Slingshot durability

[E.C.Hansen]

So I'm doing some research as I slowly collect my first set of gear, and when I start looking at fins I find a lot of confusion and exaggerated opinion. I try to apply common sense and sort through the BS, and decide to go with one of the only two fins that I have actually tried, Mares Quattros, good reputation and My one time use was problem free.
I like to support my LDS, these are the people I am likely to dive with the most, at least in the near future. So I run down and ask Ralph about getting me a pair. Soon as I mention fins he tells me he used to use Quattros as he hands me a Slingshot, now he uses these. The other guy working and the two regulars that are also there at the time all start telling me how great these fins are and about how their last trip would have been a great add for Aqualung with 5 or 6 sets all lined up on the dive boat.
Now Ralph is an older former military guy with a lot of great stories and more years experience diving than I have walking, so I take his opinions seriously. At this point, I say I don't want to drop that much extra $ without trying them, and they promise to let me use a pair next weekend in my AOW class.
I then come home to so some research. To be honest when I first saw these I thought they were the same fins as the ones that flip up for walking, and had kinda written them off as a gimmick. But the more I read, the more I find that they are rapidly gaining a following. They evidently take a lot of the strain off of leg joints, and have a larger range of motion than regular fins (Competitive swimmers spend a lot of time stretching their feet because range of motion adds to a stronger/faster swimming kick.).
So, to finally get to my point, being sold on the theory and still a little wary of the price tag, the only thing left is to ask about the durability.
Has anyone been using Slingshots for more than a season or two? How do they stand up? I know bands can break, but so can straps, they are replaceable, dosn't seem a big deal. I'm asking about general wear and tear on foot pocket, the hinge joint or anything else than you might have run across.

Thanks in advance, and sorry I ramble so much
Eric

 

[Nemrod]

Quattros are a good fin.

The standard fin of experienced divers worldwide for over 40 years is the Scuba Pro original Jet Fin. Maybe get some spring straps on it (maybe) and never look back. Fad fins come and go, the AL is the latest gimmick fin, it too will pass. Some regular divers have been using the same pair for 20 plus years.

http://www.leisurepro.com/Prod/SCPF...eld=Relevance&DescSort=0&Description=on&Hit=1

Sixty nine dollars, you can buy three sets for the rubber band thingy AL fins--now that is value and durabilty and over and over again the Jet has proven itself capable if not more capable and in fact the most capable and versatile scuba fin ever made---period.

N

 

[Jeff Toorish]

Jets are good --but they are heavy. There are similar fins that give you the benefit of jets without as much weight.

Of course, the first question is really: what kind of diving are you planning to do?

Many people use different fins for different applications.

Slingshots have only been around for about a year and a half. I haven't tried them so I can't comment on them specifically --but they are AquaLung which is an incredibly innovative company so I would have faith that they are a quality product.

Jeff

 

[E.C.Hansen]

Oops I did forget to mention kind of diving I'll be doing... I live in VA, so at least some cold water diving, I also have family in Florida, so temperate springs and the Gulf as well. All just recreational diving in the near future, I'm still pretty new to it.

 

[dumpsterDiver]

I've never used them, but the power bands or whatever and all the attachements look like a tangle hazard to me, I could see fishing line, hooks and wire working their way into them.


I've even had vented fins get stuck on obstructions like vertical sticks and things on wrecks, more than once my foot has gotten stuck when wear the jet fins. It is not a big deal, but the Slingshots look like they would be prone to that ind of stuff to me.

 

[The Great Kazoo]

I have a pair and they are great if you need to move fast, as far as entanglement, I have never had an issue (I have about 70 dives on them). They seem durable, as the bands have yet to break. I am going to purchase another set of bands, because they will eventually. If I was in the market for a new set, I wouldn't hesitate to buy another set. I also dive with OMS Slipstreams and they are great also. If you are not in a hurry (using Doubles/Drysuit/Wrecks/Cave) I would recommend the Slips.

 

[1KWIK_69]

I just received a pair of Slingshots for my B-Day. When they first came out last year my first thought was they look gimmicky, but I've talked to some dive professionals I know and they say they love them. I don't understand the comment about them possibly getting tangled? It's not like they have all kinds of things hanging off of them. They are no less streamlined than any other fin on the market. I've read a few posts by people that tried them once and said they feel a little weird at first because you can actually feel the rebound when they release the stored up energy from your kick, but that's what Aqualung says they were made for. They are supposed to give you that little extra amount of thrust. People I know that own them and have used them for a while swear by them. I do agree it would be a good idea to buy a spare set of bands just in case, but I've only read one post from someone that claimed to have found a partial band on the bottom that someone lost. Besides that, I haven't heard of them ever breaking. I guess the verdict will be out for a while as to how well they hold up since they haven't been out long enough to really know yet.

I'm headed to the Keys in a few days so I'll get a chance to try them out. I'll give a report.

 

[White Knight]

I have Slingshots that I use with my dry suit because they are one of the few fins that have a tall enough foot pocket to accept my Rock Boot comfortably. Sling Shots take time to get used to. Very long and slow kicks. If you are new to diving you may not ever know the difference between a slow kick and a quick kick. Personally, I think Jet Fins are a thing of the past. I started out with them, but technology and materials have moved on. It is comical to me that SCUBAPRO has kept the same design for their fins all these years but has totally screwed up their regulators? Anyway, is the fin a real fin? Yes. Is it worth the money or that (or at all) better than any other fin? Probably not. My advice (I've been diving since 1983) is to make sure (really make sure) that the foot pocket fits your foot like a glove--perfectly. Don't think you know how it should fit if you are new, have the dive shop fit you with your boots/gear on! After the fit, everything else is personal preference in my opinion. Sling Shots are good fins. And so are a lot of other fins.

 

[1KWIK_69]

I just did some poking around online about Slingshots. Of the 20 reviews by customers on Leisurepro, all said they would recommend them and many of those were dive masters or instructors. One guy said he had a band break but that Leisurepro replaced it free of charge. He said he thinks his fin breaking was a fluke and he says he loves how well they work.

A more important endorsment in my opinion is Sport Diver Magazine chose them as their Editor's Pick for March 2009. The following is from the online magazine.

"The Editor's Pick

The gear featured here has been awarded special recognition as an Editor's Pick for one of several good reasons: it works great, it's an excellent value, it's durable, it's innovative or it's the best performer in its class. There may be other good reasons we haven't thought of yet (we'll let you know when we do!), but what's important is to know that the Editor's Pick is our best recommendation on what to buy for a specific application or type of diving. It's a recommendation derived both from empirical data and subjective experience in the field, all of which is filtered through many years of dive experience and a healthy measure of skepticism about what's supposed to be the latest and greatest gift to diving. Bottom line: if it's an Editor's Pick, it's something we'd pay good money to get.


Aqua Lung Slingshot - Editor's Pick - March 2009

COOL FACTOR
The only fin on the market with a three-speed transmission. And yes, it's a stick.

KEY FEATURES
Unique silicone Power Bands help keep long paddle blades in tension. On each kick cycle, the bands stretch to store energy and then release it just before the upstroke for an added boost of power. The blade itself hinges at the midpoint of the foot pocket, which not only provides a wide range of motion but also reduces foot and leg strain while kicking. The fin's Power Bands are also adjustable. Three settings are available so divers can fine-tune performance to best suit dive conditions as well as their own leg strength. A well-shaped foot pocket is built for both comfort and security and easily handles all types of dive boots.
Visit sportdiver.com/slingshotvideo to watch Editor Ty Sawyer's review of this fin."

 

[mstrdvr]

I have a pair of slingshots and love them. The foot pocket is large enough to fit my dry suit as well as my wet boots with out a lot of flopping around.I dive alot of lakes where the bottom is visible but dont touch it,the sling shots allow me to get a good kick without silt out. Good luck and good question.

Randy