aquacat8
Contributor
You gotta lotta fins! Wowie 
Post-Soviet fins: Ukrainian models
- Thread starter David Wilson
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OP
David Wilson
Contributor
Yes I do, Aquacat, although I don't own a pair of every fin model I've showcased here.You gotta lotta fins! Wowie
Right. I promised to present Kievguma's Skat (Russian: Скат. English: Stingray) fins in my next message. These closed-heel fins must not be confused with YaRTI's Skat fins that I reviewed in my last thread and resembled Kievguma's original Akvanavt fins.
Skat
The basic design has an affinity to the Kievguma Akvanavt model, but the blade is much narrower and there are two centre ribs on the top and bottom of the blades for reinforcement. Note the factory quality control ink stamps towards the tips of the blades.
The two images above show in the first case the manufacturer's logo (Kievguma) and the stylised Italicised name of the fin (Skat). Note the small toe openings that seem there to allow water to drain out rather than to permit the toes to protrude. The second image shows the size (265-275), which is the foot length range in millimetres, and the old still-operational 1977 Soviet standard for rubber fins, GOST 22469-77.
Skat fins came in two-tone and solid colours other than black. Black seems to be the most readily available colour, however, for this model.
We'll look next at Kievguma Vodolaz fins.
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OP
David Wilson
Contributor
On to Kievguma's Vodolaz fins, as promised. "Водолаз" (Vodolaz) is Russian for "diver" or "frogman". Unusually, this is a full-foot, closed-toe fin with a heel-strap.
Vodolaz
The fin may have been discontinued as I can find no trace of any model currently on sale except on Avito, the Russian equivalent of eBay. As a full-foot fin with a heel strap, it is something of a rarity. The only other all-rubber full-foot fin with a heel strap still sold worldwide (unless anyone knows different!) is the Free-sub "Süper Jet", made by the rubber good manufacturer Adalilar Kauçuk in the Turkish city of Istanbul:
Heel straps weren't the only additional security features ever added to full-foot fins. During the 1960s, Healthways sold Cressi full-foot fin models with instep straps (see below):
In 1962, Australia's underwater swimming equipment company Turnbull launched a fin with a similar security feature:
Next up will be Kievguma's only plastic-bladed fin, the "Lyux".
Vodolaz
Heel straps weren't the only additional security features ever added to full-foot fins. During the 1960s, Healthways sold Cressi full-foot fin models with instep straps (see below):
In 1962, Australia's underwater swimming equipment company Turnbull launched a fin with a similar security feature:
Next up will be Kievguma's only plastic-bladed fin, the "Lyux".
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OP
David Wilson
Contributor
An article about the Ukrainian Kievguma rubber goods company dated 2006 at Товары для здоровья includes the following statement: "В разработке находится третья модель ласт с резиновой галошей и пластиковой лопастью." This sentence translates roughly to "The third fin under development (in the Akvanavt series of fins) is a model with a rubber foot pocket and a plastic blade." This fin, the only plastic-bladed model in Kievguma's entire range (below), was dubbed the "Lux" (Люкс, pronounced "Lyuks), meaning "Deluxe".
Two Lux models can be seen in the bottom row of the table, marked as a new product.
Lux
The "Lux" came in two models, identified simply as Model 1 and Model 2 (above). Little has been written about these fins and the difference between the two models may be a matter of blade colour only. It's even unclear whether the foot pockets and blades can be separated, as is the case with many modern freediving fins.
If I can express a personal opinion, I have to admit, as a fin traditionalist, I'm no fan of plastic-bladed fins. I'm bemused, therefore, by the choice of the name "Lux" for such gear. I'm reminded of the use of the same name for a certain hotel in Moscow that played a significant role in the history of the Soviet Union: Гостиница «Люкс» or Lux Hotel:
Its associated Wikipedia article reads:
"1933 was also the year Adolf Hitler gained power with the Machtergreifung and soon began to arrest and imprison his political opponents, arresting communists and socialists by the thousands. German communists began to flee to the Soviet Union and the Hotel Lux began to fill with German exiles. In addition to party functionaries, there were advisors, translators and writers who came with their families. Employees were brought to the Comintern Central Committee's offices by bus. The hotel became overcrowded and conditions were difficult. The hotel was continually plagued by rats; the earliest reports of them were in 1921. There was hot water only twice a week, forcing people to shower in groups, as many as four people at a time. Communal kitchens for the use of residents cooked food next to boiling pots of diapers being sterilized."
So you can see how the Russian word for "Deluxe", "Люкс", has been a relative term in the past when it came to luxury!
I'll move on next to Kievguma's open-heel fins.
Two Lux models can be seen in the bottom row of the table, marked as a new product.
Lux
The "Lux" came in two models, identified simply as Model 1 and Model 2 (above). Little has been written about these fins and the difference between the two models may be a matter of blade colour only. It's even unclear whether the foot pockets and blades can be separated, as is the case with many modern freediving fins.
If I can express a personal opinion, I have to admit, as a fin traditionalist, I'm no fan of plastic-bladed fins. I'm bemused, therefore, by the choice of the name "Lux" for such gear. I'm reminded of the use of the same name for a certain hotel in Moscow that played a significant role in the history of the Soviet Union: Гостиница «Люкс» or Lux Hotel:
Its associated Wikipedia article reads:
"1933 was also the year Adolf Hitler gained power with the Machtergreifung and soon began to arrest and imprison his political opponents, arresting communists and socialists by the thousands. German communists began to flee to the Soviet Union and the Hotel Lux began to fill with German exiles. In addition to party functionaries, there were advisors, translators and writers who came with their families. Employees were brought to the Comintern Central Committee's offices by bus. The hotel became overcrowded and conditions were difficult. The hotel was continually plagued by rats; the earliest reports of them were in 1921. There was hot water only twice a week, forcing people to shower in groups, as many as four people at a time. Communal kitchens for the use of residents cooked food next to boiling pots of diapers being sterilized."
So you can see how the Russian word for "Deluxe", "Люкс", has been a relative term in the past when it came to luxury!
I'll move on next to Kievguma's open-heel fins.
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So you can see how the Russian word for "Deluxe", "Люкс", has been a relative term in the past when it came to luxury!
You have to remember that Stalin's purges began around 1934 and most of those people got swiftly relocated somewhere right of Urals. Relative to the gulags: luxury indeed.
OP
David Wilson
Contributor
On to Kievguma's open-heel fins. First up is the Ukrainian company's Moryak (Моряк) children's adjustable open-heel fins. "Моряк" is Russian for "sailor", "seafarer" or "mariner".
Moryak
The name of the fin is embossed clearly on the top of the foot pocket. Moryaks have quite powerful-looking blades to be labelled "Ласты детские" (children's fins) and they are likelier to have been used by teenagers and young adults.
You can buy a pair online for 175 hryvnias (about US$ 6.5) at Ласты детские для дайвинга и снорклинга Моряк: продажа, цена в Киеве. ласты для плавания от "Уникум - интернет-магазин товаров для отдыха и спорта" - 432664368, where the fin's characteristics are specified thus:
Manufacturer: Kievguma
Country of origin: Ukraine
Age group: Children
Purpose: Snorkeling
Type: Open Heel
Hardness: Stiff
Size: Universal
Colour: Black
Condition: New
Next up are Kievguma's "Turist" open-heel fins.
Moryak
The name of the fin is embossed clearly on the top of the foot pocket. Moryaks have quite powerful-looking blades to be labelled "Ласты детские" (children's fins) and they are likelier to have been used by teenagers and young adults.
You can buy a pair online for 175 hryvnias (about US$ 6.5) at Ласты детские для дайвинга и снорклинга Моряк: продажа, цена в Киеве. ласты для плавания от "Уникум - интернет-магазин товаров для отдыха и спорта" - 432664368, where the fin's characteristics are specified thus:
Manufacturer: Kievguma
Country of origin: Ukraine
Age group: Children
Purpose: Snorkeling
Type: Open Heel
Hardness: Stiff
Size: Universal
Colour: Black
Condition: New
Next up are Kievguma's "Turist" open-heel fins.
OP
David Wilson
Contributor
On next to "Turist" fins, which are the adjustable open-heel versions of "Akvanavt" fins. Unsurprisingly, the Russsian noun "Турист" means "Tourist". They have been around for quite a while.
Turist
The name "Turist" and the Kievguma logo are both visible on the top of the foot pocket in the third image above. Below is an otherwise identical fin with a different name:
The product name "Турист-малыш" means "Little Tourist", implying that the fin is suitable for children with correspondingly small sizes.
"Turist" fins are available in colours other than black:
We'll look next at a variant of the "Turist", the "Turist Super" model.
Turist
The name "Turist" and the Kievguma logo are both visible on the top of the foot pocket in the third image above. Below is an otherwise identical fin with a different name:
The product name "Турист-малыш" means "Little Tourist", implying that the fin is suitable for children with correspondingly small sizes.
"Turist" fins are available in colours other than black:
We'll look next at a variant of the "Turist", the "Turist Super" model.
OP
David Wilson
Contributor
We've already met the "Turist Super" in the image depicting Kievguma's range of fins:
Didi you spot it in the rightmost cell on the fourth row?
It's also pictured below:
It's fin No. 6 in the collection. Here's are a couple of close-ups:
As you can now see, the Turist Super is the open-heel equivalent of the Akvanavt Super below:
Like the Akvanavt Super, the Turist Supper is a fin with a split blade. One of the retail outlets at Ласты резиновые Турист Super has posted a description that roughly translates as follows:
Turist Super rubber fins. The fins have an open classical form, familiar to everyone from Soviet times. The foot pocket is designed to accommodate three adjacent shoe sizes. The fins are made of a rubber compound authorised for use by the health authorities. The fins are resistant to sea water and absolutely safe for human health. The colour of the goods may differ from the one pictured on the photo!
Another retail outlet has the fins priced at 149 Ukrainian Hryvnia, which converts to about US$ 5.53. Not bad considering how much fins, split or otherwise, cost here in the West!
This message will probably be the last in my round-up of fins ancient and modern manufactured within the territory of the Russian Federation and the republic of Ukraine. I haven't counted up how many models I've attempted to showcase over the months, but I hope I've convinced everybody that it's a big and varied collection. Hoping that I still have a few readers of these Russian and Ukrainian fin threads, I am minded to begin another series of threads dedicated to Russian and Ukrainian masks and snorkels from the Soviet era to the present day. Watch this space!
Didi you spot it in the rightmost cell on the fourth row?
It's also pictured below:
It's fin No. 6 in the collection. Here's are a couple of close-ups:
As you can now see, the Turist Super is the open-heel equivalent of the Akvanavt Super below:
Like the Akvanavt Super, the Turist Supper is a fin with a split blade. One of the retail outlets at Ласты резиновые Турист Super has posted a description that roughly translates as follows:
Turist Super rubber fins. The fins have an open classical form, familiar to everyone from Soviet times. The foot pocket is designed to accommodate three adjacent shoe sizes. The fins are made of a rubber compound authorised for use by the health authorities. The fins are resistant to sea water and absolutely safe for human health. The colour of the goods may differ from the one pictured on the photo!
Another retail outlet has the fins priced at 149 Ukrainian Hryvnia, which converts to about US$ 5.53. Not bad considering how much fins, split or otherwise, cost here in the West!
This message will probably be the last in my round-up of fins ancient and modern manufactured within the territory of the Russian Federation and the republic of Ukraine. I haven't counted up how many models I've attempted to showcase over the months, but I hope I've convinced everybody that it's a big and varied collection. Hoping that I still have a few readers of these Russian and Ukrainian fin threads, I am minded to begin another series of threads dedicated to Russian and Ukrainian masks and snorkels from the Soviet era to the present day. Watch this space!
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АлександрД
Contributor
Clone of Typhoon flippers:
Right now we have some sales on our site, like craiglist: https://www.avito.ru/moskva/sport_i_otdyh/lasty_maski_i_trubki_629044469
price for fins - 10$
and another https://www.avito.ru/moskva/sport_i_otdyh/lasty_krasnyy_rezinschik_kiev_sssr_1208284050
Завод Красный Резинщик, Киев, СССР
Manufacture RED RUBBERER, Kiev, USSR
But price here is around 23$
P.S. If this message not for this topic - please, move it to proper topic and part of the SB.
It is not my equipment, and not my sales I just found it there today
Right now we have some sales on our site, like craiglist: https://www.avito.ru/moskva/sport_i_otdyh/lasty_maski_i_trubki_629044469
price for fins - 10$
and another https://www.avito.ru/moskva/sport_i_otdyh/lasty_krasnyy_rezinschik_kiev_sssr_1208284050
Завод Красный Резинщик, Киев, СССР
Manufacture RED RUBBERER, Kiev, USSR
But price here is around 23$
P.S. If this message not for this topic - please, move it to proper topic and part of the SB.
It is not my equipment, and not my sales
I just found it there today
OP
David Wilson
Contributor
Ah, АлександрД, a pair of "Ikhtiandr" fins from the "Красный резинщик" plant in Soviet-era Ukraine. The name comes from two Greek words meaning "Fish-Man":
Their distinctive feature is their obliquely cut blade tip, meaning that the fins are asymmetrical with different shapes for left and right feet. I found descriptions of the fins in a couple of Russian diving books (my rough translation into English:
1. Rigid, straight fins, usually black in colour, with two major side rails and six minor ribs. Heel strap adjustable with two buckles.
2. This open fin from the Kiev "Krasnyy Rezinshchik" plant is a type of semi-hard light fin. Thin ribs, which extend across the working area of the blade, make the fin quite elastic. The fin has an oblique tip. The good shape of the foot pocket and the presence of an adjustable heel strap for fastening the fins make it quite a comfortable fin to use. The fin’s relatively large area makes it suitable for swimming with breathing apparatus.
Do you know whether any Soviet manufacturers produced diving equipment catalogues for the general public as well as the technical specifications document accompanying each product?
Their distinctive feature is their obliquely cut blade tip, meaning that the fins are asymmetrical with different shapes for left and right feet. I found descriptions of the fins in a couple of Russian diving books (my rough translation into English:
1. Rigid, straight fins, usually black in colour, with two major side rails and six minor ribs. Heel strap adjustable with two buckles.
2. This open fin from the Kiev "Krasnyy Rezinshchik" plant is a type of semi-hard light fin. Thin ribs, which extend across the working area of the blade, make the fin quite elastic. The fin has an oblique tip. The good shape of the foot pocket and the presence of an adjustable heel strap for fastening the fins make it quite a comfortable fin to use. The fin’s relatively large area makes it suitable for swimming with breathing apparatus.
Do you know whether any Soviet manufacturers produced diving equipment catalogues for the general public as well as the technical specifications document accompanying each product?
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