Painting your Fins - Anyone Ever Try This?

[BIGG_BUDD]

Like any good noob, I purchased my mask, snorkel, and fins from my LDS a little over a year ago when I was certified. At the time I knew nothing about gear. In fact, I was utterly ignorant about it. I went into the shop and bought a ScubaPro mask, ScubaPro Twin Jets, and a ScubaPro snorkel.

I bought YELLOW.

Now, the gear is good, no complaints. I don't carry the snorkel anymore, and I'm considering changing masks, but for the most part I'm happy.

It's the fins man. My big, bright, YELLOW, neon, see you from a mile away fins.

Which leads me to my question. I dig the Twin Jets, they are good fins. But I'm sick of the YELLOW. I feel kinda guilty laying down more $$ on another pair, just cuz I hate the color (did I mention they are YELLOW?). I'd rather put the $$ toward more gear. So I started looking for creative, and relatively inexpensive options (if they exist).

I'm considering painting them BLACK. Krylon makes a Fusion brand canned spray paint that is supposed to molecularly bond with plastic...but these are clearly rubber (or some sort of fancy composite). Has anyone tried this solution?

I guess it really doesn't matter. If I paint them, and ruin them, I'll just buy new fins....

Thanks for the help.

 

[Ber Rabbit]

What's wrong with yellow? One of my favorite dive buddies is an old biker and most of his stuff is yellow because it's easier for his students to pick him out of the crowd. Yellow gear makes it easy for your buddy to see you in lower visibility.

The only problem I have seen with my yellow fins is they REALLY reflect the strobe when someone takes a picture of me, I have to watch my fin placement when hubby has the camera.
Ber :lilbunny:

 

[runamonk]

Like any good noob, I purchased my mask, snorkel, and fins from my LDS a little over a year ago when I was certified. At the time I knew nothing about gear. In fact, I was utterly ignorant about it. I went into the shop and bought a ScubaPro mask, ScubaPro Twin Jets, and a ScubaPro snorkel.

I bought YELLOW.

Now, the gear is good, no complaints. I don't carry the snorkel anymore, and I'm considering changing masks, but for the most part I'm happy.

It's the fins man. My big, bright, YELLOW, neon, see you from a mile away fins.

Which leads me to my question. I dig the Twin Jets, they are good fins. But I'm sick of the YELLOW. I feel kinda guilty laying down more $$ on another pair, just cuz I hate the color (did I mention they are YELLOW?). I'd rather put the $$ toward more gear. So I started looking for creative, and relatively inexpensive options (if they exist).

I'm considering painting them BLACK. Krylon makes a Fusion brand canned spray paint that is supposed to molecularly bond with plastic...but these are clearly rubber (or some sort of fancy composite). Has anyone tried this solution?

I guess it really doesn't matter. If I paint them, and ruin them, I'll just buy new fins....

Thanks for the help.

OKay I made the same mistake as you and while I wanted yellow fins at the time they only had bright blue. I proceeded to spray the tips with yellow so they would could be seen more easily by fellow divers.

Well this didn't work out, I ended up just scrubbing off the paint because it flaked off in the water and I didn't want that to happen.

If you're going to do this, I would highly recommend you get the paint that has an acidic quality to it, it will actually fuse with the plastic better and not come off. They stock this at most hardware stores.

Personally I would just get a pair of black fins now if I were you, it's less hassle.

 

[Al Mialkovsky]

I love my yellow twin jets, so easy for students to spot. Here on Maui, where I've been for a few weeks, I see many instructors using exactly the same fin.

One of our instructors at the Oregon shop I work for had black jet fins. Pretty much impossible for students to follow in those lousy waters unless they were hanging onto them. He got a can of spray paint and painted half the fin bright yellow.

The pain is still mostly on after a few months although it is chipping off. They aren't ruined, they just look, like garage sale fins now

 

[divad]

"Fusion" paint did not work on my yellow fins. I tried to paint 'em because they were starting to look like bait.

 

[BIGG_BUDD]

I can see where bright fins could come in handy for an instructor. But I'm no instructor, with no plans on becoming one anytime soon.

The good buddy / low vis argument is valid, but then you have to question why everything isn't bright yellow/pink?

Looks like painting is out of the question. Maybe I'll keep Old Yellas for murky lake diving here in Texas, and buy a pair of Turtles or Jets for blue water.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[divad]

You could start the Noob/Yellow Fin Museum.

 

[BIGG_BUDD]

You could start the Noob/Yellow Fin Museum.

I bet there are a few of us out there...

 

[Web Monkey]

I love my yellow fins. My buddies are always saying how easy it is to pick me out of a crowd or find me in the dark.

Forget about paint. There's nothing in the world that will stick permanently to your fins.

Terry

I can see where bright fins could come in handy for an instructor. But I'm no instructor, with no plans on becoming one anytime soon.

The good buddy / low vis argument is valid, but then you have to question why everything isn't bright yellow/pink?

Looks like painting is out of the question. Maybe I'll keep Old Yellas for murky lake diving here in Texas, and buy a pair of Turtles or Jets for blue water.

Thanks for the advice.

 

[aquanuts...]

Since everyone seems to like them, put them up for sale and buy another pair the color you want.