(nothing technical) Hollis F1 "LT" vs Mares power plana vs deep 6eddy

[rongoodman]

I just to back from a trip out to Cocos Island, and as much as I love my Eddys, I'll be taking the longer Dive Rite XTs with me next time. We spent more time swimming around in the blue on this trip than waiting at the cleaning stations as in years past, and I was just sucking down my gas trying to keep up using the shorter fins, especially since I ended up in a panga with a bunch of hyperfit Spaniards!

 

[stuartv]

@bimmerfam92 funny you should ask... lol!

I recently got some new Dive Rite XTs and have done dives with them, my F1 LTs, and my Eddy fins all relatively recently.

The short answer to your question is, yes, I think you would find some improvement in the area you are looking for by going to the DR XT fins.

After several dives now (6? maybe?) with the XT fins, I am pretty much going back to my Eddy fins for the dives I was using them for (anything in a wetsuit except diving doubles).

The reason for that is that the Eddy fin foot pocket fits my foot just a little better than the DR foot pocket does. With the booties I'm using, anyway. The Eddy is just a bit more snug in its width. I have very narrow feet, for the record. My Eddy fins don't move on my feet at all, ever. The XTs seem just a little wider, I guess. Just a smidge. Sometimes, it feels like my feet are moving around in the foot pocket just a little with the XTs. It's minor, but it's still wasted energy, and it feels a little distracting after becoming so accustomed to fins that don't move on my feet at all.

Which is a long-winded way of saying that somebody else might find the XT fits them better than the Eddy. In which case, they'd probably prefer the XT in general.

Regarding the F1 LT - I only use those when diving wet, in doubles. Doubles are more head heavy than other rigs. The weight of the F1 LT balances that out really well for me. Also, I have not tried any fin yet that lets me back fin with as much power as the F1 LT. They seem even better than the regular F1 - but that could be because I only use the regular F1 when I'm diving dry - so, not the fin's fault. Otherwise (besides the extra negative buoyancy), the F1 LT (to ME) performs very similarly to the Eddy. Very comfy foot pocket. Good for tech kicks. Feels "soft", not as stiff feeling as the XT fins. The F1 LT feels pretty similar in power to the Eddy, to me, for flutter kicking. The XTs feel stiffer and like they offer more power in flutter kicks, if you have the legs for it.

 

[bimmerfam92]

I just to back from a trip out to Cocos Island, and as much as I love my Eddys, I'll be taking the longer Dive Rite XTs with me next time. We spent more time swimming around in the blue on this trip than waiting at the cleaning stations as in years past, and I was just sucking down my gas trying to keep up using the shorter fins, especially since I ended up in a panga with a bunch of hyperfit Spaniards!

When you were trying to keep up, were you frog kicking or flutter kicking? I find it difficult to flutter kick efficiently/effectively with the Eddys (frog kicking works great but is not ideal for moving particularly fast or traveling long distance briskly), and trying to figure out if flutter kicking with the DR XTs is any better in that respect. I would say my legs are pretty average in strength, but even if I had super strong legs, the amount of force it takes to flutter kick with the Eddys just doesn't seem to translate to a lot of speed. I'm close to pulling the trigger on a pair of DR XTs but don't want them to be the same or worse when it comes to flutter efficiency.

 

[bimmerfam92]

@bimmerfam92 funny you should ask... lol!

I recently got some new Dive Rite XTs and have done dives with them, my F1 LTs, and my Eddy fins all relatively recently.

The short answer to your question is, yes, I think you would find some improvement in the area you are looking for by going to the DR XT fins.

After several dives now (6? maybe?) with the XT fins, I am pretty much going back to my Eddy fins for the dives I was using them for (anything in a wetsuit except diving doubles).

The reason for that is that the Eddy fin foot pocket fits my foot just a little better than the DR foot pocket does. With the booties I'm using, anyway. The Eddy is just a bit more snug in its width. I have very narrow feet, for the record. My Eddy fins don't move on my feet at all, ever. The XTs seem just a little wider, I guess. Just a smidge. Sometimes, it feels like my feet are moving around in the foot pocket just a little with the XTs. It's minor, but it's still wasted energy, and it feels a little distracting after becoming so accustomed to fins that don't move on my feet at all.

Which is a long-winded way of saying that somebody else might find the XT fits them better than the Eddy. In which case, they'd probably prefer the XT in general.

Regarding the F1 LT - I only use those when diving wet, in doubles. Doubles are more head heavy than other rigs. The weight of the F1 LT balances that out really well for me. Also, I have not tried any fin yet that lets me back fin with as much power as the F1 LT. They seem even better than the regular F1 - but that could be because I only use the regular F1 when I'm diving dry - so, not the fin's fault. Otherwise (besides the extra negative buoyancy), the F1 LT (to ME) performs very similarly to the Eddy. Very comfy foot pocket. Good for tech kicks. Feels "soft", not as stiff feeling as the XT fins. The F1 LT feels pretty similar in power to the Eddy, to me, for flutter kicking. The XTs feel stiffer and like they offer more power in flutter kicks, if you have the legs for it.

Thanks for the reply. Sounds like the F1 LT may be too similar to my Eddys and not necessary as I just dive single tank. I'm essentially looking to add a second fin option for times when I need to fight heavy current or make long surface swims (flutter kick with efficiency), but also work good for frog kick as well which what I use almost always. I intend to keep my Eddys and still use them as my go-to fin as most of my dives don't require long surface swims or fighting heavy current and therefore are basically perfect.

 

[rongoodman]

When you were trying to keep up, were you frog kicking or flutter kicking?

My default is a frog kick, with a modified flutter for short bursts of speed. I seldom. if ever, use a straight legged flutter.

 

[Alastor]

Mares Power Plana are negative as the Hollis F1 in the water.
I owns both, bought first the Power Plana (with steel spring), then I moved to the Hollis because they are longer and I wanted a bit more power when needed (e.g. current): my legs are trained enough.
Anyway the build quality of both products is very high as for the materials.
Power plana have the same foot pocket size than the Avanti Quattro - I use those when diving in wetsuit.

 

[Nemrod]

I am ordering Scubapro Go-Sport Gorrilas. My only complaint for the fin that for me is the The Best Fin Ever, is that the mid blade is a little soft right at the toe of the foot pocket. Not a big deal but when i really lay into them to get moving they buckle a little there but so do my Quattros. I think the Gorillas will cure that without increasing weight or packability much.

 

[Pressurehead]

I think the Gorillas will cure that without increasing weight or packability much.

I hope you are right, I like my SP go Sport for easy diving, love to hear how the Gorillar version go.
I also have the Quattros, but as you say :

Not a big deal but when i really lay into them to get moving they buckle a little there but so do my Quattros.

These are are the fins for me for the above, Mares Excite Pro, their 'blurb' says " minimum effort for optimal thrust at all times ", the blade is a little more rigid, and you can kick like a frog, look weird kicking back, turn like a chopper of flutter to your hearts content, they do the lot.
A little long beside the Go Sport.....But, if you want get-up-and-go.

 

[stuartv]

I am ordering Scubapro Go-Sport Gorrilas. My only complaint for the fin that for me is the The Best Fin Ever, is that the mid blade is a little soft right at the toe of the foot pocket. Not a big deal but when i really lay into them to get moving they buckle a little there but so do my Quattros. I think the Gorillas will cure that without increasing weight or packability much.

"A little soft".

I was in Utila a couple of years ago, diving with a buddy that was using the Go Sport fins. I had my Deep6 Gear Eddy fins.

We swapped for a dive.

About 20-something minutes in, I couldn't take it anymore and we exchanged fins on the bottom.

The Go Sport fins were fine when I was going SLOW. As soon as I tried to put some power into a frog kick - say, to catch up to my buddies after stopping to take some pictures - they felt like limp noodles. Folding over to 90 degrees. ScubaPro Go Sport fins are "a little soft" is my nomination for Understatement of the Day.

 

[Nemrod]

"A little soft".

I was in Utila a couple of years ago, diving with a buddy that was using the Go Sport fins. I had my Deep6 Gear Eddy fins.

We swapped for a dive.

About 20-something minutes in, I couldn't take it anymore and we exchanged fins on the bottom.

The Go Sport fins were fine when I was going SLOW. As soon as I tried to put some power into a frog kick - say, to catch up to my buddies after stopping to take some pictures - they felt like limp noodles. Folding over to 90 degrees. ScubaPro Go Sport fins are "a little soft" is my nomination for Understatement of the Day.

I have Eddy Fins, I like them, just like the Go Sports much better. Just returned from Cozumel and the currents were ripping. Nobody passed me going into the current even pushing my camera but truthfully no fin was going to buck that current, it was a futile effort. If I find the Go-Sports lacking then I would probably shift to Quattros or my free dive blades, not the Eddy.

I was able to try that new Nova fin, the one that comes apart. I traded fins with another diver, both of us curious about the other's fins. The result was we both decided we liked the Go-Sports better. Me because I simply liked them better, he because they did about the same thing and the Go-Sport was lighter and less $.

I am trying now to coerce my wife into ordering me black Go-Sport Gorillas, please, please with sugar on top . She keeps reminding me I said the Go-Sport was the Best Fin Ever, so I am in a corner!

I am going to have a fin give away, maybe a set of Slipstreams and yellow Jets, both size XL, NIB. I gotta think about that, arrrggghh. I will never use them.