Reconsidering split fins or other blade fin.

[Eric Sedletzky]

The other day I went beach diving up here in Northern California. This particular beach dive requires a very long surface swim to get out to the area of best diving. The cove itself is very calm usually so surface swimming is pleasant.
I currently wear size XL Scubapro Jet Fins, which I have been wearing for a long time.
I've been out of the water for scuba diving for several months now due to a hectic life plus the conditions have not been that great so the dives we did the other day kind of wiped me out.
Anyway, doing that very long surface swim wore me out using those jets. They are great for frog kicking once you're down plus all the maneuverability but I'm finding for these really long surface swims they really suck. It seems like they are hard to move doing a regular kick which is what I need to do for surface swims and the thrust to kick difficulty ratio just doen't seem to be that great.
I'm not one of these GUE types that is always in a skydiver position and doing helio turns and backing up. I'm a spearfisherman and use whatever type of kick needed to get me around including a regular scissor kick I guess you'd call it, and sometimes a porpoise kick and sometimes a frog kick. I vary it according to how much surge is throwing us around and what the typography is. I don't hold any certain position normally except for staying in trim for the direction of travel. Mostly my fins are behind me and my body is straight because I find I slipstream the best this way instead of doing the legs 90 degree up thing. Our bottom typography is rocky slabs, walls, or huge rocks and boulders so silting is really a non issue. There's usually quite a bit of surge and sometimes there can be micro currents such as water passing through a verticle rock wall corridor.

It seems like the other people I dive with who use split fins absolutely smoke me on surface swims and don't seem to have any issues with keeping up with me once under water, I seem to have problems keeping up with them and they are getting better mileage on air too. I should mention I'm not in bad shape either. I work my legs and try to keep myself fit and trim so I can do this sport with ease and have fun and not worry about getting winded and cramped up. But I AM the one that gets winded and cramped up when I dive with my friends.

For this reason I am seriously considering retrying splits again. I tried them many years ago and wrote them off as rubbish but since then there have been many new companies making different designs with different compounds so I'm wondering from dedicated split fin users who may have experience with all sorts of splits plus have used stiff paddles their opinions.
Based on this I'm going to rent some different styles and give them another open minded honest try.

Any constructive advice or opnions would be great.
A scooter is not an option.

And please no split fin bashing, this is NOT the thread for that.

 

[decompression]

They will kick me out of the DIR club but try a set of mares Volos, no obvious disadvantage of a split fin, but a bit more power because of the pivoting blade ( it works, just checkout all the copies), good thrust and less fatigue than the jets. They work well for a majority of the kick styles and light enough to keep good trim.

 

[redacted]

My solution on the cheap: homemade split fins - - ScubaBoard Gallery

I since cut them back further so all you can read is "ES". 10 years and no regrets. They frog kick every bit as well as my old Jets.

How can a pair of fins cost more than $100?!?!

 

[TSandM]

I really like my Dive Rite EXPs. They're longer and a little more flexible than the Jets are, and I get more power out of them.

But hands down, the fastest fins for effort expended that I have used are the SeaWing Novas. Especially if you primarily use an up and down motion, and if you fish and want bursts of speed, they might be just the ticket. You CAN frog kick in them, but it's easier to back kick and helicopter turn.

I took two minutes off my mask/fin DM swim just by switching from Jets to the Novas.

 

[jar546]

I use OMS Slipstreams and I use Apollo Bio-Fin Pro-C's too. I will tell you that the Apollo splits are superb fins and much easier on the legs. I swim with ease, current/no current and have great air consumption as a result. The only reason why I use the traditional fins such as the Slipstreams is because I am tired of getting my ass busted by other instructors so I just wear them for that reason plus they look cool. Not great reasons, I love my Apollo Bio Fin Splits.

I am not in a race, I don't need heavy torque up front. If I want to go fast, the splits are fantastic. I am not in a cave and I don't silt plus I can frog kick. The only benefit of the non-split is a more efficient frog kick.

 

[Eric Sedletzky]

What about SP twin jets?
How do they compare to Apollo Bio Fin
or something like the Atomics that uses more plastic?

Is there any benefit to the vents they have on the SP twin or is that just brand trait they are trying to carry over?

 

[gmanstan]

Splits are great for hunting and just covering ground. They dont frog & helicopter great but they get you there and are a little less painful. I have a few pairs of diff fins and I tried out my jets on a lobster trip 1 dive and I was good(experiment over!!).Cramping, a little slower,and lots of cramping...Atomics & Bio's seem to have the best rep, I like my Mares(more affordable)and they propel me just fine. If you getta chance try some of your buddies fins to see how & which ones you like. Its always nice to have a choice when you look in your dive locker.And 1 mans trash anothers treasure,so keep your eyes open for deals.I've even heard good stuff about sea-wings & Sling shots(AL)

 

[Bob DBF]

My regular buddy wears the SP twin jets and does quite well with tank, ab diving and freediving (when not using freedive fins). I have used them a few times, and they are different as far as the kick style used from the old jets I have. The only thing that I found "bad" was that it took two or three kicks when I would have kicked hard once to make a quick manuver, I guess there always tradeoffs when buying gear. I've gotten used to worse equipment, and if I had the $ I'd pick up a set so I could give them a longer try. Hell, I own a SpairAir, I'm probably dead already.



Bob
--------------------------------------
I may be old, but I’m not dead yet.

 

[Jim Baldwin]

I have had two pair of Jet fins. The first I purchased in 1977. They lasted about 25 years and finally got some dry rot. I bought a second pair because that was what I trained in and was comfortable diving with. About 12 years ago I bought my first pair of Scuba Pro Twin Jets in black. These fins come in various colors. The black version is stiffer and negatively buoyant while the others are all positive.

I dive the black version with my neoprene drysuit and can maintain good trim without my legs feeling too light.
I also have a pair of blue and yellow that I use when I dive wet.

In all this time I have never gotten the first leg cramp. Don't know if it's the fact that your toes protude out the end of the foot pocket or just the flexibility of the fin itself. I would always get a leg cramp with the Jets. I could just plan on at least one if I was out all day.

Precision kicking and turning is of course easier with the Jets. I can do helicopter turns and with a tremendous amount of effort back up with the Twin Jets. Something that I rarely do but like to show students when I'm teaching.

I have worn my Twin Jets diving doubles and carrying a sling tank and spearfishing as well. I know they are not for everyone but they certainly fit my style of diving.

 

[diveprof]

You know by posting such "heretical nonsense" on ScubaBoard you will likely be sentenced to some 9th level of hell. Me, I dive the SP twin Jets and Jet Fins depending on the application... Whoops I mean a "friend of mine" dives SP Twin Jets" and loves them for many applications. I, oops I mean "he", prefers the all rubber black twin jets to the new plastic version. Both theApollo Biofin Pro (also tried both the nonall rubber and didn't like them - stay with the all rubber Apollo biofin pro or SP twin Jet). God, please don't start talking about the SP AIR 2 next or you will never hear the end of it.