SPLIT FINS VS BLADE FINS in waters that can be current sensitive
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miketsp
Contributor
Scott M
Contributor
You have touched on an old subject with a lot opinions on both sides of the fence. If you do a search you will find enough reading to keep you occupied for a long long time. The bottom line is both will work in current. Each has it's own good/bad points. I prefer blades my buddies dive splits. We all dive together and we all get where we are going. In current from what "I" can see comparing them to me. They fin a lot more than I do however when I do fin it takes a more energy with the blade. More easier finning or less harder finning, in the end it is about the same either way. Best advise is try both and see what you like.
Regards
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HatchetJoe
Contributor
Flog that mare! She ain't dead, it's just sleeping!!
Gen San Chris
Contributor
I have used Jets, Blades and now splits, we have some good currents here but the splits work OK for me!
I could never decided, so I wear a split fin on one foot and a blade on the other. 
how exactly does a current change the performance of the fin?
unless you have found a way to modify the laws of physics, if one can swim at 2 knots in a fin then 2 knots is the speed you will do. Period, end of story,
No matter what else, you will always make that speed through the water, not speed over ground. it doesn't matter if you are going with, against, or across a current. A fin can't "die" because all of a sudden your in a current. Your legs may "die" doing it, but that is a matter of training, skill, and strength, not the fin.
Sure some fins are faster than others, some splits have long ago proven they some of the fastest fins in the water, Mares has some paddles that are very fast as well, personally- I use ForceFins as I can go as fast as I want with less energy while still others need to use scooters to keep up. In all of that, the only one that will be the same from one diver to the next is the scooter.
Point of the story- 1) STOP BLAMING THE FINS- nearly all fins are comparible in absolute speed
2) Speed is more a function of the legs pushing them, someone once said to me, "there is no such thing as a fast bike... only fast legs" the same is true here
3) GET OFF YOUR BUTT and find what works best for you
Here is guide that is generally accepted
Split Fins- use a high frequency, low power kick
Paddles- use a low frequency, higher power kick
ForceFins- fall somewhere in the middle
all require a slightly different skill set to use, I should probably say technique vice skill. All are reasonably comparable in speed and manueverability, some are better for frog kicks, some are better for flutter, some like other kicks entirely, some are long, some are short, some stiff, some flexible. I have read in more than one study that short flexible fins are more efficient, but not necessarily faster.
unless you have found a way to modify the laws of physics, if one can swim at 2 knots in a fin then 2 knots is the speed you will do. Period, end of story,
No matter what else, you will always make that speed through the water, not speed over ground. it doesn't matter if you are going with, against, or across a current. A fin can't "die" because all of a sudden your in a current. Your legs may "die" doing it, but that is a matter of training, skill, and strength, not the fin.
Sure some fins are faster than others, some splits have long ago proven they some of the fastest fins in the water, Mares has some paddles that are very fast as well, personally- I use ForceFins as I can go as fast as I want with less energy while still others need to use scooters to keep up. In all of that, the only one that will be the same from one diver to the next is the scooter.
Point of the story- 1) STOP BLAMING THE FINS- nearly all fins are comparible in absolute speed
2) Speed is more a function of the legs pushing them, someone once said to me, "there is no such thing as a fast bike... only fast legs" the same is true here
3) GET OFF YOUR BUTT and find what works best for you
Here is guide that is generally accepted
Split Fins- use a high frequency, low power kick
Paddles- use a low frequency, higher power kick
ForceFins- fall somewhere in the middle
all require a slightly different skill set to use, I should probably say technique vice skill. All are reasonably comparable in speed and manueverability, some are better for frog kicks, some are better for flutter, some like other kicks entirely, some are long, some are short, some stiff, some flexible. I have read in more than one study that short flexible fins are more efficient, but not necessarily faster.
Last edited:
Charlie99
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By changing the performance of the diver.
There are too many "splits don't work in current" stories going around to just dismiss it out of hand. As you properly note, 2kts through still water is the same as 2kts against a current.
Split fins are very good performers when used correctly, but poor performers when used with big wide kick cycles.
My suspicion is that when trying to make headway against a current, some split fin divers start finning harder and bigger rather than faster.
The bottom line is that splits perform well in currents, provided you have the discipline to keep finning properly --- small amplitude, low power, high speed flutter.
Charlie Allen
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