Solid vs. split fins

[sonnyt]

maybe you should get a scooter!!!!!
you wont even need fins lol

sonnyt

 

[Queen]

I waiting to have my right knee replaced (I'm not old enough yet) and as the knee gets worse I find my splits to be the only comfortable fin for me.

 

[katekicks]

Hi, how are ya Kathy?


I don’t recall you saying what constituted bad knees. I wonder if it makes a difference if the problem is ligament (MCL, LCL or the iliotibial band slip slidey thing)? I’m missing cartilage and ACL with good LCL, MCL and PCL so stable just bone on bone arthritis.

I have patella femoral syndrome (yes I know that means knee cap leg bone). Basically my knee caps don't stay in the groove and get pulled to the outside because of the angle between my hip and knee. I have to pop my knees frequently and they can be stiff and painful when cold. (maybe I'll get Wildcard to train me on my new dry suit) The Tusa Imprex rentals I tried just made my shins and ankles hurt and I felt like I was working a lot harder. Don't know how much variety I'll get in rental gear here on Oahu LDS.

 

[ottomatik]

I have Atomic splits and have never used or tried anything else, so I guess I like them. Recently I started a Intro to Tech course and I could not frog kick for any length of time with the splits and was looking to buy solids. Today at a Goodwill store I found a "brand new" pair of black Dacor Turbo fins (one rib down center. Age?) which I bought for $7.00. they actually look brand new and don't look like they were ever used. I am anxious to try them out.

 

[DWJ]

splits in warmwater and wetsuit. Solids when diving dry.

 

[JacobK]

I bought a pair of Scuba Pro Twin Jet fins when I first got started because that's what the LDS recomended. I have bad knees and sometimes have pain while diving with my twin jets. Wildcard recommended I try a solid fin and I rented a pair, but I didn't like the pair of rental fins either and it felt like I was working harder. So any comments from the peanut gallery about split fins vs. solid?

I use both.

Solid ScubaPro fins for beach diving or strong currents.

Tusa Split fins for off the boat with little or no current.

 

[scarefaceDM]

It all boils down to physical condition, leg strenght, and technique. I have a major pain in the knee, Mountain biking crash..rolled down a hill...I was still clipped in the peddals the first three rolls...kinda twisted the knee alittle. Since then I worked out differently and got more mobility back in my left knee. With the aid of a brace for a while I was able to get good mobility back.

I do not flutter kick unless I am in a stong current and need to get out of it. I frog kick most of my dive. It puts less stress on the knees. It is a matter of technique but is way better than the flutter kick. You glide in the water and do not stur up silt, nor become a coral hazard...etc.....

I use Quatros with a wet suit and OMS Slipstreams with drysuit. BOth have spring straps. The OMS slipstreams are lighter than Jets and Turtles. Split fins make frog kick difficult and harder to move around. Split fins are meant for flutter kicking where power is needed and is easier on the legs than solid blade fins.

My two cents worth...