Hi all,
This has actually been a good read. Usually these types of comparison threads end up with much bickering, bantering, and biased based opinions and not so much hard content. BDSC has some very good points about why split fins are the best LOL. Which prompted me to toss in a few of my own OPINIONS and facts for you all to chew on.
I find the fin category very subjective. Every diver is different, kicks differently, dives differently so it is almost impossible to say one is better than the other. I'll be honest, I used to scuba dive in my freediving long blade fins. I thought they were the best for me, certainly not for everyone though. Moved me through the water faster, more effeciently than anyone else, and the type of diving we were doing warranted this. Would it be good for wrecks, caves, taking u/w images, or the easy meandering drift dive in Cozumel, not so much... Now, there are major differences in ease of swimming from the newer technololgy to the fins of old. So if this is a concern or benefit to you then I say spend the money and go with a "good" split or a "good" paddle such as the Volo Power. There are good, and not so good fins from a performance perspective. I have my opinion but will leave it out for obvious reasons. I don't want to be perceived as biased.
Now keep in mind the majority of paddle fins sold are in the less expensive category, primarily because there aren't too many technology options at the low price point. Consumers on a budget (students / kids, family of 10, etc...) don't really have a choice, and will most likely end up in a paddle fin.
Over the last 5yrs the market shows sales are 50% split - 50% paddle (this is apprx as it goes up or down 2-3 points each year, but relatively static.)
Well perhaps a little side tracked but, at the end of the day, there are reasons for purchasing either split or paddle, Mares, Atomic, Tusa,.... Do you have specific needs, ease of finning, task oriented, travel in mind, performance racing etc.. These are all good considerations, and there isn't one answer for all. Thank goodness for you, we have some competition in fin manufacturing, otherwise everyone would be in a hinge fin! LOL.....
Best regards everyone and safe diving!
This has actually been a good read. Usually these types of comparison threads end up with much bickering, bantering, and biased based opinions and not so much hard content. BDSC has some very good points about why split fins are the best LOL. Which prompted me to toss in a few of my own OPINIONS and facts for you all to chew on.
I find the fin category very subjective. Every diver is different, kicks differently, dives differently so it is almost impossible to say one is better than the other. I'll be honest, I used to scuba dive in my freediving long blade fins. I thought they were the best for me, certainly not for everyone though. Moved me through the water faster, more effeciently than anyone else, and the type of diving we were doing warranted this. Would it be good for wrecks, caves, taking u/w images, or the easy meandering drift dive in Cozumel, not so much... Now, there are major differences in ease of swimming from the newer technololgy to the fins of old. So if this is a concern or benefit to you then I say spend the money and go with a "good" split or a "good" paddle such as the Volo Power. There are good, and not so good fins from a performance perspective. I have my opinion but will leave it out for obvious reasons. I don't want to be perceived as biased.
Now keep in mind the majority of paddle fins sold are in the less expensive category, primarily because there aren't too many technology options at the low price point. Consumers on a budget (students / kids, family of 10, etc...) don't really have a choice, and will most likely end up in a paddle fin.
Over the last 5yrs the market shows sales are 50% split - 50% paddle (this is apprx as it goes up or down 2-3 points each year, but relatively static.)
See?
You would have a very colorful map. It is curious to see how some markets support one technology over the other. In the PNW I see a dominant support for split fin technology. There is no rhyme or reason that I can ascertain. I think once a market for a technology or brand has been established, it almost perpetuates itself. By and large consumers tend to be followers, and if he has it, it must be good, then so must I. In CA, the market begins to reflect more of the 50/50 rule. It boils down to what the store (lds) believes and promotes to be the better technology.
Case in point.
BDSC, you bring up a good point. I personally have sort of struggled with the various fin tests from magazines, and independant study groups. Again fins are hard to test and can be very subjective; primarily because we all swim differently. We are all going to have a personal preference as to what feels better. This is the subjective part. Some kick hard, slow,fast, scissor, bicycle, it is endless really. How can a test in an uncontrolled enviornment with different testers over an extended period of time, come to a reasonable and conclusive argument? Pretty challenging eh? Although, not to throw them completetely under the bus, they do a pretty good job with what they have, it's just not perfect IMO. On the other hand, Mares looks at it from both sides, scientific and feel. Mares, to my knowledge has the only robotic swimming leg submerged in water with apprx 25' of tank to propel a fin through. This leg is wired to computers and can statistically measure performance. It is in a controlled enviornment, with a static machine (of course it can be altered to show different kick strokes), and the data cannot be argued with. See this 3 min video on the development of the original Volo fin. YouTube - Volo Fin Evolution.
Well perhaps a little side tracked but, at the end of the day, there are reasons for purchasing either split or paddle, Mares, Atomic, Tusa,.... Do you have specific needs, ease of finning, task oriented, travel in mind, performance racing etc.. These are all good considerations, and there isn't one answer for all. Thank goodness for you, we have some competition in fin manufacturing, otherwise everyone would be in a hinge fin! LOL.....
Best regards everyone and safe diving!
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