currently hit your head on your reg.

Because I'm short (5' 1") I've always had my tank low so my head doesn't bump into the first stage. My top cam band is generally as high as it can get without slipping off. Sometimes it's a close call, making my buddy uncomfortable, but if it rides higher my head bumps.

 

[Landau]

Since you mount your tank so low the BCD it would probably be easy to put a second band with a couple pounds of lead near the bottom of the tank which should help.

One extra step in your setup, but cheaper than new fins and you get to keep the fins you like. And way better than ankle weights.

 

[NAUI Wowie]

You just need to test out some new fins. plain and simple. Maybe there is no solution. Try some of the best recommended. Get a slightly heavier fin than you use now and test it. Simple solution. Dont go all F1 fin on us though. Those are cement sneakers. Trust me I know. Love em for floaty legs with drysuit but HARD PASS on wetsuits.

Do jetfins have multiple weight styles? One of those fins that look like jetfins does.

 

[Joris Vd]

The Go Sports are pretty buoyant though, even more so than the seawing nova's. I wouldn't go for those if you're looking for something heavier.

+1 for the dive rite xt's in my opinion, or the apeks rk3 are very popular as well and less heavy than let's say power plana's and jets