Scubapro Seawing Nova - Performance Review

[chmtklein]

I am on my third pair of the Scubapro Seawing Nova fins. Current lifespan for my utilization has not exceeded 6 months each pair. My buddies and I do some pretty extreme diving over on O'ahu's East & North Shores. Nevertheless, I absolutely love and will continue to dive them for the rest of my days!

#1 pair ripped at both hinge points during a boat dive at Sea Cave (Hawai'i Kai, O'ahu). Since then, I only "giant stride" from the boat - and then . . . put the fins on in the water.

#2 pair ripped at a single hinge point at Electric Beach (West Shore - O'ahu) yesterday (Saturday, 26 MAR 2011). The ripped fin continued to function - however, with significantly reduced propulsion/thrust.

Both times, the local Scubapro dealer "Dive O'ahu" replaced them without a single question - the fins carry a lifetime warranty.

Also - the fins are quite buoyant! For hovering mid-water and photography . . . they're phenomenal once you get used to the feel. However, during a stationary (grounded on the ocean floor) Manta Dive on the Big Island (Hawai'i) - their buoyancy kept panting me face first into the ocean floor. This type of dive would require serious ankle weights or a weight belt draped across one's ankles. I finally removed the fins and clipped them to my chest strap. Don't let go or lose control . . . they will float to the surface.

CAUTION! - if you do not have a reputable Scubapro Dealer (who will exchange or replace on the spot) or you’re unable to replace them in a timely manner (i.e. you don't have a backup pair of fins handy), I would avoid them like the plague. I thank God they did not rip on my recent week long trip to the Big Island (Hawai'i). Due to weight and limited baggage - I did not carry a backup pair of fins.

 

[jcfahy]

I found the same buoyancy issues and had to adjzust my trim. I no longer use them

 

[Supermanwoot]

mine still seem negative with my boots, they certainly aren't the liftbags you are making them sound like.

Mustve been pretty rough on them to break them.

You left out a couple points about them:
1) bungie straps are amazing. I can slap my fins on in less than a second.
2) they are ridiculously fast in any current.

 

[chmtklein]

Dear Supermanwoot,

Actually, I baby the SeaWing Novas. After the first pair ripped, I don't even don them during a boat dive until I'm in the water. They never to rarely make contact with the bottom or physically contact wrecks.

Respectfully,


chmtklein

 

[Full Circle]

Your performance review is dead on. I'm also on my 3rd pair a) love the thrust to weight 2) won't do a giant stride off the boat so as not to put stress on the hinges of the trailing fin 3) Scubapro dealer has replaced them without question 4) the white version is perfect when guiding divers as they're easily seen & I also use them to white balance when shooting video.

 

[Supermanwoot]

Dear Supermanwoot,

Actually, I baby the SeaWing Novas. After the first pair ripped, I don't even don them during a boat dive until I'm in the water. They never to rarely make contact with the bottom or physically contact wrecks.

Respectfully,


chmtklein

so you're saying you broke them via contact with water? you must kick pretty hard!

 

[hazmat]

I just had my Seawing Novas out for the first time last month in Curacao. I did 19 dives with them. Overall, I loved them. Super light, the propulsion when needed is amazing. The bungee strap is awesome.

Only potential downside is the positive buoyancy. At depth, I didn't notice anything of the sort. It really came into play during a peak buoyancy class we did. Extremely frustrating trying to do anything at 15' or so. All they wanted to do was float to the surface. I guess it doesn't help that I always wear a 5mm full. Although the instructor wanted to get me down from 12 lbs. of weight to 8, with my wetsuit and the fins, there's no way I can do it. Makes safety stops funny, though. I sometimes do them upside down.

I also had to change my booties. I had been using an inherited pair of I think 7mm Deep See thick-soled booties, but the toes were getting really scrunched up in the narrow foot pockets and chafing the tops of my toes. I got at the dive shop there a pair of 5mm ScubaPro booties which felt much better.

 

[gismonkey]

Both of my white Seawing Novas are ripping at the hinge and are close to being completely broken; I've been diving them since December, so probably 50 or so dives, typically shore entry with putting fins on while floating at the surface. The white is nice and visible for guiding/teaching, but out of about a dozen frequent divers I know who own novas, more than half have had broken fins within a few months of purchase. Sure, we have been able to get them replaced under warranty, but this is a little silly for $190 fins.

Performance-wise, they're a fine frog-kicking fin, ok for back-kicking, and they are very fast when I need to go quickly. The hinge gives them a weird, sort of uneven feel while flutter kicking, and it's easy to over-kick them when getting started. But, they're generally a good fin in the water for most folks.

I could take them or leave them, but with this pair failing after so little use and the ongoing durability issues, I think I'm leaving them.

 

[hawkenph]

Hi,
I have over 30 dives with my Novas. And with no problems. I have done boat dives, shore dives. The only wear shown on them was when I was helping in Rescue training and was in a area where the only way in and out was climbing in and out over big rocks and having to help boasting things back to the shore. Just my .02 cents.
Kurt in Cebu

 

[PhotoBret]

Wow its interesting seeing all these durability issues. I have over 100 dives on my pair and they are showing no signs of wear and tear. I do not baby mine at all and if anything really abuse them. I have done giant strides from boats and shore entry's as well and so far so good. Great pair of fins - just wish I had got the white ones for the low viz here in the lake.