Obvious split fin question
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don Francisco
Contributor
Three things that should never be brought up in polite company - Religion, Politics and Split fins!!
Split fins have their fans and their detractors, with each convinced that the other is wrong. On the plus side split fins tend to put less reaction force on the legs and therefore are nice for folks who cramp using large fins for any length of time. On the minus side their flexibility caps the thrust they can generate, so the strong leg crowd does better with a stiffer traditional fin.
It's kind of like riding a bicycle (or driving a car with a manual transmission). You can spin a lower gear at high RPM, or use more torque in a higher gear at lower RPM. It's speed vs strength, but either way gets you there in the end.
The main point, is you already own them, so you might as well give them a shot and draw you're own conclusions.
Split fins have their fans and their detractors, with each convinced that the other is wrong. On the plus side split fins tend to put less reaction force on the legs and therefore are nice for folks who cramp using large fins for any length of time. On the minus side their flexibility caps the thrust they can generate, so the strong leg crowd does better with a stiffer traditional fin.
It's kind of like riding a bicycle (or driving a car with a manual transmission). You can spin a lower gear at high RPM, or use more torque in a higher gear at lower RPM. It's speed vs strength, but either way gets you there in the end.
The main point, is you already own them, so you might as well give them a shot and draw you're own conclusions.
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This is more an issue of technique than equipment. As long as you keep the fin within your slipstream, they won't silt up any more than a traditional blade fin. The problem is that the fins are so easy to kick that people tend to overkick them ... which is what creates the turbulance.
Splits are fine for certain types of divers ... and although you can go faster in them (due mostly to the fact that less resistance means you can kick faster), they do not produce the power you can get with a blade fin. It's a myth that they're better in current ... having used them in those conditions over a few hundred dives before switching to Turtles, I can attest to that from personal experience.
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Monkey_Gland
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Hello my name is Monkey Gland. I am a split fin user.
I am not dead. I have not been carried off by the merest hint of a current. I have not been rammed by Sea Shepard for destroying coral reefs. I have not killed buddies by my inability to move in the water.
Your fins will be more than adequate for propelling you through the water safely at a reasonable speed whilst you look at fish and broken boats.
Sheesh.
I am not dead. I have not been carried off by the merest hint of a current. I have not been rammed by Sea Shepard for destroying coral reefs. I have not killed buddies by my inability to move in the water.
Your fins will be more than adequate for propelling you through the water safely at a reasonable speed whilst you look at fish and broken boats.
Sheesh.
I love this quote:
"They allow people who don't have proper kicking technique to move by moving their feet, but without kicking."
From Thread: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/3441906-post1.html
"They allow people who don't have proper kicking technique to move by moving their feet, but without kicking."
From Thread: http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/3441906-post1.html
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JeffG
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Its always fun to quote yourself and say..."Man this guy is a genius"
I don't understand why some get so defensive.
I would never of put safety as an issue with split fins. I don't like their performance characteristics, but I doubt they will do long term harm.
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I used 'em (Apollo biofins) for about 2-1/2 years and 650 or so dives before making the switch. Cheng used hers for nearly seven years. There was never a safety concern. They just imposed limits on the finning technique we both wanted to develop. Anyone who denies those limits is kidding themselves. Wear what you like, but at least have the honesty to recognize that every piece of dive gear comes with trade-offs ... and recognizing what they are is the first step toward making informed choices.
Having a senior SB staff member perpetuating the sort of rhetoric Dave linked to in his post is a poor reflection on the board overall ... and the importance it's owner (who chooses the staff) places on quality and accurate information ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
Its always fun to quote yourself and say..."Man this guy is a genius"
Actually it was not my quote, just a favorite of mine.
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/3440090-post68.html
The whole split fin debate to me has little merit in the big picture. Those who like them are not likely dissuaded from using them by anything bantied about here. Those who perfer other fins will continue to find fault in any other choice.
I find the whole argument pretty amusing, sorry.
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Actually it was not my quote, just a favorite of mine.
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/3440090-post68.html
The whole split fin debate to me has little merit in the big picture. Those who like them are not likely dissuaded from using them by anything bantied about here. Those who perfer other fins will continue to find fault in any other choice.
I find the whole argument pretty amusing, sorry.
The question posed in this thread had nothing to do with likes and dislikes ... why drag that tired old horse into what otherwise could have been an informative response to the OP's question?
Seems like nothing more than an attempt to start another train wreck ...
... Bob (Grateful Diver)
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