Open Heel Fin Recomendations

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Messages
1
Reaction score
0
Location
Worcestershire
# of dives
500 - 999
Hi Everyone

I’m heading off to work in a research centre in the Philippines and am looking for recommendations on lightweight, open heel fins. I currently dive with closed heel Cressi Reaction Pros, but as I’ll mainly be shore diving and booties are a must.

Hollis F2’s are high on my list (I can’t seem to find any to buy) and like the look of F1 Lt’s, but they seem a bit heavy. I’ll be spending a lot of time stationary and even my reaction pros make my feet a little too negative…. I’ve tried scubapro go’s before, but really don’t like the way they feel.

Any help would be much appreciated.
 
Have you looked at the Apeks RK3? They seem to get a lot of good reviews. I love my Deep6 Eddys but you’re in the UK and shipping would cost the earth.
 
Hi Everyone

I’m heading off to work in a research centre in the Philippines and am looking for recommendations on lightweight, open heel fins. I currently dive with closed heel Cressi Reaction Pros, but as I’ll mainly be shore diving and booties are a must.

Hollis F2’s are high on my list (I can’t seem to find any to buy) and like the look of F1 Lt’s, but they seem a bit heavy. I’ll be spending a lot of time stationary and even my reaction pros make my feet a little too negative…. I’ve tried scubapro go’s before, but really don’t like the way they feel.

Any help would be much appreciated.
If you wait till you get to the Philippines, you can probably get some Gull Super Mew XX's. They're Japanese fins made from rubber not thermoplastic, and really popular here. Most people dive the full foot fins for wetsuit diving and open heel for drysuit, but both options exist.
 
OMS slipstream is a lightweight version of the beloved jet fin. Apeks RK3s are good, but not as stiff, which could be good or bad depending on your preference. Mares Aventi Quattros are good too, or any similar-looking overmolded plastic fin. Don't overpay for gimmicky crap like power bands or whatever.

Getting a good fit is important, both in terms of weight and size on your boot. Fin sizes are meaningless, and vary even between different runs of the same fin by the same manufacturer. Unfortunately it might take a few test-dives with different fins before you find one that's really perfect. For me personally fins that are a little too tight might feel fine for 30 minutes, but then after a long dive or strong current start to cramp the sides of my feet. Fins that are a little too big flop around on the boots and get annoying.

Hollis F2 is an interesting fin, probably a very good fin, but I'd like to see some science that actually shows the wacky design does anything better than an equally dimensioned (and much cheaper) simple paddle fin.

Fins are a good place to save some cash and buy used since they last a very long time.
 
Hi Everyone

I’m heading off to work in a research centre in the Philippines and am looking for recommendations on lightweight, open heel fins. I currently dive with closed heel Cressi Reaction Pros, but as I’ll mainly be shore diving and booties are a must.

Hollis F2’s are high on my list (I can’t seem to find any to buy) and like the look of F1 Lt’s, but they seem a bit heavy. I’ll be spending a lot of time stationary and even my reaction pros make my feet a little too negative…. I’ve tried scubapro go’s before, but really don’t like the way they feel.

Any help would be much appreciated.
If you have large feet, I’ll make you a deal on some F2’s. Very light and maneuverable, but don’t generate much power
 
If the Deep 6 Eddy fins are too hard for you to get, the OMS Slipstreams should be fine.
 
My favourites are the Oceanic Accel fins.
They were the lightest I could find (good for travel) not too long (good for packing) and stiff enough to work how I like.
That is my two pence on the subject of fins.
 
@Dan-De-Lion : Just curious, but how far to your closest dive shop? Even if you had to make a day trip to sort out sizing, it would probably be better than showing up empty handed in the Philippines.
 
I have both D6 Eddys and OMS Slipstreams and both are great fins, unfortunately my larger (XL) lighter Eddys fit my drysuit boots and the smaller (L) Slipstreams fit my wetsuit boots. Both are great fins, but I prefer the feel of the slightly smaller, more compliant blade of the Slipstream.

Since I am leg-heavy when in a wetsuit, I was looking for lighter alternatives. If I hadn't acquired a bunch of the Force-Fin styles to experiment with, I'd be trying out the ScubaPro Go Sports. Might be a good option for what you are looking for.

Some relevant threads:
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/peregrine/

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