Sling-Shot or Sling not

[ScubaBasics]

As a service to the divers of ScubaBoard, I would like to share a product review on the Aqua-Lung Sling-Shot Fins. One of our store divemasters went to the pool to help with a class and took a pair of Sling-Shot fins to try. Here is his review:

As one of the great benefits of being a divemaster is being able to test all of the new gear. Well today while I was teaching a discover scuba diving class I tried a set of the Aqua Lung Sling Shot fins and was pleasantly surprised.

I started off with the attitude of just another gimmick but it is not going to cost me anything so why not. As far as fit and adjustment it was pretty much the same as their other fins, basic quick release and so on. Since I was with a student the first part of the dive was a slow easy standard kick. I noticed right a way that even with a easy kick I was moving pretty quickly.

Ok now I am thinking that these won't be worth a crap when under current or really trying to move quickly. Wrong again! Once the discover was complete I got back in the water and just tried to push them to the max and was amazed. They did not fold under pressure and were the first fin that I have tried that moved me through the water quicker than my Quattro fins. I even put my Quattros on just to make sure I wasn't just imagining things.

Long story short, I liked them well enough that I might just buy a set?

 

[ScubaDMC]

I just bought a pair of the Aqua Lung Sling-shot fins a few weeks ago. I tried them on the 2nd of the 3 power settings and with minimal effort, I was moving very quickly. Before I bought these fins, I was using the Mares Quatro Pro, followed by the Volo Power. I must say that if you're looking to gain some power out of a fin, the Aqua-Lung Sling-shot fins are the way to go!
:scubadive:
:42: :mil-usn: :mil-pow-mia:
:florida:

 

[ZzzKing]

I don't typically like going quick while diving but thanks for the review.

 

[Hank658]

Anybody know how they function when it comes to moving mass through the water? I borrowed a pair of Volos, and with a drysuit and doubles I felt like I had to really kick hard but was basically not moving at all. Now I have a pair of Avanti X3's and was wondering how the Slingshot would compare.

 

[Jrock1062]

Has anyone used these fins in current ? I would like to know how they preform under different conditions ?

 

[flareless]

I just tried a new pair of Slingshot fins with a drysuit while training in the pool. I previously had a pair of Tusa Liberator X fins (nothing special but they got the job done).

The Slingshots have a much larger surface area than the Libertors. That may be because they are an XL versus a Large for the Tusas, however, I think even size to size the Slingshots have more surface area. I tested them on the first setting and was not exerting myself. I just used small, low power kicks. As others reported these fins really got me moving. They are very comfortable and took no time getting used to. I also did not experience the "snap" reported by other divers, however, that may change once I get them in open water and apply more power.

Both the owner and another employee of my LDS were trying their Slingshots out for the first time and had positive feedback.

The only drawback is that they are a few inches too tall for my older Akona gear bag. They do, however, fit perfectly in the new Aqualung gear bag.

Overall I am extremely satisfied with these new fins!

 

[jchull]

We have a demo pair at our shop and a few of the instructors have tried them in open water and bought them right after. Pool is not optimal for testing the sling shot, because even cheap splits feel OK in the pool. Love my blades, but I will have a chance to try the Sling-Shot in open water in a few weeks, so I might have to move the Blades to backup status.

 

[hollanddiver]

In 5 weeks I will test them for three weeks in Sharm. So hope to give some more info after that.

 

[mig_diver]

How does the slingshot go on the surface? I use Mares Quattros at the moment but am always finding that my surface kick is very weak, but that could also be my finning technique.

 

[ianw2]

I picked up a pair of Sling-Shots at the end of last year. I've always prefered blades to splits.

While the Sling-Shots provide a nice power source, I find that they are easy to control at slow speeds, too. Frog kicks and light flutters are easy to perform. Since the fins are blades and can be set to stiff, they seem to work well in current and surge, too.

I noticed that I used to get the occasional foot and calf cramp with my old TUSA Tri-Exs. I haven't had many cramps with the Sling-Shots.

On the other hand, I have a few friends who are sold on splits and cannot stand the Sling-Shots.

As with many pieces of diving equipment, its a matter of personal choice.

That's my 2psi and I'm sticking to my Sling-Shots.

Ian