Split fin haters... please explain:

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Dan, thanks for the link. Kinda steep but if they work like you say, well worth the price. how easy are they to travel with (yes, they look long and awkward but i'm more concerned with how rugged they are)? that would be the main concern for me. i admit, I have a pair of bio-fins and force fin pros. once i get more experience and start wreck diving like i ultimately want to do, i'll probably get the hollis f1 fins. but in the meantime, i'm trying to use fins that use the least amount of energy possible as i go through my air too fast as it is. if these are easy to travel with, i might be willing to eBay the bio-fins and upgrade to these.
 
For what you would pay for the DiveR Fins and the foot pocket that is also needed, you could get a pair of the Hockey Force Fins and use them for whatever type of diving you are going to do - now and in the future. If you are already using Force Fins, these would be an easy transition. Even Dan admits the Hockey Fin is a great fin.
 
For what you would pay for the DiveR Fins and the foot pocket that is also needed, you could get a pair of the Hockey Force Fins and use them for whatever type of diving you are going to do - now and in the future. If you are already using Force Fins, these would be an easy transition. Even Dan admits the Hockey Fin is a great fin.

This is true.....And the in the cost comparison, the Force fins are actually a lot less expensive. This summer we are planning on having a huge Gear Demo as part of a major diving event....there will be demoing of fins at the Blue Heron Bridge Marine Park. I expect that many divers will be shocked at how much better that force fins are than the fins they have been lied to about by all the prostituted dive magazines--and forced to buy without the ability to demo.

I think some will like the hi tech freedive fins like DiveR's, some will like the scubapro Jetfins if they are taught how to use them,I think the vast majority will be shocked at how poorly the split fins perform---this is so dramatic I am certain we will have to purchase many of the split fins for the demo, since the split fin manufacturers would be horrified at the idea of divers comparing their fins side by side with technique instruction included :)

If a thousand divers tried this demo, my guess is that Force Fins would be the winner of the most converts....While many would like DiveR's, the cost and nature of it's optimum use will not make it a majority fin--maybe a 10% kind of acceptance....Jets will do much better --maybe 30% to 40% if divers are shown how they are supposed to be kicked.

Dive Instructors will then have an "epiphany" and begin selling classes in "Peak Control Propulsion Techniques"....:)
 
Dan

I agree with much of what you said but I think the.Jets only real attribute would be cost. They really only shine at frog kicking and even there they can be tough on the legs.

I agree that the DiveR fins are great in the right conniptions - warm water boat dives or shore entry from sandy beaches. In those conditions I don't think any fin will out perform them. Unfortunately many of us dive in a variety of conditions and having a single fin that is versatile is important (can't imagine using a full foot fin for shore diving in Bonaire). in that case, any fin becomes a compromise in one way or another.

Although I admit to being a "fin junky", I like the idea of only having one fin that is very, very good and versatile enough to use 90+% of the time - so I don't have to "relearn" using them which would happen if I used different fins for different conditions.

I agree that the Force Fins, especially the Hockeys and Excellerators, would gain a tremendous number of converts once people tried them.

I will sure try and get there if you run the test program. And I appreciate your open, honest evaluations and search for the "TRUTH".
 
Dan

I agree with much of what you said but I think the.Jets only real attribute would be cost. They really only shine at frog kicking and even there they can be tough on the legs.

I agree that the DiveR fins are great in the right conniptions - warm water boat dives or shore entry from sandy beaches. In those conditions I don't think any fin will out perform them. Unfortunately many of us dive in a variety of conditions and having a single fin that is versatile is important (can't imagine using a full foot fin for shore diving in Bonaire). in that case, any fin becomes a compromise in one way or another.

Although I admit to being a "fin junky", I like the idea of only having one fin that is very, very good and versatile enough to use 90+% of the time - so I don't have to "relearn" using them which would happen if I used different fins for different conditions.

I agree that the Force Fins, especially the Hockeys and Excellerators, would gain a tremendous number of converts once people tried them.

I will sure try and get there if you run the test program. And I appreciate your open, honest evaluations and search for the "TRUTH".

TT,
I was actually saying that I think the hockey force fins ( Fast Force Fins or Force Biokiller Fins) or the Exellerators, would outsell the jets in the demos....for a few reasons...
1. [edit] cost will not help....the average diver tries not to spend more than $200 on fins....so the jets have an advantage here....the DiveR's get there butts kicked here :)
2. less instruction is needed to use the Force Fins, by a huge margin..they are very intuitive.
3. The Force Fins do not require any where near the level of fitness that Jets require, and they make many different models that actually correspond well to the fitness level of each diver--so the deal is, try several Force fin models, and you will find one that matches your strength and aerobic potentials for optimal flex and function for you.....Jets, given sufficient instruction, "Can" be used by a wide range of fitness levels---it is about slowing down the kick turnover, and using the correct kick shape...and using the frog kick a lot of the time for many people. To use the jets at a fast efficient flutter kick, you will enjoy this much more if you are a competitive cyclist--in which case they motor quite well, and feel really good at high output efforts....the jets let you use the primary muscles we train doing intervals on the bike, and running at a high paced flutter kick feels a lot like a bike ride at Zone 3 ( fast, but not uncomfortable, and sustainable for 2 or more hours if needed.)..The Hockey Force Fin ( which I would prefer to call the Force Biokiller fins--cmon Bob, grow some :) , also is amazing in that it lets me utilize all the interval created power I have from the bike rides, and does so brilliantly. It really does make your legs feel good at high output....but when you want to swim slow with them, they are precise, and when you need to reverse kick back, from a photo subject to retain focus distance, these fins are so easy to reverse kick with that practically anyone could do this if they just saw someone else do it first---In contrast, most fins that can be used to perform reverse kicks, will take the average diver many days or weeks, for them to learn how to do reverse kicks of any value and precision.

So what I am inclined to say, is that for most divers, I believe there is a Force fin that would be much better for them, than what they are currently using, and this would increase the enjoyment and adventure potential of their dives--or increase the quality of their photo or video shooting by optimizing their ability to move around as needed.
I can't say at this time that they would be equivalent to a jet fin for a GUE diver in a cave or tech environment, but in all fairness, this is not what Bob was trying to create with any of his current models--even though the Force Biokillers seem to come pretty close to this....As I am about to do the GUE Fundamentals course with Errol Kaylaci and Bob Sherwood in mid January, I'll be able to comment better after the class on how well I think the Biokillers could be used to accomplish the GUE standards....but keep in mind, even if I say they are this good, that would NOT be the same thing as saying they would be allowed as team equipment for a GUE Team based dive.....And this does not really matter, as the majority of Scuba Board readers here do not have any plans to take Fundies and then join a GUE Team for adventure dives far outside of the realm of recreational diving :)
 
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I will be interested in how GUE responds to the "Hockey" Fins (I prefer to call them Jet Killers :D). I believe they meet all the requirements (which the Excellerators would not because of the whiskers being a potential entanglement hazard). We rarely talk about the Extra Force Fins but they also are very versatile and if Bob decides to make them using the same material as in the Hockey Fin, they might be an even better fin for GUE type diving.

I am not as fit as I once was (when I used Jets), being medicare eligible and having bad knees, hip and now an ankle, but I have found that with the Hockey Fins I can do a reasonable job of keeping up with the young bucks - especially for a short sprint (even in a strong current). And what I like the best is even after some hard swimming, I don't have the pains that I had using any form of blade (which is why I used BioFins for several years).

We often take a long weekend trip to FL in the summer, so if the timing is right, I will try and make it and even pack an extra bag full of fins. :wink:
I am sure Bob will send fins and if Avi can make it (he lives in the area), I am sure we will have a wide variety of Force Fins for testing.
 
Just got back from diving Cozumel with my wife. Our Biofins worked like magic in the current! Strong enough to keep me hovering through it to take photos with minimal effort. Love our biofins!
 
HEHEHE..this is like comparing 4x4s vs SUVs vs sedans vs crossovers vs compacts or front wheel drive vs rear wheel drive vs AWD, muscle cars vs rice rockets vs exotic cars. All I can say is pick what one is comfortable with for their particular style of diving. Like jeep wranglers are great for off-road because of their 4x4 capabilities but SUVs can do that too but not as much cuz its more for comfort...blah blah blah...my 2 copper Lincolns

Paddle fins = 4x4: great for slow tech maneuvers with great torque but fails on the quarter mile
Splits = sports compact: can buzz around, keep up with some speed but handling is mediocre
freedive fins = exotics: fast, precision, can stop on a dime

They are good for what they are made for but it all depends on the driver :wink:
 
HEHEHE..this is like comparing 4x4s vs SUVs vs sedans vs crossovers vs compacts or front wheel drive vs rear wheel drive vs AWD, muscle cars vs rice rockets vs exotic cars. All I can say is pick what one is comfortable with for their particular style of diving. Like jeep wranglers are great for off-road because of their 4x4 capabilities but SUVs can do that too but not as much cuz its more for comfort...blah blah blah...my 2 copper Lincolns

Paddle fins = 4x4: great for slow tech maneuvers with great torque but fails on the quarter mile
Splits = sports compact: can buzz around, keep up with some speed but handling is mediocre
freedive fins = exotics: fast, precision, can stop on a dime

They are good for what they are made for but it all depends on the driver :wink:

Gunrock0811:

Great post, you capture the essence of the "fin wars". It does depend on the driver as you say.

We have the hard core advocates of one model fin or another. The reality is different tools for
different jobs. I have a fin locker with many models, some of the Apollo brand others collected and
used over the years. I pick the one for the dive I'm going on.

You have one of the most reasonable posts I've seen on this topic.
 
I used both my twinn jets and my jets on a recent trip to Cancun and found them to be just exactly like Gunrock described. Granted most of my limited experience is with the twinns but I didn't experience an epiphany when I used the paddle fins. In fact, my SAC stayed exactly the same, mid 4's, for similar dives. I'm not sorry that I bought the paddles because they will be useful in the caverns, but I'm sure glad I didn't pay much for them.
 
https://www.shearwater.com/products/teric/

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